DESIGN OF PRESTRESSED CONCRETE FOR FIRE RESISTANCE

Armand H. Gustaferro
Consulting Engineer The Consulting Engineers Group, Inc. Glenview, Illinois

Presents an introduction to rational methods for calculating the fire resistance of prestressed concrete structures. Reviews current fire test methods and shows how design methods are developed using laboratory tests. Specifically, fire endurance is estimated for simply supported and continuous prestressed concrete slabs and beams. Data are given in the case of fire under the floor of an interior bay. Also, the important effects of restraint on a member are discussed. A study of heat transmission through floor and roof slabs is included. There is also some data on two-course assemblies. It is concluded that in the near future structural designers will have the necessary data to design prestressed concrete structures with any desired degree of fire resistance.

The purpose of this paper is to present an introduction to a subject that we refer to as "rational (analytical) methods for calculating the fire resistance of concrete structures." During the past several years the Portland Cement Association (PCA) and other laboratories around the world 102

have conducted major research projects on fire resistance of concrete. Much of the data that have been developed will permit a structural engineer to design a building for fire resistance in about the same manner as he now designs for gravity loads, wind, or earthquake. A logical question may be asked:

"Why burden a structural engineer with the added task of designing for fire resistance?" The answer to that question is not obvious, but I think that there are several reasons for developing rational design procedures. First, the methods now used for assigning fire resistance classifications are being seriously challenged. These methods are based on results of standard fire tests of building materials and constructions, i.e., ASTM E-119. Nevertheless, many building officials, testing agencies, as well as architects and engineers have become disillusioned with the classifications derived from standard fire tests. In fact, ASTM Committee E-5, which is responsible for E-119, has been trying to revise the standard to make it more realistic. However, the committee appears to be facing an insurmountable task because no single standard fire test can accurately reflect the behavior of an assembly under the many different ways the assembly can be used in buildings. Secondly, it is often possible to provide added fire resistance more economically through structural design than by other more conventional methods. An illustration of this came to light in a large government office building in Washington, D.C. By using some of the data that have been developed, the structural engineer was able to increase the fire endurance of 600,000 sq ft of prestressed concrete double tees from 1 to 2 hrs for less than 50 per sq ft. REVIEW OF FIRE TEST METHODS It might be useful to begin by reviewing briefly, the standard fire test methods for materials and constructions used in the United States and Canada (ASTM E-119). Specimens of floors, roofs, beams, columns, and walls, having dimensions exceeding certain specified minimum values, are subjected to
PCI Journal/November-December 1973

d d V

3 a a
E

Time in Hours
Fig. 1. Furnace time-temperature curve (ASTM E-119).

a standard fire while supporting their design loads. For example, floor or roof specimens must be representative of the construction they simulate and the area exposed to fire must be at least 180 sq ft, with neither dimension less than 12 ft. Throughout the fire test, the specimen must support gravity loads equivalent to the maximum permissible load applied in the building which the specimen represents. The underside of a floor or roof is exposed to a "standard" fire. The fire is standard by virtue of the fact that the temperature of the fire (measured 12 in. from the specimen) is specified in terms of a time-temperature curve (see Fig. 1). The fire endurance of a specimen is defined as the elapsed time during a fire test until an end point is reached. Prior to 1969 the end point criteria (ASTM E-119) for floors and roofs were: 1. The specimen must support its design load (structural end point). 2. Flames or gases hot enough to ignite cotton waste must not pass through the specimen (flame passage end point). 3. Unexposed surface temperature must not rise more than 250 F average, or 325 F maximum at any point (heat transmission end point). 103

Fig. 2. PCA control room for test furnaces.

