Computational study of bearing walls fire resistance tests efficiency using different combustion furnaces configurations

Abstract

Imperfection of structure, metrological instruments and fuel and nozzle system control methods the conditions are created ensuring non-homogeneous distribution of temperatures throughout heated surfaces of tested structures and during their fire-resistance tests in combustion furnaces. The article contains results of numerical simulation of bearing walls fire resistance test performed using different configurations of combustion furnaces. Using computer-assisted gas and liquid flow simulating software temperature gradient for heated surfaces of bearing walls was created and temperature distribution for every minute of the computational experiment for each configuration was calculated. In temperature gradients 6000 to 7500 cells were located (depending on the particular configuration design), evenly distributed throughout the structure surfaces, containing temperature data in any moment during the computational experiment. As a result of processing of these data the value of temperature dispersion value was calculated. Difference between maximum and minimum temperatures on the surface of a reinforced concrete was also determined. Based on the curves representing temperature dispersion values at the surface of each of the simulated structures of the furnace chamber for every minute of the computational experiment the configuration with the most homogeneous temperature distribution throughout the heated surfaces of the bearing wall was defined, what allows reducing an error occurring due to temperature distribution non-homogeneity by heated surface structures during the fire resistance test.