FIRE-STRUCTURES INTERACTION AND ELEMENTS OF FIRE-ENGINEERING

Degree course: 
Academic year when starting the degree: 
2020/2021
Year: 
2
Academic year in which the course will be held: 
2021/2022
Course type: 
Compulsory subjects, characteristic of the class
Language: 
Italian
Credits: 
12
Period: 
First Semester
Standard lectures hours: 
96
Detail of lecture’s hours: 
Lesson (96 hours)
Requirements: 

The basics of Mechanics of Materials and Structural Design are assumed to be well known.

Final Examination: 
Orale

The course is intended to be assessed after a positive grade (equal to or higher of 18/30) in the oral examination, which covers all the subjects of the course. In order to access the oral examination, the students need to positively sustain a written examination inherent the solution of plane frame structures subjected to static loads and thermal gradients with the stiffness method. A positive judgement from letter A to letter C, being A the maximum, will be attributed to the written exam. This judgement will have orientative influence on the oral examination result.
It is also necessary in order to access the oral examination to have the following homeworks developed independently by the student and validated by the Professor:
- calculation of fire load and temperature evolution over time for a specific case study (homework A);
- thermal mapping and structural check of an element in cast-in-situ or prestressed concrete, in steel or in timber (homework B).
In case of refusal of the final score, the student should communicate it within 5 days after the publication of the vote in the ESSE3 platform.

Assessment: 
Voto Finale

AIM OF THE COURSE
The aim of the course is to provide the students with the following skills: (a) definition and organisation of Fire Engineering, (b) modelling of the fire load, (c) evaluation of thermal maps, (d) solution of statically determined and statically undetermined structures subjected to thermal gradients, (e) structural checks of elements in cast-in-situ and precast concrete, in steel, in timber and in unreinforced masonry subjected to fire load in accordance with the current regulations, (f) design of passive protections of structural elements subjected to fire load.

LEARNING OUCOMES
• Cognitive skills
- acquire the fundamentals information needed to address a critical evaluation process of the evaluation of the resistance of a structure to fire load
- acquire the required information related to the modelling of the fire load and of the temperature evolution over time
• Learning abilities
- ability to read, understand and criticize a scientific text about the behaviour of structures in fire conditions (also in English)
- ability to read, understand and comment technical documents in support of the evaluation of structural fire resistance
• Practical and subject specific skills
- ability to propose a problem-solving approach
- ability to identify the main environmental issues necessary for the development of technical documentation in support of reports of structural fire resistance
• Communication skills
- ability to identify, extract and synthesize relevant information
- demonstrate effective communication skills by practicing, reading, writing and speaking clearly
- demonstrate the ability to communicate with industry experts.

MODELLING OF FIRE ACTION (14 h)
Chemical-physical nature of fire. Fire load. Temperature curves. Standard and analytical approaches.

THERMAL MAPPING (6 h)
Recall of Thermophysics. Conduction, convection, radiation. Profiles of sectional temperature distribution. Spatial distribution of temperature.

STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS WITH THERMAL GRADIENTS (24 h)
Statically determined structures. Statically undetermined structures and flexibility method. Plane frames and stiffness method. Second order effects.

STATIC CHECKS OF STRUCTURAL ELEMENTS SUBJECTED TO FIRE LOAD (44 h)
Framing and rapid check methods. Steel structures. Pure, mixed and deviated flexure. Shear and torsion. Problems of Eulerian and lateral stability. Connections. Structures in cast-in-situ concrete. Pure, mixed and deviated flexure. Shear and torsion. Prestressed concrete structures. Timber structures. Masonry structures.

COMPLEMENTS (8 h)
Effects of explosions and deflagrations. Structural design against explosions. Thematical workshops by professional designers on advanced applications of Fire Engineering. Thematical workshop on post-fire diagnostics.

MODELLING OF FIRE ACTION (14 h)
Chemical-physical nature of fire. Fire load. Temperature curves. Standard and analytical approaches.

THERMAL MAPPING (6 h)
Recall of Thermophysics. Conduction, convection, radiation. Profiles of sectional temperature distribution. Spatial distribution of temperature.

STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS WITH THERMAL GRADIENTS (24 h)
Statically determined structures. Statically undetermined structures and flexibility method. Plane frames and stiffness method. Second order effects.

STATIC CHECKS OF STRUCTURAL ELEMENTS SUBJECTED TO FIRE LOAD (44 h)
Framing and rapid check methods. Steel structures. Pure, mixed and deviated flexure. Shear and torsion. Problems of Eulerian and lateral stability. Connections. Structures in cast-in-situ concrete. Pure, mixed and deviated flexure. Shear and torsion. Prestressed concrete structures. Timber structures. Masonry structures.

COMPLEMENTS (8 h)
Effects of explosions and deflagrations. Structural design against explosions. Thematical workshops by professional designers on advanced applications of Fire Engineering. Thematical workshop on post-fire diagnostics.

Slides of lectures: download from e-learning website (note: only part of the lectures will be given with presentation of slides. The rest of the lectures will be given at the blackboard).
Specific scientific/technical papers suggested by the lecturer.
Main suggested books:
Gambarova P.G., Fantilli A.P., Tattoni S. (2017) “Strutture resistenti al fuoco”, EPC, pp. 504.
Caciolai M., Ponticelli L. (2008) “Resistenza al fuoco delle costruzioni”, UTET, pp. 288.

For further reading:
Contini P., Taliano M. (2005) “Progettare il cemento armato contro il fuoco”, CLUT, pp. 232.
Sabatino R., Lombardi M., Cavriani M., Fede G. (2019) “La resistenza al fuoco degli elementi strutturali”, Inail, pp. 201. Scaricabile gratuitamente online.
Amico A., Bellomia G. (2007) “Carico di incendio e resistenza al fuoco delle strutture”, Flaccovio Dario, pp. 159.
Amico A., Bellomia G. (2009) “Tecnica della prevenzione incendi”, Flaccovio Dario, pp. 430.
Buchanan A.H., Gambarova P., Felicetti R. (2009) “Progetto delle strutture resistenti al fuoco”, Hoepli, pp. 438.
D’Andrea A. (2019) “Protezione delle strutture dalle esplosioni”, EPC, pp. 192.
Leonardi A., Passaretti G. (2010) “Guida pratica alla valutazione del carico d’incendio”, EPC, pp. 128.
Fiorentini L., Marmo L. (2017) “La valutazione dei rischi d’incendio”, EPC, pp. 720.
Nigro E., Pustorino S., Cefarelli G., Princi P. (2009) “Progettazione di strutture in acciaio e composte acciaio-calcestruzzo in caso di incendio secondo gli eurocodici e le norme tecniche per le costruzioni”, Hoepli, pp. 452.
Cuomo S. (1983) “Elementi di resistenza al fuoco delle strutture d'acciaio e loro protezione”, Liguori, pp. 178.
Dal Lago A. (2009) “Resistenza al fuoco delle strutture prefabbricate in calcestruzzo”, estratto da Appunti del Corso di Specializzazione Incendi, IX edizione, Fondazione Ordine degli Ingegneri di Milano, pp. 51.
Luraschi F. (2009) “Carico di incendio”, estratto da Appunti del Corso di Specializzazione Incendi, IX edizione, Fondazione Ordine degli Ingegneri di Milano, pp. 93.

Technical standards:
NTC 2018
Eurocodes
Additional specific minor standards suggested along with the course

Convenzionale

The course is based on frontal theoretical lessons. Different teaching methods included remote lectures on streaming may be proposed for exceptional cases.

Students can meet with the professor in his office by previous phone or email appointment.