The software SAFIR offers many features to model the behavior of engineering structures under fire.
Fire action as an input
SAFIR allows interfacing with a variety of fire models, which are used as input data to evaluate thermal exposure conditions for the structure. Dedicated modules have been developed to consider the localized fire models from the Eurocodes or to interface with outputs from Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) analyses. Simple time-temperature curves recommended in international standards (e.g., ASTM E119, ISO 834, …) are also readily available for use as boundary conditions.
Thermal analysis
SAFIR can perform thermal analyses to compute the evolution of the temperatures in the structure, given the thermal exposure conditions (i.e., the fire) and the characteristics of the structure. The structure can be made of different materials and the temperature dependency of the material properties are taken into account. The calculated temperatures are stored in different files.
Mechanical analysis
SAFIR can then calculate the mechanical behavior of the structure on the basis of its geometry, its support conditions, the loads that it must withstand and the strength of the materials, taking into account the progressive increase of temperature. The elevation of temperature in the materials produces thermal elongations together with a reduction of strength and stiffness. As a consequence, the displacements of the structure increase continuously during the course of the fire until collapse. The software accounts for material and geometrical nonlinearities.
Different materials
The structure can be made of different materials such as steel, concrete, timber, aluminum, gypsum or thermally insulating products, used separately or in combinations. Advanced material models capturing the effects of fire and properties implemented in standards (e.g., Eurocodes) are available.
Effects of temperatures
The calculation considers the temperature-dependent material properties and thermal strains that develop in the structure. The irreversibility of these effects in certain materials (e.g., concrete, timber) is captured, for realistic simulations of the behavior throughout the different phases of the fire.
Modeling of building fires
SAFIR can be used to model building fire scenarios. From detailed thermal-structural analysis of components to full system behavior until collapse, the software allows combining materials and finite elements for versatile applications.
Modeling of bridge fires
SAFIR can be used to model the response of bridges under fire. Scenarios such as tanker truck fires can be captured through interfacing of SAFIR with CFD models. Simpler fire models or heat flux conditions can also be applied, for example to conduct extensive parametric analyses. SAFIR users have simulated the response of steel, concrete, and composite bridges, including for post-fire investigations such as the I-95 bridge fire in Philadelphia in 2023.
Stadiums
Stadiums and large sport or entertainment facilities are also common applications of structural fire design by advanced modeling.
