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Under fire conditions, the temperatures in the steel will increase, resulting in both thermal expansion of the member and transient
deterioration of its mechanical properties. The magnitude of these effects depends upon several factors, including the type of steel and
whether it was protected or not. The duration and nature of the fire exposure will affect the temperature distribution in the steel.
Typical curves of the basic material properties at elevated temperatures are given in Section 2. The following discussion covers the
common structural steel grades used in building construction, as listed in the AISC Specification, which are essentially of the lower
carbon and alloying composition.
Heat-treated and high strength alloy steels with yield strengths greater than 70 ksi should be independently evaluated after exposure to
the high temperatures of a fire. There are two basic fire exposures that may occur as a result of a building fire: within the fire
compartment itself, and exterior to it on the adjacent outside curtain wall. The latter occurs from flame extensions through broken
windows or other openings in the fire room, and due to the subsequent added ventilation together with any through drafts.
The effects of this external flaming must be considered when unprotected structural members are present on the building exterior.
The temperature increase in the steel member is governed by the principles of heat transfer. Consequently, it must be recognized that
the temperature of the steel member(s) will not usually be the same as the fire temperature in a compartment or in the exterior flame
plume. Protected steel will experience a much slower temperature rise during a fire exposure than unprotected steel. Also, fire effects
on the steel will be less the greater its distance from the center of the fire, and if more ventilation occurs near the steel in a fuel-
controlled condition, wherein the ventilation helps to cool the steel by dissipating heat to the surrounding environment.
For an interior exposure, the upper concrete floor slab, and adjacent unexposed elements (walls and floors) of the building, will all
provide additional heat sinks to the fire and steel that may limit the steel’s temperature increase relative to what it may have been if the
member was in the middle of the fire as an isolated element, or assembly. Also, the time of heating exposure is important, since
shorter intervals of high temperatures will be less damaging than longer ones at the same temperatures. These are all the heat transfer
parts of the fire problem that depend on the nature,
intensity, and duration of the actual fire in the compartment,
and on the distance of the flame to the steel member, the
steel shape section properties, type of fire protection or
flame shielding, and the surrounding thermal and structural
environment.
In general, the fire effects on the metallurgy and properties
of structural steel are predominantly temporary while
the material is hot. Because the common steels have relatively
low carbon and alloying composition, structural
steels will usually regain their pre-fire properties upon cooling,
provided that the steel temperatures did not exceed
about 1,300 °F (700 °C) for more than about 20 minutes.
Above these limits, see Section 6.5.