Practical Fire Safety Assessment of Steel-beam Floors Made According to the Old Technologies – an Exemplary Case Study. Influence of the Initial Assumptions on the Final Results of Analyses

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to present procedures and methodsfor assessing fire resistance of steel-beam floors with thejoists hidden within the thickness of the slab. These technologiesare currently experiencing their renaissance, both in contemporarilydesigned buildings and the existing ones, subjectedto comprehensive redevelopment, refurbishment or modernization.Due to their simplicity and ease of execution, these floorsare just perfect as technology ideal for repairs or alterations ofbuildings under use or in the case of need of complete replacementof existing floors with new ones. These arguments justifythe need to raise the subject of proper safety assessment of thesefloors in relation to the regulations and requirements of lawsapplicable in the EU and pursuant to provisions of the latestcodes for structural design. A significant part of the study consistsof a suggestive computational example, which is a sort ofguide, in which the author, by making detailed step-by-step calculationsproduces a finished pattern of procedure, intended formultiple use. The suggested method of procedure can be successfullyused in the assessment of the fire resistance of floorstructures with similar technical features. The computationalexample presented in the study shows that contrary to a popularbelief, the use of standard fire model does not always leadto conservative estimates. In the article summary, the authorformulates a number of practical applications and conclusions.