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SFPE Welcomes New Handbook on Structural Fire Engineering
By: Kevin LaMalva, P.E., Warringtonfire, USA
Danny Hopkin, Eng.D., OFR Consultants, UK
This article introduces the newest publication in the SFPE Series: the first-of-its-kind International Handbook of Structural Fire Engineering due out October 2021 [1].
Figure 1. Handbook Cover
Handbook Subject Matter: Fire as a Structural Load
Structural fire engineering is the explicit design of structural systems to adequately endure thermal load effects from structural design fires based on specific performance objectives [2]. Traditionally, structural fire protection is prescribed for structures after they have been designed for other demands, serviceability conditions and hazards, such as earthquakes and hurricanes. Consequently, the vulnerability of buildings to structural collapse from uncontrolled fire varies from building to building and is subject to coincidental structural engineering design decisions made for other demands and hazards.
In response to new and rapidly evolving building construction trends, designers have increasingly sought an alternative to the traditional approach for structural fire protection [3]. Encouragingly, structural fire engineering is establishing itself around the world as a distinct engineering discipline which can fill this void. Structural fire engineering lies at the interface between structural engineering and fire protection engineering, or simply put, structural engineering with fire as a load case. Irrespective of whether it is a discipline it is own right, or subset of another, the process and outcomes are the same irrespective of the region/jurisdiction as follows:
- Definition of required performance objectives.
- Identification and description of structural design fires.
- Expression of these fire exposures as a thermal boundary condition to structural elements.
- Development of temperature within / through structural elements.
- Characterization of material degradation and fire effects (e.g., restrained thermal expansion [4]) due to elevated temperatures.
- Structural system analysis considering material degradation and fire effects.
Structural fire engineering is based on the application of engineering principles and physics-based modeling in lieu of traditional prescriptive rules. This method requires a dramatically higher level of engineering rigor as compared to the traditional approach but can provide many worthwhile benefits. Notably, modest structural upgrades identified in the process can dramatically increase the level of intrinsic structural fire safety even if less fireproofing is applied [5]. At the same time, such measures can significantly improve/enhance project economics, carbon footprint, aesthetics, quality control, site conditions, and life-cycle maintenance [6]. For some types of buildings, e.g., uncommon situations, the application of structural fire engineering may be the only means of satisfactorily demonstrating that an adequate level of safety is achieved [7].
Handbook Utility: Global Reach
The Handbook is intended to provide readers from any region/jurisdiction with an understanding of structural performance in the event of uncontrolled fire. It has been written to mirror the anticipated workflow of structural (fire) engineering consultancies by encouraging consideration of project goals, the likely fires that might develop, the manifestation and estimation of thermal boundary conditions and structural element temperatures, and material and element response to heating. Separate chapters are provided in support of specific considerations, namely those interested in reliability-based analysis of structures in the event of fire, advanced calculation methods for fire exposed structures and the inspection/reinstatement of fire damaged structures.
Fire protection engineers engaging outside the bounds of the traditional approach must be educated in the basics of structural fire engineering, and this Handbook is meant to cultivate such understanding in a convenient and unified media. The Handbook is primarily written for practicing consulting engineers. However, it is foreseen that the Handbook can be a useful resource for students of fire and/or structural engineering who wish to develop a deeper understanding of structural performance in the event of fire, as well as building authorities to assist with review of such alternative designs.
Handbook Contents: Unifying our Knowledge Database
The development of the Handbook over the past three years united the best structural fire engineering practitioners and researchers across the world to provide comprehensive guidance for practicing structural fire engineering. Accordingly, the Handbook unifies a significant volume of material on the topic of structural fire engineering. Indeed, the Handbook is a true reflection of how far structural fire engineering has come internationally, as this discipline now has a dedicated Handbook.
The Handbook contains the chapters with authorship as follows:
- Chapter 1: Foreword & Introduction – K. LaMalva & D. Hopkin
- Chapter 2: The Fire Resistive Principle – K. LaMalva, J. Gales, A. Abu & L. Bisby
- Chapter 3: Keys to Successful Design – M. Feeney, K. LaMalva & S. Quiel
- Chapter 4: Design Fires and Actions – D. Hopkin, R. Van Coile, C. Hopkin, K. LaMalva, M. Spearpoint & C. Wade
- Chapter 5: Heat Transfer to Structural Elements – K. LaMalva, C. Maluk, A. Jeffers & A. Jowsey
- Chapter 6: Concrete Structures – T. Gernay, V. Kodur, M. Naser, R. Imani & L. Bisby
- Chapter 7: Steel and Composite Structures – A. Abu, R. Shi, M. Jafarian, K. LaMalva & D. Hopkin
- Chapter 8: Timber Structures – D. Brandon, D. Hopkin, R. Emberley & C. Wade
- Chapter 9: Uncertainty in Structural Fire Design – R. Van Coile, N. Elhami-Khorasani, D. Lange & D. Hopkin
- Chapter 10: Advanced Analysis – T. Gernay & P. Kotsovinos
- Chapter 11: Reinstatement of Fire Damaged Structures – T. Lennon & O. Lalu
Handbook Impact: Promotion of Intrinsically Fire Safe and Rationally Optimized Structures
All the pieces are already in place to support structural fire engineering practice across the world. As described in the Handbook, industry consensus documents are available that complete the suite of analyses: fire intensity, thermal response, and structural response. Additionally, the Handbook provides further commentary and guidance on key topics within this discipline. At this point in time, the proliferation of structural fire engineering across the world is a matter of improving individual competence of design teams, improving awareness that alternative solutions exist (when they are needed and when they can add value) and ensuring clients / developers understand the benefits that alternative approaches can bring. Such proliferation will lead to more intrinsically safe structures to fire and provide many opportunities for structural and fire protection engineers to not only serve as integral participants in the design of structural fire protection, but also to add profound value to projects in many cases. Also, this emergence will change the way that project stakeholders view the optimization of a structure. It is envisaged that the Handbook will support this proliferation.
References
[1] LaMalva, K.; Hopkin, D. (2021) International Handbook of Structural Fire Engineering, Society of Fire Protection Engineers (SFPE) Series, 2021, DOI 10.1007/978-3-030-77123-2, ISBN 978-3-030-77122-5
[2] SFPE Recommended Minimum Technical Core Competencies for the Practice of Fire Protection Engineering (2018), Society of Fire Protection Engineers, Bethesda, Maryland
[3] Ellis, A. (2019) “Unleashing the Profession: How Performance-Based Design Will Shape Our Future,” STRUCTURE Magazine
[4] LaMalva, K.; Gernay, T.; Bisby, L.; Torero, J.; Solomon, R.; Gales, J.; Hantouche, E.; Morovat, A.; Jones, C. (2020) ‘Rectification of Restrained vs. Unrestrained,’ Fire & Materials Journal, Vol. 44, No. 1
[5] ASCE/SEI Design Guide (Performance-Based Structural Fire Design: Exemplar Designs of Four Regionally Diverse Buildings using ASCE 7-16, Appendix E), American Society of Civil Engineers: Structural Engineering Institute and Charles Pankow Foundation, 2020 < https://ascelibrary.org/doi/book/10.1061/9780784482698 >
[6] Post, N. “Structural Fire Engineering Can Improve Building Safety, Schedule,” Engineering News Record (ENR), October 2020
[7] P. Wilkinson, D. Hopkin, and B. McColl, ‘Chapter 12: Fire Resistance, Structural Robustness in Fire and Fire Spread’, in CIBSE Guide E: Fire Safety Engineering, Fourth., Suffolk: The Lavenham Press, 2019.