In 1969 additional end point criteria were tentatively included in ASTM E119. These criteria deal with steel temperatures and are discussed under the section "Recent Developments." To study the behavior of concrete structures subjected to fire, the PCA built a Fire Research Laboratory in 1958 in Skokie, Illinois. It is probably the largest and best equipped laboratory in the world devoted exclusively to research on fire resistance of concrete. The laboratory houses three fire research furnaces. Furnaces are operated from a control room, shown in Fig. 2. Fire tests are programmed and controlled from the side of the console shown. Output data are printed by a number of strip chart recorders located behind the control

panel. Furnace temperatures, hydraulic pressures, and furnace draft pressures are controlled automatically or manually from the control room. Fig. 3 shows PCA's beam furnace. The fire chamber is 40 ft long and 6 ft wide. Natural gas is burned for fuel. Loads are applied with hydraulic rams. By moving the end walls and using only certain burners, it is possible to vary the length of the fire chamber between 10 and 40 ft. FIRE TESTS OF SIMPLY SUPPORTED SLABS Let us now turn to a specific research project which serves to illustrate how data for rational design methods are de-

Fig. 3. Furnace for fire testing beams.

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veloped. This project dealt with fire endurance of simply supported prestressed concrete slabs. Fig. 4 shows a simply supported concrete slab, either reinforced or prestressed (note the rocker and roller bearings). Assume that a fire is applied to the underside of the slab. As soon as the fire starts, the underside of the slab will become warmer than the top, and will tend to expand more than the top. The slab will deflect toward the fire, and the deflection will increase until the temperature gradient through the slab stabilizes, i.e., until the temperature differential between the top and bottom remains constant. Gradually the temperature of the reinforcement will increase and the strength of the steel will be reduced. When the steel strength approaches the steel stress, the deflection will increase rapidly and a structural end point will occur.

^'rSSX^^^u
Fig. 4. Simply supported slab subject to fire from underneath.

a = depth of an equivalent compressive stress block at ultimate Values of f2,, and a can be calculated by the formulas in ACI 318-71. Eq. (1) is the same formula that appears in the Commentary to ACI 318-71 with cp (capacity reduction factor) equal to one. When the temperature of the steel is increased to some temperature 0, values of f,8 and a must be reduced to reflect the new temperature. M the moment capacity with the steel at temperature 0, and is termed the "retained" or "residual" moment capacity. Theoretically, during a fire test, a structural end point will occur when the residual moment capacity is reduced to that of the applied moment. Fig. 6 shows moment diagrams for a

Strength of prestressing steel at high temperatures

Fig. 5 shows the effect of temperature on the strength of cold-drawn prestressing steel. At room temperature, the strength is shown as 100 percent. The shape of this curve is typical of those of other steels. However, hotrolled steels have somewhat higher relative strengths at temperature above about 600 F.

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Strength of prestressed members during fire test

The moment capacity of a prestressed concrete beam or slab can be computed from the formula:
M. =A p8fps( d

fpu9 75 %of 50 fp u 25 070 300 600 900 6, TEMPERATURE,F

Fig. 5. Strength-temperature relation of cold-drawn prestressing steel.

(1)

in which AP8 = area of prestressing steel fr8 = stress in the steel at ultimate d = distance between the steel centroid and the extreme fiber
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MOMENT CAPACITY, Mu APPLIED MOMENTM D, IL Mu=Apsfps ( d _ 2) Steel at 70F M Ue Steel at 9F 08 M ue A psfPs9 ( d- 2

Fig. 6. Moment capacity of a simply supported concrete slab subject to fire.

simply supported slab with a uniformly distributed load. The applied moment diagram is parabolic, representing a uniform load. With straight and uniform prestressing steel, the moment capacity diagram is a horizontal line with a height of M. During a fire test, the steel will become heated and its strength will be reduced. Simultaneously, the moment capacity will be reduced. It appears reasonable to assume that when the M se line reaches the applied moment diagram, the slab will fail. Fire tests to verify theory To verify the theory, a series of prestressed concrete slabs (Fig. 7) were fire tested while simply supported on spans of either 12 ft or 20 ft. All slabs were 27.4 in. wide and 6.5 in. thick.

