SECTION 16 FIRE RESISTANCE

16.1 Requirements
This section applies to steel building elements designed to exhibit a required fire-
resistance level (FRL) as per the relevant specification.
16.1.1 For protected steel members and connections, the thickness of protection material
(hi) shall be greater than or equal to that required to give a period of structural adequacy
(PSA) greater than or equal to the required FRL.
16.1.2 For unprotected steel members and connections, the exposed surface area to mass
ratio (ksm) shall be less than or equal to that required to give a PSA equal to the required FRL.
16.2 Definitions
Fire Resistance  The ability of a component or structure, to fulfil for a stated period of time
the required stability, integrity, thermal insulation and/or other expected duty specified in a
standard fire resistance test
Exposed Surface Area to Mass Ratio  The ratio of the surface area exposed to the fire (in
mm2) to the mass of steel (in kg)
Note: In the case of members with fire protection material applied, the exposed surface area
is to be taken as the internal surface area of the fire protection material.
Fire Exposure Condition
(a) Three-sided Fire Exposure Condition  Steel member incorporated in or in contact
with a concrete or masonry floor or wall (at least against on surface).
Notes:
i) Three-sided fire exposure condition is to be considered separately unless otherwise
specified in 16.10.
ii) Members with more than one face in contact with a concrete or masonry floor or
wall may be treated as three-sided fire exposure.
(b) Four-sided Fire Exposure Condition  A steel member, which may be exposed to fire
on all sides.
Fire Protection System  The fire protection material and its method of attachment to the
steel member.
Fire Resistance Level  The fire-resistance grading period for a structural element or system,
in minutes, which is required to be attained in the standard fire test.
Period of Structural Adequacy (PSA)  The time (t), in minutes, for the member to reach the
limit state of structural inadequacy in the standard fire test.
Stickability  The ability of the fire protection system to remain in place as the member
deflects under load during a fire test.

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Structural Adequacy for Fire  The ability of the member to carry the test load when exposed
to the standard fire test.
16.3 Fire Resistance Level
The required Fire Resistance Level (FRL) shall be as prescribed by the appropriate
standards, namely IS: 1641, IS: 1642 and IS: 1643, building specification or, as required by
the user or the city ordinance. The FRL specified in terms of the duration (in minutes) of
standard fire load without collapse depends upon
a) The use to which structure is put it.
b) The time taken to evaluate the structure in the case of fire.
16.4 Period of Structural Adequacy (PSA)
16.4.1 The calculation of PSA involves
a) Calculation of the strength of the element as a function of the temperature of the
element and the determination of limiting temperature.
b) Calculation of the thermal response of the element, i.e. calculate the variation of
the temperature of the element or the parts of the element with time, when
exposed to fire.
c) Determination of PSA at which the temperature of the element or parts of the
element reaches the limiting temperature.
16.4.2 Determination of Period of Structural Adequacy
The period of structural adequacy (PSA) shall be determined using one of the
following methods:
(a) By calculation
(i) By determining the limiting temperature of the steel (Tl) in accordance with 16.6
and then.
(ii) By determining the PSA as the time (in minutes) from the start of the test (t) to the
time at which the limiting steel temperature is attained in accordance with 16.7 for
protected members and 16.8 for unprotected members.
(b) By direct application of a single test in accordance with 16.9 or
(c) Calculation of the temperature of the steel member by, using a rational method of
analysis confirmed by test data or by methods available in Specialist literature.
16.5 Variation of Mechanical Properties of Steel with Temperature
16.5.1 Variation of Yield stress with Temperature
The influence of temperature on the yield stress of steel shall be taken as follows for
structures of mild steels and high strength low alloy steels.
For temperature less than 215o C no reduction in the yield stress needs to be considered.

