Computational Simulation of the Thermal Effects on Composite Slabs Under Fire Conditions

A computational model is presented to evaluate the thermal effects on composite slabs with still deck, originated by standard fire exposure. Composite slabs with profiled steel deck are widely used in buildings which require fire resistance. Computational simulations are of great importance in this field and consist of an alternative to experimental fire tests that are expensive, time-consuming and require semi-specialized technical equipment. However, computational simulations must be reliable and realistic. The resulting transient and non-linear thermal problem is solved by the Finite Element Method in ANSYS and Matlab. The finite element models are three-dimensional, full scale, and multi-domain. Additionally, the models also include an air gap between the steel deck and the concrete part of the slab, in order to simulate the thermal effects induced by the debonding between the steel deck and the concrete, verified in previous experimental investigations. The results of the numerical simulations are validated against the results of experimental fire tests. The fire resistance of the composite slabs determined computationally is also compared with simplified calculation methods available in standards.