Some specimens were prestressed with five %i6 -in. diameter strands and others with fifteen 1/4-in. diameter strands. All strands in a specimen had the same cover, 1, 2, or 3 in. Some specimens were made of normal weight concrete and others of lightweight concrete. Load intensities (MD + L) during the tests ranged between 40 and 60 percent of the calculated ultimate capacities. During the fire tests, the steel temperatures were monitored. The temperature of the steel when collapse was imminent was used in calculating the residual moment capacity. A comparison of calculated residual moment capacity and applied moment is shown in Fig. 8. Note that the values are almost equal. This clearly illustrates that the moment capacity during a fire can be predicted and that behavior dur300

P i

P AP

IF -- 12' or 20'

u= COVER = I", 2", or 3" STRANDS, 6V2^^ 46 5-- 7 -in. -- 27.4" OR SEC. A-A 15-- /4 -in. Fig. 7. Details of simply supported prestressed concrete slab specimens.

200 APPLIED MOMENT l00 M D*L <M I D Mue in-kips 100 200 300 0 CALC. RESIDUAL MOMENT M U e in -kips Fig. 8. Applied moment versus calculated moment capacity at end of fire tests.

106

ing fires follows basic engineering principles. As noted above, steel temperatures were monitored throughout the fire tests. Fig. 9 shows temperatures for 1, 2, and 3-in, cover of the normal weight concrete specimens. Similar data were obtained for lightweight concrete. If, for a particular load intensity, the "critical" steel temperature is 900 F and if the cover is 2 in., the fire endurance of a simply supported prestressed concrete slab would be slightly less than 3 hr. Similarly, it is possible to estimate the fire endurance for various cover thicknesses and load intensities. Design aids The graphs in Fig. 10 were prepared to assist designers in estimating fire endurance of simply supported prestressed concrete slabs. These graphs show the inter-relations among load intensity, cover thickness, fire endurance, and concrete type. Note that fire endurance is improved by decreasing load intensity or increasing cover. Also, for the same cover and load intensity, fire endurance is longer for lightweight concrete than for normal weight concrete. One may ask, "Why be concerned with load intensity if ASTM E-119 requires that a specimen support its design load during a fire test?" By using rational design methods, the effect of load intensity can be evaluated. In certain cases, such as precast prestressed slabs, it may be more economical to provide additional load capacity by using more strands than to provide additional cover. By evaluating the effects of cover and load, an economical and rational solution can be obtained. Fig. 10 shows how results of fire tests combined with rational design procedures can be combined to form relatively simple design aids. Modified design aids can be used for simply supported beams.

900 o^ STEEL 700 ^o TEMPERATURE, F 500 30 // 60 90 120 180 240 //

ti

TEST TIME, minutes

Fig. 9. Steel temperatures in normal weight concrete specimens during fire tests.

FIRE TESTS OF CONTINUOUS BEAMS Let us now turn to a more complex case, namely, that of continuous beams. Fig. 11 shows a portion of a continuous beam, depicting the location of the principal reinforcement. Note that at midspan the reinforcement is located near the bottom of the beam while over the supports, the reinforcement is near the top. Let us assume that this type of construction continues for several additional bays. Let us also assume that a fire occurs beneath one span as shown. As the underside of the beam heats

COVER
THICKNESS,

3 Z / 2

3 4hr /

4 hr. 2

in. I Normal Wt Lightweight Concrete Concrete 00.3 0.5 0.7 0.3 0.5 0.7 Cold-drawn wire or strand LOAD INTENSITY, MD,L
MD

Fig. 10. Influence of cover thickness and load intensity on fire endurance of simply supported prestressed concrete slabs. 107

PCI Journal/November-December 1973

i T'
Fig. 11. Continuous reinforced concrete beam subject to fire from underneath.

up, the heated span tends to deflect. This deflection is accompanied by a rotation of the beam over the supports and since the adjacent spans are continuous, the upward deflection is resisted. To visualize the behavior, consider that the portion of a beam shown in Fig. 11 was subjected to a fire test. To prevent the "cantilever" ends from rising, additional load would have to be applied at the ends of the cantilevers. Additional load would increase the moment over the supports, but since the load between the supports is unchanged, the midspan moment will decrease. This change in moments is often called redistribution of moments. Moment diagrams In terms of moment diagrams, Fig. 12 shows the behavior during a fire of a continuous concrete beam. This is, of course, a simplified case, with straight

