Structural performance of modular buildings subjected to fire

IF 6.4 1区工程技术 Q1 ENGINEERING, CIVIL

Engineering Structures Pub Date : 2025-09-22 DOI:10.1016/j.engstruct.2025.121404

Lalita Lama , Thomas Gernay , Huu-Tai Thai , Tuan Ngo , Brian Uy

{"title":"Structural performance of modular buildings subjected to fire","authors":"Lalita Lama , Thomas Gernay , Huu-Tai Thai , Tuan Ngo , Brian Uy","doi":"10.1016/j.engstruct.2025.121404","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Modular construction is increasingly adopted for mid to high-rise buildings due to its cost, speed and sustainability benefits, making fire safety a critical concern. However, research on composite modular structures under fire remains limited. This study investigates the fire-induced structural performance of a composite modular building with concrete-filled steel tubular (CFST) columns. Validation was conducted at both the component and system levels. A full building model was developed and analysed using SAFIR, a finite element-based software for thermal-structural analysis. A parametric analysis was then performed to explore the effects of fire curves, fire locations, multi-compartment fire spread and vertical spread to the upper module’s floor beams. Results show that the modular building exhibited good overall fire resistance, primarily due to the presence of CFST columns and system redundancy. Corner fires trigger earlier failure due to reduced restraint, while lower-floor fire causes earlier failure due to higher loads. Multi-compartment and vertical fire spread increase vulnerability by raising force demands on fire-exposed and adjacent members. The findings underscore the need for system-level modelling, as isolated analyses miss complex redistribution and failure mechanisms.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11763,"journal":{"name":"Engineering Structures","volume":"344 ","pages":"Article 121404"},"PeriodicalIF":6.4000,"publicationDate":"2025-09-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Engineering Structures","FirstCategoryId":"5","ListUrlMain":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S014102962501795X","RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"ENGINEERING, CIVIL","Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Abstract

Modular construction is increasingly adopted for mid to high-rise buildings due to its cost, speed and sustainability benefits, making fire safety a critical concern. However, research on composite modular structures under fire remains limited. This study investigates the fire-induced structural performance of a composite modular building with concrete-filled steel tubular (CFST) columns. Validation was conducted at both the component and system levels. A full building model was developed and analysed using SAFIR, a finite element-based software for thermal-structural analysis. A parametric analysis was then performed to explore the effects of fire curves, fire locations, multi-compartment fire spread and vertical spread to the upper module’s floor beams. Results show that the modular building exhibited good overall fire resistance, primarily due to the presence of CFST columns and system redundancy. Corner fires trigger earlier failure due to reduced restraint, while lower-floor fire causes earlier failure due to higher loads. Multi-compartment and vertical fire spread increase vulnerability by raising force demands on fire-exposed and adjacent members. The findings underscore the need for system-level modelling, as isolated analyses miss complex redistribution and failure mechanisms.

查看原文本刊更多论文

火灾下模块化建筑的结构性能

由于其成本、速度和可持续性的优势，模块化建筑越来越多地用于中高层建筑，使消防安全成为一个关键问题。然而，对复合材料模块化结构在火灾下的研究仍然有限。本文研究了钢管混凝土柱组合模块化建筑的火灾结构性能。验证是在组件和系统两个级别进行的。使用基于有限元的热结构分析软件SAFIR开发和分析了一个完整的建筑模型。然后进行参数分析，以探索火灾曲线，火灾位置，多室火灾蔓延和垂直蔓延到上层模块的楼板梁的影响。结果表明，模块化建筑表现出良好的整体耐火性能，主要是由于CFST柱和系统冗余的存在。角部火灾由于约束减少而导致较早的破坏，而较低楼层火灾由于较高的载荷而导致较早的破坏。多隔室和垂直火势蔓延增加了对暴露在火中的构件和相邻构件的力要求，从而增加了脆弱性。这些发现强调了系统级建模的必要性，因为孤立的分析错过了复杂的再分配和失效机制。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

求助全文

约1分钟内获得全文求助全文

来源期刊

Engineering Structures 工程技术-工程：土木

CiteScore

10.20

自引率

14.50%

发文量

1385

审稿时长

67 days

期刊介绍： Engineering Structures provides a forum for a broad blend of scientific and technical papers to reflect the evolving needs of the structural engineering and structural mechanics communities. Particularly welcome are contributions dealing with applications of structural engineering and mechanics principles in all areas of technology. The journal aspires to a broad and integrated coverage of the effects of dynamic loadings and of the modelling techniques whereby the structural response to these loadings may be computed. The scope of Engineering Structures encompasses, but is not restricted to, the following areas: infrastructure engineering; earthquake engineering; structure-fluid-soil interaction; wind engineering; fire engineering; blast engineering; structural reliability/stability; life assessment/integrity; structural health monitoring; multi-hazard engineering; structural dynamics; optimization; expert systems; experimental modelling; performance-based design; multiscale analysis; value engineering. Topics of interest include: tall buildings; innovative structures; environmentally responsive structures; bridges; stadiums; commercial and public buildings; transmission towers; television and telecommunication masts; foldable structures; cooling towers; plates and shells; suspension structures; protective structures; smart structures; nuclear reactors; dams; pressure vessels; pipelines; tunnels. Engineering Structures also publishes review articles, short communications and discussions, book reviews, and a diary on international events related to any aspect of structural engineering.