EN1991-1-2:2002

Eurocode 1: Actions
on structures –

Part 1–2: General actions –

Actions on structures
exposed to fire

Describes the thermal & mechanical

actions for the structural design of
buildings exposed to fire
 National Annex for EN1991-1-2
Covers National Determined Parameters
(NDP’s) & Informative Annexes

NDP’s in EN1991-1-2 are introduced into

clauses:
2.4(4), 3.1(10), 3.3.1.1(1), 3.3.1.2(1), 3.3.1.2(2),
3.3.2(1), 3.3.1(2), 4.2.2(2), 4.3.1(2)
Annexes A to G are informative.

The guidance given in the National Annex supersedes

any guidance given in the main code or informative annex
 Basic Outline
EN 1991-1-2 describes the thermal and
mechanical actions for the structural
design of buildings exposed to fire

General objective is risk limitation relating

to:
The Individual
Society
Property
Environment
 Objectives
(Risk Limitation)
Load-bearing properties maintained for a
specified period of time
Fire and smoke generation limited
Fire spread limited
Safe occupant egress
Fire-fighter safety
Design Procedures
 Introduction
Code considers nominal (standard) fires
relating to fire resistance rating and
‘natural’ (parametric) fire scenarios.

Prescriptive approach uses nominal

(standard) fires
Performance-based approach (using fire
safety engineering) refers to thermal actions
based on physical and chemical parameters.
 Scope

Only applicable to buildings

Should be used in conjunction with the fire
parts of EN1992 to EN1996 & EN1999.
Does not cover assessment of damage to
the structure following a fire.
Structural Fire Design Procedure

A structural fire design should take into account:

The selection of relevant design fire scenarios
Determination of corresponding design fires
Calculation of temperature within the structural
members
Calculation of mechanical behaviour of the
structure exposed to fire
 Design Fire Scenario

A structural fire design should take into account:

The selection of relevant design fire scenarios
Determination of corresponding design fires
Calculation of temperature within the structural
members
Calculation of mechanical behaviour of the
structure exposed to fire
Design Fire

For each design fire scenario a design fire

should be estimated following the guidance
given in the Code
The design fire should only be applied to one fire
compartment at a time, unless otherwise
specified in the fire design scenario (based on a
fire risk assessment)
For structures designed to fire resistance
requirements, it may be assumed that the design
fire is given by the standard fire
Temperature Analysis
The position of the design fire in relation to the
considered member should be considered.

For external members the fire exposure through

openings in the building’s envelope should be
considered.

For nominal fires the cooling phase of the fire is

not considered.

For ‘natural’ fires the cooling phase of the fire

should be considered.
Mechanical Analysis
For nominal fires the mechanical analysis is
conducted up to the specified fire-resistance
period.

For ‘natural’ fires the mechanical analysis is

conducted over the duration of the design fire.

Verification can be carried out in the time,

strength or temperature domain.
Thermal actions for
temperature analysis
Thermal actions are given by the net heat
flux:

hnet  hnet ,c  hnet ,r

Both the convective and radiative flux are

taken into consideration
 Thermal actions for temperature
analysis
The net convective heat flux component
can be expanded as:

hnet ,c   c  ( g   m )

Surface temperature
Coefficient of heat of the member
transfer by convection – Gas temperature in
values of which are vicinity of fire
discussed later exposed member
 Thermal actions for temperature
analysis
The net radiative heat flux component per
unit surface area can be expanded as:
 
hnet ,r     m   f     r  273   m  273
4 4


Stephan Surface temperature

Configuration Boltzmann of the member
Emissivity
factor constant
of fire
Surface Effective radiation
emissivity of temperature of fire
member environment
Thermal actions for temperature
analysis
The configuration factor should be taken as
1.0 unless EN 1992-1999 specifies otherwise.
Alternative values may be calculated using
Annex G.
For fully engulfed members r may be
approximated by g
The values for the gas temperature may be
taken from the nominal temp-time curves or
the natural fire models.
 Section 3
Nominal temperature-time curves
Standard temperature-time curve:
1200
Q g = 20 + (345log10 (8t + 1))
1000
1049°C
1006°C
Temperature(°C)

945°C
800
842°C
600

400

200

0
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 110 120

Time (mins)
 Section 3
Nominal temperature-time curves

External fire temperature-time curve:

800
680°C 680°C
700
Temperature(°C)

600

500

400 Q g = 660 (1- 0.687e - 0.32 t

- 0.313 - 3.8t
)+ 20
300

200

100

0
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 110 120

Time (mins)
 Section 3
Nominal temperature-time curves
Hydrocarbon fire temperature-time curve:
1200

1000 1100°C 1100°C

Temperature(°C)

800

 
600
Qg  1080 1  0.325e0.167t  0.675e2.5t  20
400

200

0
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 110 120
Time (mins)
 Section 3
Nominal temperature-time curves
Three fire curves used in the Code:
1200
1098°C 1100°C 1100°C 1100°C

1000
1049°C
842°C 1006°C
Temperature(°C)

945°C
800

600 680°C 680°C 680°C 680°C

400
Standard

200 External
Hydrocarbon
0
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 110 120
Time (mins)
Natural fire models

Based on specific physical parameters with a

limited field of application

For compartment fires a uniform temperature

distribution, as a function of time, is assumed.