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 where
fy(T) = yield stress of steel at To C
fy(20) = yield stress of steel at 20o C (room temperature)
T = temperature of the steel in oC
This relationship is shown by Curve 1 in Fig 16.1.
MODULUS OF ELASTICITY RATIO
YEILD STRESS RATIO OR

Curve 1: Yield Stress Ratio

Curve 2: Modulus of Elasticity Ratio

1
FIG 16.1 VARIATION OF MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF STEEL WITH TEMPERATURE

16.5.2 Variation of Modulus of Elasticity with Temperature

The influence of temperature on the modulus of elasticity shall be taken as follows for
structures of mild steels and high strength low alloy steels.

when
215

STEEL TEMPERATURE (T)C

when

E (T) = modulus of elasticity of steel at ToC

E (20) = modulus of elasticity of steel at 20oC (room temperature)
This relationship is shown by Curve 2 in Fig 16.1.

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 16.5.3 For special steel with higher temperature resistance, such as TMCD steels, the
manufacturers recommendation shall be used to obtain the variation of yield strength and
modulus of elasticity of steel with temperature.
16.6 Limiting Steel Temperature
The limiting steel temperature (Tl) in degree Celsius shall be calculated as follows in
the case of ordinary steels.
Tl= 905-690 rf
where
rf = ratio of the design action on the member under fire to the design capacity of the
member (Rd = Ru/m) at room temperature
Rd, Ru = design strength and ultimate strength of the member at room temperature
respectively
m = partial safety factor for strength
The design action under fire shall consider
a) The reduced bond likely under fire.
b) The effects of restraint to expansion of the elements during fire.
Limited steel temperature for special steels may be appropriately calculated using the
thermal characteristics of the material obtained from the suppliers.
16.7 Temperature Increase with Time in Protected Members
16.7.1 The time (t) at which the limiting temperature (Tl) is attained shall be determined
by calculation on the basis of a suitable series of fire tests in accordance with 16.7.2 or from
the results of a single test in accordance with 16.7.3.
16.7.1.1 For beams and for all members with a four-sided fire exposure condition, the
limiting temperature (Tl) shall be taken as the average of all of the temperatures measured at
the thermocouple locations on all sides.
16.7.1.2 For columns with a three-sided fire exposure condition, the limiting
temperature (Tl) shall be taken as the average of the temperatures measured at the
thermocouple locations on the face farthest from the wall. Alternatively, the temperatures
from members with a four-sided fire exposure condition and having the same surface area to
mass ratio may be used.
16.7.2 Temperature based on test series  Calculation of the variation of steel
temperature with time shall be by interpolation of the results of a series of fire tests using the
regression analysis equation specified in 16.7.2.1, subject to the limitations and conditions of
16.7.2.3.
16.7.2.1 Regression analysis  The relationship between temperature (T) and time (t)
for a series of tests on a group shall be calculated by least-square regression as follows:

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where,
t = time from the start of the test, in minutes
k0 to k6 = regression coefficients for the data in Table16.1(from the test results).
hi = thickness of fire protection material, in millimetres
T = steel temperature, in degrees Celsius obtained from test as given in 16.7.1,
T > 250oC
ksm = exposed surface area to mass ratio, in 103 mm2/kg
16.7.2.2 Regression Analysis  In lieu of test results the following values for
coefficients may be used in the equation 16.7.2.1 when the test satisfies the conditions
specified in the following section
TABLE 16.1 REGRESSION COEFFICIENTS
(Section 16.7.2.2)
k0 k1 k2 k3 k4 k5 k6
-25.90 1.698 -13.71 0.0300 0.0005 0.5144 6.633

