Performance analysis of reinforced concrete structures under fire: Modelling, material and code implication

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master_Qasim_Hussein_Abdulkareem_2025.pdf (1.87 MB)

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School of Engineering | Master's thesis
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Date

2025-10-24

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Mcode

Degree programme

Master's Programme in Geoengineering
Georakentamisen maisteriohjelma
Magisterprogrammet i geobyggande

Language

en

Pages

74

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Abstract

This thesis investigates the fire performance of reinforced concrete (RC) structures through a comprehensive analysis of published simulation studies, benchmark experiments, and recent advancements in material technologies. No original simulations were performed. Instead, the study synthesizes existing research on ordinary Portland cement (OPC) concrete, geopolymer concrete (GPC), and ultra-high-performance concrete (UHPC), focusing on thermal stability, spalling resistance, and post-fire residual strength. Comparative findings are drawn from peer-reviewed finite element simulations using ABAQUS and SAFIR, as well as fire exposure modelling via Fire Dynamics Simulator (FDS), validated against full-scale benchmark tests (e.g., Cardington, NIST) and real-case fire incidents. The review confirms that GPC and fiber-reinforced UHPC outperform conventional OPC under elevated temperatures. This thesis identifies critical limitations in prescriptive fire codes such as ISO 834, ACI 216.1, and EN 1992-1-2, which often fail to address nonlinear degradation and material-specific behaviour. In response, the study advocates for simulation-informed, performance-based fire design (PBFD), grounded in published evidence. Targeted recommendations are proposed to support structural resilience, code modernization, and sustainable material integration in fire-exposed RC infrastructure.

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Noureldin, Mohamed

Keywords

reinforced concrete, fire performance, geopolymer concrete, ultra-high-performance concrete, performance-based fire design, residual strength

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https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:aalto-202512159144

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[dipl] Insinööritieteiden korkeakoulu / ENG