Multi-Hazard Analysis of Steel Buildings Subjected to Earthquake and Fire

Abstract:

Fire produces unique effects on steel structures which can compromise the residual capacity and therefore the structural response if they impact jointly with other natural hazards, such as earthquakes. This work presents a procedure that allows for the extension of the analysis method introduced in the 1990s by Fajfar and Gaspersic and outlined in EC8 (referred to as the N2 method) for the case of Multi-Hazard (MH) analysis, specifically for hazard-chain scenarios involving earthquake and fire. The goal is to assess the structural performance at the end of the sequence of considered events. By appropriately modeling the structure considering elasto-plastic behaviour, it becomes possible to observe the structural response as the plasticization of structural elements progresses: in this context, accounting for material and geometric nonlinearities has proven essential, since the material and structure's behaviour under fire are governed by complex phenomena, due to the significant deformations and distortions involved. The hazard-chain scenario here discussed is characterised by the consecutiveness of main earthquake event and fire; the proposed procedure is then applied to a 2D steel structure. Results highlight that neglecting possible hazard interactions could lead to an erroneous evaluation of the residual structural capacity.

• Periodical: Advances in Science and Technology (Volume 158)
• Pages: 75-86
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4028/p-Cui85q
• Online since: January 2025
• Authors: Niccolò Moroni, Mattia Francioli*, Alessandro Guarnieri, Francesco Petrini
• Keywords: Earthquake, Fire, Multi-Hazard, Performance, Steel Structure

References

[1] A.E. Zaghi, J.E. Padgett, M. Bruneau, M. Barbato, Y. Li, J. Mitrani-Reiser, A. McBride, Establishing common nomenclature, characterizing the problem, and identifying future opportunities in multihazard design, J. Struct. Eng. 142 (12) (2016) H2516001.

DOI: 10.1061/(asce)st.1943-541x.0001586

[2] M. Francioli, F. Petrini, F. Bontempi, Structural robustness analysis of RC frames under seismic and blast chained loads scenarios, Journal of Building Engineering 67 (2023) 105970.

DOI: 10.1016/j.jobe.2023.105970

[3] Himoto, K., 2019. Comparative analysis of post-earthquake fires in Japan from 1995 to 2017. Fire Technol. 55 (3), 935–961.

DOI: 10.1007/s10694-018-00813-5

[4] Risco, G.V., Zania V., Giuliani L., 2023. Numerical assessment of post-earthquake fire response of steel buildings Giuliani, Safety Science 157 (2023) 105921

DOI: 10.1016/j.ssci.2022.105921

[5] Chicchi, R., Varma, A., 2018. Research review: post-earthquake fire assessment of steel buildings in the United States. Adv. Struct. Eng. 21 (1), 138–154.

DOI: 10.1177/1369433217711617

[6] Della Corte, G., Landolfo, R., Mazzolani, F., 2003. Post-earthquake fire resistance of moment resisting steel frames. Fire Saf. J. 38, 593–612.

DOI: 10.1016/s0379-7112(03)00047-x

[7] Nishino, T. 2023. Post-earthquake fire ignition model uncertainty in regional probabilistic shaking–fire cascading multi-hazard risk assessment: A study of earthquakes in Japan. International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction 98 (2023) 104124

DOI: 10.1016/j.ijdrr.2023.104124

[8] Covi, P., Tondini, N., Sarreshtehdari, A., Elhami-Khorasani, N. 2023. Development of a novel fire following earthquake probabilistic framework applied to a steel braced frame. Structural Safety 105 (2023) 102377

DOI: 10.1016/j.strusafe.2023.102377

[9] P. Fajfar, P. Gaspersic, The N2 method for the seismic damage analysis of RC buildings, Earthquake Engineering and Structural Dynamics, vol. 25, (1996) 31-46.

DOI: 10.1002/(sici)1096-9845(199601)25:1<31::aid-eqe534>3.0.co;2-v

[10] CEN, European Committee for Standardization, Eurocode 8: Design of structures for earthquake resistance – Part 1: General rules, seismic actions and rules for building. European Standard EN 1998-1-2004, CEN, Brussels, 2004.

DOI: 10.3403/03244372

[11] A. H. Buchanan, A. Kwabena Abu, Structural design for fire safety, John Wiley & Sons, 2017.

[12] H. Liang, GeniSTELA - A Generalised Engineering Methodology for Thermal Analysis of Structural Members in Natural Fires, 2008.

[13] F. Bontempi, A. Aguinagalde, F. Petrini, Progettazione strutturale antincendio. Come sviluppare analisi strutturali e verifiche di sicurezza in caso di incendio, Flaccovio Editore, Palermo, 2021.

[14] EN 1992-1-2 (2004) (English): Eurocode 2: Design of concrete structures - Part 1-2: General rules - Structural fire design [Authority: The European Union Per Regulation 305/2011, Directive 98/34/EC, Directive 2004/18/EC.

[15] CEN, European Committee for Standardization, Eurocode 3 Design of steel structure – Part 1–2: General rules, Structural fire design. European Standard EN 1993-1-2, CEN, Brussels, 2005.

[16] Italian Ministry for Transportations and Infrastructures (2018) Norme Tecniche per le Costruzioni (NTC2018) – Technical Standards for Structures.