Numerical analysis of stainless steel beam-columns in case of fire

Abstract: This paper presents an evaluation of the accuracy and safety of the design rules from Eurocode 3, for the fire resistance of stainless steel beam-columns, with and without lateral-torsional buckling. These evaluations are carried out performing an extensive numerical parametric study on beam-columns with equivalent welded H-cross-sections. In this study the influences of the residual stresses, the cross-sectional slenderness, the shape of the bending moment diagrams and the stainless steel grade are considered. New proposals for the design equations of stainless steel beam-columns in case of fire are presented. These proposals revealed to be safer than the design equations of Eurocode 3 when compared with numerical results. Additionally, the lateral-torsional buckling of stainless steel beams subjected to combined end moments and transverse loads in case of fire is also studied. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]