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Fire Performance of High Strength Concrete: Research Needs
Published
Author(s)
Long T. Phan, Nicholas J. Carino
Abstract
A compilation of fire test data which shows distinct behaviroal differences between HSC and NSC at elevated temperature is presented. The differences are most pronounced in the temperature range of 20 {degrees}C to 400 {degrees}C. What is more important is the observed explosive spalling of HSC speciments during fire tests. However, no explanations were found for why spalling did not occur in all HSC speciments. A comparison of test results with current code provisions on the effects of elevated temperatures on concrete strength shows that the CEN Eurocodes and the CEB provisions are unsafe for predicting mechanical properties of HSC. Aspects of analytical modeling for predicting the buildup of internal pressure during heating are also discussed. The paper condludes with recommended research needs, identified as a result of a workshop on fire performance of HSC, convened at NIST in February 1997.
building technology, compressive strength, concrete, elastic modulus, explosive spalling, fire tests, high-strength concrete, mechanical properties, standard test methods
Phan, L.
and Carino, N.
(2000),
Fire Performance of High Strength Concrete: Research Needs, Proceedings of the ASCE 2000 Structures Congress, [online], https://tsapps.nist.gov/publication/get_pdf.cfm?pub_id=860213
(Accessed October 10, 2025)