Experimental and numerical analysis of stainless steel cellular beams in fire

This paper presents the details and analysis of a fire test conducted on a stainless steel cellular beam, as well as the development of a finite element model to further study the behavior. Cellular beams are increasingly popular in the construction as they provide a structurally and materially efficient design solution as well as allowing the passage of services. Their behavior in fire can be challenging as the web-post typically reaches higher temperatures than equivalent webs in solid beams. Stainless steel is also increasingly popular for structural applications, mainly due to its excellent corrosion resistance, as well as its other attractive physical and mechanical attributes. The focus in this paper is on the behavior of stainless steel cellular beams, which combine the attractive qualities of stainless steel with the structural efficiency of beams with openings, in fire. A fire test has been conducted which is described and discussed. Then, a finite element analysis model is developed to analyze the thermo-mechanical behavior of unprotected stainless steel cellular beams. The model is validated using the experimental results and then employed to investigate the important parameters which influence the behavior.