Performance of steel-concrete composite structures in fire

This paper presents a review of recent studies of the behaviour of steel-concrete composite structures in fire, including an assessment of research investigations and their implications on fire-resistant design of composite structures. The paper focuses on the three main parts of composite structure: floor systems, columns and joints. The section on composite floor systems includes bending behaviour of conventional composite floor/beam system with composite slabs on top of a solid steel I-beam; tensile membrane action in this system; slim-floor construction; composite cellular beam; composite truss and composite beam with precast concrete slabs. The section on composite columns includes studies of concrete-filled tubular (CFT) column; design of composite columns and performance of CFT columns within structures. The section on joints covers both steel and composite joints, including experiments on joints in fire; finite element simulation; the component method; behaviour of different joint components at elevated temperatures and implications of joint behaviour on steel and composite structural behaviour in fire. Within each section, wherever appropriate, the effects of whole structural behaviour are discussed. Furthermore, potential future research studies are identified to help understand the subject and develop improved performance-based practical fire resistant design calculation methods.