Storey-based stability of unbraced steel frames at elevated temperature

The evaluation of the lateral stability of steel frames subject to elevated temperatures is different from that at ambient temperature. This is because the degradation of the Young's Modulus of steel associated with elevated temperature will lead to the loss of column lateral stiffness. In this study, the lateral stability of unbraced steel frames subjected to elevated temperature is investigated based on the concept of storey based buckling. First, to simulate a steel column exposed to the elevated temperature, an analytical model was proposed to examine the effects of axial loading, elevated temperature, and thermal boundary restraints on the lateral stiffness of steel columns in unbraced frames. Then, a method of evaluating the stability capacity of unbraced steel frames at elevated temperature is proposed. Numerical examples are presented to demonstrate the evaluation procedure of the proposed method and investigate the frame stability subjected to different scenarios of frame members exposed to the elevated temperature. The validity of the proposed method is verified by the numerical analysis with the use of finite element analysis.

► Model to evaluate column internal force, lateral stiffness with thermal restraints
► Column stiffness equation under axial load at elevated temperature is derived.
► Storey-based frame buckling analysis is extended to frames in elevated temperature.
► Results are validated by the finite element analysis.