Citation

Wong MB, Patterson N. Fire Safety J. 1996; 27(2): 113-122.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1996, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Temperature increase in a steel frame may lead to strength degradation of the frame due to deterioration of the strength of individual members at elevated temperatures. In this paper, strength degradation of steel frames at elevated temperatures is reflected by the corresponding decrease in the elastic buckling strength of the structure. In obtaining the elastic buckling load of the structure, the mechanical properties and the internal forces of the members first have to be evaluated. Moreover, the internal forces induced by the external loads and by the temperature effect need to be separated in order to obtain the elastic buckling load factor, pertaining to the external loads. Using a proposed unit load factor method, the limiting temperature at which the frame fails by elastic buckling can be obtained. It is shown that a temperature gradient existing across the cross-section of the members has little effect on the elastic buckling strength of the frame.