Finite Element Analysis of Fire Behavior of Steel Girders in Bridges

Abstract:

Fire is one of the most severe hazards to which bridges may be subjected during their lifetime. In recent years, due to rapid development of transportation systems, as well as increasing transport of hazardous materials, bridge fires have become a concern. Bridge fires caused by crashing of vehicles and burning of gasoline are much more severe than building fires and are characterized by a fast heating rate and a higher peak temperature which could lead to bridge collapse. Bridge failures during a fire can result in the disruption of commerce and services, and most importantly the loss of human life. In this paper, thermal and structural behavior of a steel girder of highway bridge overpass in the East Bay’s MacArthur Maze in Oakland collapsed on April 29, 2007 is studied by using general purpose finite element analysis software ABAQUS. Finite element analysis results demonstrate that unprotected steel bridge may collapse untimely under some fire scenarios and it is necessary to consider fire safety in steel bridge design.

• Periodical: Advanced Materials Research (Volumes 594-597)
• Pages: 2296-2300
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/AMR.594-597.2296
• Online since: November 2012
• Authors: Yong Jun Liu, Guang Yuan Wang, Yan Sheng Song
• Keywords: Finite Element Analysis (FEA), Fire Hazard, Steel Bridges, Tanker Truck Fire

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