For localised fires a non-uniform temperature

distribution, as a function of time, is assumed.
Natural fire models
Simplified fire models - Compartment fires

Atmosphere temperature determined based

on physical parameters considering at least
the fire load density and ventilation conditions

Annex A provides a method for calculating

atmosphere compartment temperatures.
Natural fire models
Simplified fire models - External members

For external members the radiative heat

flux should be taken as the sum of the
contributions of the fire compartment and
of the flames emerging from the openings.

Annex B provides a method for calculating the

thermal action of external members exposed to a fire
through openings in the building’s envelope.
 Natural fire models
Simplified fire models - Localised fires

Where flash-over is unlikely to occur, thermal

actions from a localised fire should be taken into
account.

Annex C provides a method for calculating the thermal

actions from localised fires.
Section 3
Natural fire models - Annexes methodology
Parametric temperature-time curves – method of determining
Annex A compartment fire temperatures
Method of calculating the heating conditions and thermal
Annex B actions for external members exposed through façade

Annex C Thermal actions of localised fires – heating conditions etc.

Annex D Advanced fire models – one-zone, two-zone and field models

Calculation of fire load densities and heat release rates

Annex E based on building occupancy, size and type

Equivalent time of fire exposure – method of determining

Annex F equivalent time and then compared with design value of
standard fire resistance

Annex G Calculation of configuration factor including position and

shadow effects
Section 4
Mechanical actions for structural analysis

If they are likely to occur during a fire the same

actions assumed for normal design should be
considered.
Indirect actions can occur due to constrained
expansion and deformation caused by
temperature changes within the structure caused
by the fire.
 Section 4
Mechanical actions for structural analysis

INDIRECT thermal actions should be considered.

EXCEPT where the resulting actions are:
recognized a priori to be negligible or favourable.
accounted for by conservatively chosen models
and boundary conditions or implicitly considered
by conservatively specified fire safety
requirements.
 Section 4
Mechanical actions for structural analysis

For an assessment of indirect thermal actions the

following should be considered:
Constrained thermal expansion of the heated
members (i.e. columns in multi-storey frames)
Differing thermal expansion within statically
indeterminate members.
Thermal gradients within the cross-section
inducing internal stresses.
 Section 4
Mechanical actions for structural analysis

For an assessment of indirect thermal actions the

following should be considered:
Thermal expansion of adjacent members (i.e.
lateral displacement of a column head due to
expanding beams/slabs.
Thermal expansion of heated members affecting
other ‘cold’ members outside the fire
compartment.
 Section 4
Mechanical actions for structural analysis

The indirect actions Aind,d should be determined

using the thermal and mechanical properties given
in the fire parts of EN1992 to EN1996 and
EN1999.

For member design subjected to the standard

fire only indirect actions arising from the thermal
distribution through the cross-section needs to
be considered.
Section 4
Mechanical actions for structural analysis

Actions considered for ‘normal’ design should

also be considered for fire design if they are likely
to act at the time of a possible fire.
Variable actions should be defined for the
accidental design situation, with associated
partial load factors, as given in EN1990.
Decrease of imposed loads due to combustion
should not be taken into account.
Snow loads need not be considered due if it
assessed that the resulting fire will lead to melting
of the snow.
Actions from industrial operations can be ignored
for the fire design.
Section 4
Mechanical actions for structural analysis
Simultaneous action with other independent
accidental actions does not need to be
considered
Additional actions (i.e partial collapse) may need
to be considered during the fire exposure
Fire walls may be required to resist horizontal
impact loading according to EN1363-2
 Section 4
Mechanical actions for structural analysis

The combination rules given in EN1990, for

accidental loads should be followed for fire design.

G k,j " " P " " Ad " "  1,1or  2 ,1  Qk ,1 " "  2 ,i Qk ,i
j 1 i 1

Characteristic
Indirect thermal Characteristic
Characteristic value of the
actions value of the
value of leading
permanent variable action leading
Factor for
action j variable
frequent value Factor for Factor for action
of variable quasi- quasi-
Prestressing action permanent permanent
action
value of a value of a
variable action variable action
Section 4
Mechanical actions for structural analysis
When indirect actions do not need to be considered,
and there is no prestressing force, the total design
action (load) considering permanent and the leading
variable action is given by;

G k,j " "  1,1or  2 ,1  Qk ,1

j 1

The use of 1,1 or 2,1 is defined in the National Annex

Section 4
Mechanical actions for structural analysis
The values of 1,1 and 2,1 are given in Annex A of
EN1990:2002
 Section 4
Mechanical actions for structural analysis
As a simplification, the effect of actions in the
fire condition can be determined from those
used in normal temperature design.

E fi ,d ,t  E fi ,d   fi E d

Design value for

Design values of normal temperature
relevant actions Constant design design
in the fire values of relevant Reduction factor for
situation at time t actions in the fire design load level in the
situation fire situation defined in
EN1992-EN1996 &
EN1999
Section 4
Mechanical actions for structural analysis
Design values of
Load Level: relevant actions in
the fire situation at
time t
E fi ,d ,t
 fi 
Rd

Load level Design value of

resistance of member
at normal temperature
End