Parametric analysis of post-earthquake fire resistance of reinforced concrete frames without seismic design

To gain a deeper understanding of post-earthquake fire behaviour, 100 reinforced concrete (RC) frames representative of a building stock designed without considering seismic loading were modelled using the software SAFIR. A total of 4400 numerical analyses were performed to investigate the impact of different assumptions, such as the type of damage, damage location, number of sides of the RC elements exposed to fire, location of the fire and different fire curves on the post-earthquake fire resistance of the RC frames. Results showed that heavily damaged frames have significantly lower fire resistance compared to undamaged frames. Variations in the number of heated sides and fire locations were found to lead to significant differences in the time until the collapse of the RC frames. Moreover, due to increased demand for assistance following a large earthquake, rescue teams are likely to experience prolonged response times, exacerbating the potential for loss of life and infrastructure. Assuming parametric fire curves without firefighting efforts is a reasonable approach in postearthquake events. This approach led to quicker collapse times compared to the standard fire curve ISO 834. This aspect combined with a lower fire resistance of the damaged structures can ultimately lead to the loss of lives and infrastructures. Therefore, a comprehensive understanding of post-earthquake fire behaviour becomes crucial for developing recommendations that can ensure the safety of RC structures in such events.