Silberring Engineering Ltd.
Fire Protection of Steel Structures
The Problem
|
The Main Cooling System and its Essential Elements A Protected Room and its External Shield Natural or Assisted Circulation Isometric Outline of the Main Structure Cooling System |
Buildings supported by steel structures are known to be sensitive to fires. Particular dangers arise when a failure of few only crucial elements, due to their exposure to fire, leads to a collapse of large buildings. The consequences have been recently tragically demonstrated (TIME Magazine, September 11,2001, September 24, 2001, ASCE Establishes Teams to Study, September 14, 2001, idem Press Conference Webcast, idem Transcript). Civil engineers attempt to counteract above dangers, usually by enveloping supporting steel profiles by barriers made of solid materials that can shield them from high temperatures. Such means can defer, but not necessarily prevent catastrophes. In particular, if a heat source of a fire is unusually large, then an excessive temperature can penetrate sooner or later such barriers prior to evacuation of the building or organizing of efficient fire fighting actions. The volumes of the solid barriers cannot be extended beyond some limits. The abilities of them to solve the problem are obviously restricted by their static nature. |
Home | About Us | Contact Us