Nonlinear analysis of SRC columns subjected to fire

Both experimental and numerical methods were employed to investigate the behavior of steel reinforced concrete (SRC) columns subjected to fire. Twelve specimens were tested at ambient and elevated temperatures. A procedure was developed to predict the temperature distribution and ultimate strength of the SRC columns subjected to fire by following certain assumptions. In the procedure, a combined method of finite element and finite-difference was adopted to analyze the temperature distribution, and the responses of the SRC columns under loads were predicted by the procedure both at ambient temperature and elevated temperatures. To illustrate the problem and verify the accuracy of the predictions, we present a few comparisons between the test data and calculated results. At the end of the paper, equations for the ultimate strength of the SRC columns subjected to fire were obtained by a regression analysis.