Analysis of Needs and Existing Capabilities for Full-Scale Fire Resistance Testing.
Analysis of Needs and Existing Capabilities for
Full-Scale Fire Resistance Testing.
(1860 K)
Beitel, J.; Iwankiw, N.
NIST GCR 02-843-1; 41 p. October 2008.
Sponsor:
National Institute of Standards and Technology,
Gaithersburg, MD
Keywords:
fire resistance testing; test facilities; building
collapse; questionnaires; high rise buildings;
earthquakes; case studies; structural damage; low rise
buildings; multi-story buildings
Abstract:
This program was conducted for The National Institute
For Standards and Technology under Contact Number
NA1341-02-W-0686. Hughes Associates, Inc. performed this
work with assistance from Greenhome & O'Mara, Inc. and
Thomton-Tomasetti-Cutts, LLC. The study was commissioned
to analyze the needs and existing capabilities for
full-scale fire resistance testing of structural
connections. The Scope of Work consisted of three
separate tasks. The tasks were: Task 1. Identification
Of Building Collapse Incidents - The objective of this
Task was to conduct a survey of historical information
on fire occurrences in multi-story (defined as four or
more stories) buildings, which resulted in full or
partial structural collapse. Task 2. Survey Of Fire
Resistance Test Facilities - The objective of this Task
was to perform a survey of private and public facilities
capable of testing the structural integrity of building
elements under fire conditions. Task 3. Needs Assessment
- The objective of this Task was to perform an
assessment of the need for additional testing and/or
experimental facilities to allow the performance of
structural assemblies and fire resistance materials to
be predicted under extreme fire conditions within actual
buildings; and if a need does exist, options for meeting
those needs. In Task 1, the search for this data was
conducted using three principal sources: news databases,
published literature, and direct inquiries to key
individuals and organizations. Even though the task
objective was to identify multi-story fire-induced
collapses, other useful and pertinent information on
major multi-story fires without collapses, but with
major structural damage was obtained. The
results of the world-wide survey indicated that a total
of 22 fire-induced collapses were identified spanning
from 1970 to the present. The 2001 World Trade Center
(WTC) collapses accounted for four of these events.
Seven major multi-story fire events were also identified
as having significant structural damage due to a fire,
but did not exhibit collapse. While this total number of
fire events may appear low (average of one/year) these
fire events are high consequence events with respect to
economic costs and potential for loss of life and/or
injuries.
