Proposal of new expressions for the calculation of section factor on structural steel columns in contact with walls

Abstract

The fire resistance of a steel column is highly affected by the contact between the columns and the walls, leading in general to a favorable effect due to the reduction of temperatures. However, it leads to the Thermal Bowing effect, which is not more than a differential heating in the steel cross sections, causing an inversion of bending moments and an inversion of the deflections of the column. Thus, it is necessary to accurately assess the evolution of the temperature field in the cross section of the steel elements in contact with walls. In Eurocode 3 part 1-2, the structural design of steel elements in fire situation is performed with expressions for the calculation of the section factor of steel profiles, but different cases of positioning the columns and the surrounding walls could be considered as causing extremely high thermal gradients. In this paper, a new approach for the calculation of section factors for cases not included in table 4.2 of Eurocode 3, part 1- 2 are presented. This was achieved using numerical models with finite element modelling with the ABAQUS program, varying the cross-section of the columns, orientation of the web in relation to the walls, and the position and thickness of the walls, to achieve the desired section factors.