Details of Grant 

EPSRC Reference:	EP/C003004/1
Title:	Robustness Of Joints In Steel-Framed Structures At High Temperatures
Principal Investigator:	Wang, Professor Y
Other Investigators:	Bailey, Professor C
Researcher Co-Investigators:
Project Partners:
Department:	Mechanical Aerospace and Civil Eng
Organisation:	University of Manchester, The
Scheme:	Standard Research (Pre-FEC)
Starts:	01 October 2005	Ends:	28 February 2009	Value (£):	237,164
EPSRC Research Topic Classifications:	Civil Engineering Materials Structural Engineering
EPSRC Industrial Sector Classifications:	Construction
Related Grants:	EP/C510984/1
Panel History:
Summary on Grant Application Form
This research forms part of a collaborative project, to be undertaken jointly by the University of Sheffield and UMIST, to investigate the complete behaviour of joints in steel framed structures in fire. Joints in steel framed structures are critical elements, whose fracture in fire may lead to the devastating consequence of progressive collapse. Since the World Trade Center tragedy, it has become apparent that research is urgently needed into the structural behaviour of joints in fire situations when the combined effects of weakening of materials, thermal restraint and accidental removal of some structural elements may cause progressive collapse of the structure. Understanding the behaviour of the whole structure in fire, especially its resistance to progressive collapse, is dependent upon a rigorous investigation of joint performance. The aim of this collaborative project is to use well-designed fire tests and advanced numerical simulations to gain essential understanding and quantification of how steel joints, as part of structural assemblies, behave under different effects (bending, local buckling, shear buckling, tension) and their combinations up to fracture. The future development of advanced fire engineering design of steel framed structures depends on such an understanding. The fire tests will provide essential detailed experimental data for validation of different aspects of finite element analysis of steel joints in fire, including temperature distributions, detailed localised structural behaviour and global steel framed structural behaviour. Simplified models will be developed and incorporated into global FE analysis. This research will provide the evidence base on which new design guidance for steel framed structures with improved resistance to progressive collapse and optimal construction cost can be founded.
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Further Information:
Organisation Website:	http://www.man.ac.uk