16.7.2.3 Limitations and Conditions on Use of Regression Analysis  Test data to be

utilized in accordance with 16.7.2.1 shall satisfy the following:
(a) Steel members shall be protected with board, sprayed blanket or similar
insulation materials having a dry density less than 1000 kg/m3.
(b) All tests shall incorporate the same fire protection system.
(c) All members shall have the same fire exposure condition.
(d) The test series shall include at least nine tests.
(e) The test series may include prototypes, which have not been loaded provided
that stickability has been demonstrated.
(f) All members subject to a three-sided fire exposure condition shall be within a
group in accordance with 16.10.
The regression equation obtained for one fire protection system may be applied to
another system using the same fire protection material and the same fire exposure condition
provided that stickability has been demonstrated for the second system.
A regression equation obtained using prototypes with a four-sided fire exposure condition
may be applied to a member with a three-sided fire exposure condition provided that
stickability has been demonstrated for the three-sided case.
16.7.3 Temperature based on Single Test  The variation of steel temperature with time
measured in a standard fire test may be used without modification provided:
a) The fire protection system is the same as the prototype.
b) The fire exposure condition is the same as the prototype.
c) The fire protection material thickness is equal to or greater than that of the
prototype.

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 d) The surface area to mass ratio is equal to or less than that of the prototype, and
e) Where the prototype has been submitted to a standard fire test in an unloaded
condition, stickability has been separately demonstrated.
16.7.4 Parameter of Importance in the Standard Fire Test
a) The specimen type, loading, configuration.
b) The exposed surface area to a mass ratio.
c) The insulation type, thermal properties and thickness.
d) The moisture content of the insulation material.
16.8 Temperature increase with Time in Unprotected Members
The time (t) at which the limiting temperature T is attained shall be calculated using the
following equations.
a) Three-sided fire exposure condition

b) Four-sided fire exposure condition

where
t = time from the start of the test, in minutes
T = steel temperature, in degrees Celsius, 500oC  T  750C
ksm = exposed surface area to mass ratio, 2103 mm2/kg  ksm  35 103 mm2/kg
For temperatures below 500oC, linear interpolation shall be used, based on the time at
500oC and an initial temperature of 20oC at t equals 0.
16.9 Determination of PSA from a Single Test
The period of structural adequacy (PSA) determined from a single test may be applied
without modification provided
(a) The condition specified in Section 16.7.3 are satisfied,
(b) The conditions of support are the same as the prototype and the restraints are not less
favorable than those of the prototype and
(c) The ratio of the design load for fire to the design capacity of the member is less than
or equal to that of the prototype.
16.10 Three-sided Fire Exposure condition
Members subject to a three-sided fire exposure condition shall be considered in separate
groups unless the following conditions are satisfied:
(a) The characteristics of the members of a group shall not vary one from the other by
more than

(i) Concrete density: 1.25, and

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 (ii) Effective thickness (he): 1.25

where the effective thickness (he) is equal to the cross-sectional area excluding voids per
unit width, as shown in Fig 16.2(a).
(b) Rib voids shall either be
(i)All open; or
(ii)All blocked as shown in Fig 16.2(b).
(c) Concrete slabs may incorporate permanent steel deck formwork.

he

he

(a) EFFECTIVE THICKNESS

Concrete slab Rib

void

Void blocked
With fire
Steel protection
beam Material

Fire
protection
Side view Cross section material
(b) BLOCKING OF RIB VOIDS
FIG 16.2 THREE SIDED FIRE EXPOSURE CONDITION REQUIREMENTS
16.11 Special Considerations
16.11.1 Connections  Connections shall be protected with the maximum thickness of
fire protection material required for any of the members framing into the connection to
achieve their respective fire-resistance levels. This thickness shall be maintained over all
connection components, including bolt heads welds and splice plates.

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 16.11.2. Web penetrations  The thickness of fire protection material at and adjacent to
web penetrations shall be the greatest of that required when
a) The area above the penetration is considered as a three-sided fire exposure
condition (ksm1) (Fig 16.3)
b) The area below the penetration is considered as a four-sided fire exposure
condition (ksm2) (Fig 16.3) and
c) The section as a whole is considered as a three-sided fire exposure condition (ksm)
(Fig 16.3).
This thickness shall be applied over the full beam depth and shall extend on each side
of the penetration for a distance at least equal to the beam depth and not less than 300 mm.

A B

A B

SIDE VIEW OF BEAM WITH PENETRATION

ksm1

ksm2 ksm
Section A-A Section B-B

FIG 16.3 WEB PENETRATION

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