Behavior of Timber-Steel Composite with Dowel Connection under Fire

• Published in: Key engineering materials Vol. 803; pp. 195 - 199
• Main Authors: Tsai, Meng Ting, Le, Truong Di Ha
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Zurich Trans Tech Publications Ltd 01.05.2019
• Subjects: Air gaps; Charcoal; Construction; Dowels; Hybrid structures; I beams; Steel beams; Steel structures; Temperature; Thermocouples; Wooden structures; Mechanical Properties; Charring Rate; Fire Behavior; TSC; Physical Properties
• ISSN: 1013-9826; 1662-9795; 1662-9795
• DOI: 10.4028/www.scientific.net/KEM.803.195

Recently, a hybrid structure called Timber-Steel Composite (TSC), which is assembled by a central steel I beam with wooden block covered, is expected to introduce a potential strength for the design of modern wooden structure. However, information on this type of structure under the influence of fire is not yet sufficiently explicit to provide designers with a reliable index. The aim of this research was to study the behavior of TSC with dowel connection under fire. Three TSC with bolt connected were tested and were burnt under temperature 700 °C within 10 minutes. Testing results showed that after 10-minute fire burning, the temperature of central I beam is not of great increased, indicating that the wooden block help transmits heat although the dowel connections which connect steel and wood is directly exposed to the fire. It is also observed that dowel connection and air gaps caused a relatively high percentage of char for the wood surrounding the bolt as 13% of total area. In conclusion, a useful prediction on char depth no more than 5cm could be estimated for 1-hour testing validating the purpose of applying TSC in future.