Response of fire exposed composite girders under dominant flexural and shear loading

Purpose: This paper aims to present results from numerical studies on the response of fire exposed composite girders subjected to dominant flexural and shear loading. A finite element-based numerical model was developed to trace the thermal and structural response of composite girders subjected to simultaneous structural loading and fire exposure. This model accounts for various critical parameters including material and geometrical nonlinearities, property degradation at elevated temperatures, shear effects, composite interaction between concrete slab and steel girder, as well as temperature-induced local buckling. To generate test data for validation of the model, three composite girders, each comprising of hot-rolled (standard) steel girder underneath a concrete slab, were tested under simultaneous fire and gravity loading. Design/methodology/approach: The validated model was then applied to investigate the effect of initial geometric imperfections, load level, thickness of slab and stiffness of shear stud on fire response of composite girders. Findings: Results from experimental and numerical analysis indicate that the composite girder subjected to flexural loading experience failure through flexural yielding mode, while the girders under shear loading fail through in shear web buckling mode. Further, results from parametric studies clearly infer that shear limit state can govern the response of fire exposed composite girders under certain loading configuration and fire scenario. Originality/value: This paper presents results from numerical studies on the response of fire exposed composite girders subjected to dominant flexural and shear loading.