Análisis del comportamiento al fuego de Vigas tipo I con sección reducida: evaluación de la resistencia estructural frente a condiciones de incendio

Abstract

Fires have become a danger for buildings because when they reach high temperatures, they can alter the mechanical properties of structural elements, causing them to fail and collapse. Therefore, this research aims to evaluate the behavior of a steel structural element, such as type I-beams with reduced cross-section, under fire exposure at time intervals (5, 10, and 15 minutes). The structural elements were calculated and designed using AISC 341-16, AISC 358-16, AISC 360-16, AWS, and IDEA StatiCa software. IPE 140 beams and a reinforced HEB 160 column, ASTM 354 or grade 8 bolts, and plates with 10 and 20 mm thicknesses were used. The tests were conducted with the help of the hydraulic press located at the Research, Innovation, and Technology Transfer Center (CIITT by its Spanish acronym) of the Catholic University of Cuenca, while the application of fire and the measurement of temperatures were performed with manual tools. The results showed that the beams exposed to fire for a longer period exhibited greater deformation and lower load capacity. There is a 57.37% reduction of the standard beam compared to the beam with the longest fire exposure. Slight buckling was observed in the beams exposed to fire for extended periods. It was also shown that the longer a beam is exposed to fire, the lower its heat retention capacity.