continuous bars top and bottom. Note that prior to fire, the moment capacities are about twice the applied moments. During a fire some important changes in moments and moment capacities occur; 1. Redistribution of moments increases the moments over the supports and decrease the moment at midspan. 2. The effect of fire decreases the positive moment capacity much more rapidly than it decreases the negative moment capacity because the top bars, on which the negative moment capacity is dependent, are well protected from the fire. Thus, the fire endurance of a continuous beam is generally much longer than that of a simply supported beam which has the same cover thickness. Furthermore, it is apparent that the temperature of the reinforcement is only of secondary importance. Fire tests on continuous beams A series of tests was initiated at the PCA to investigate the behavior of continuous beams exposed to fire. To simulate continuity in beams, the specimen (Fig. 13) had cantilever ends projecting beyond the fire exposed span which represented portions of the adjacent spans. The principal reinforcement consist-

A5. AS2

STEEL a ' 70F

12. Moment capacity of a continuous reinforced concrete abeam subject to M +Mu`As2fy(d- ) fire. o+L
M MD+L Mu / ae +MuB=AS,(d- 2)

Fig.

A Z STEEL t g F

108

ed of straight No. 6 bars. The four corner bars extended through the length of the specimen but the others were cutoff at various locations. Two top bars were cut off 2 ft 2 in. from the supports and two others 3 ft 6 in. from the supports. Two bottom bars were cut off 4 ft 2 in. from the supports. One specimen was tested as a simply supported beam, i.e., the cantilever loads P i and P 3 were omitted. The applied moment (dead plus live load) was equal to 50 percent of the calculated ultimate moment capacity at midspan and the fire endurance was about 1 hr 25 min. In the second test, loads were applied on the cantilevers as well as midspan so that the resulting applied moments were 50 percent of the ultimate over the supports as well as at midspan. In the first test (simple support) the P2 loads were each about 4 kips. In the second test, the P 2 loads were 111/4 kips, and the cantilever loads at the beginning of the test were 13% kips. During the tests the cantilever ends (Points A and B) were kept at a constant elevation by changing the loads P l and P. This was done to simulate the behavior of a continuous beam subjected to fire in one span. Fig. 14 shows the changes in cantilever loads during the test. Note that early in the test, P l and P 3 increased sharply and then leveled off. Note also that P2 loads were kept constant. You will also note that the fire test was continued for 3 1/2 hrs. The moment diagrams in Fig. 15 show graphically the behavior of the specimen during the fire test. At the beginning of the test, the maximum applied moments were one-half the ultimate moment capacities. Note that the moment capacity diagrams are stepped. These steps are shown at the cutoff points, and do not take into account the reduction in moment capacity within the bar anchorage length.
PCI Journal/November-December 1973

P^ A

P2

P2

P2

P2

P3 B

.-FIRE EXPOSURE= IBS 5-+------------IFI2"^

j-5
j AT MIDSPAN I BARS " COVER

AT SUPPORT

Fig. 13. Details of experimental beam subject to fire exposure.

Note also that at 3'/z hrs the applied negative moment has greatly increased, and the applied positive moment has decreased. The negative moment capacity had not decreased very much, but the positive moment capacity was approaching the applied positive moment. The test was stopped when the midspan deflection began to increase rapidly. It is of interest to note that the amount of redistribution that occurred was limited by the length of the cutoff bars. If the two top bars that were cutoff 3 ft 6 in. from the supports had extended another foot or so, there would have been a greater redistribution of moments, and there would have been

LOAD IN KIPS

TEST TIME, HR.

Fig. 14. Variation of cantilever load with time for beam shown in Fig. 13. Change in P l and P3 to keep points A and B at constant elevation.

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-ISO a -100 -50 0 +50 100 z -150 0 f -100 - 50 0 50

At 3%2 HR

Fig. 15. Moment diagrams of specimen shown in Fig. 13.

little or no positive moment at midspan. In that case, the fire endurance might have been extended an additional 1 or 2 hrs. The important lesson learned from these tests is that a designer can provide for any required fire resistance of continuous members through the application of established engineering principles. Design aids From the data we are developing on continuous members, we believe that it will be possible to develop design aids similar to that in Fig. 16 for estimating

fire endurance. Note that Fig. 16 resembles the design aid for simply supported prestressed concrete slabs (Fig. 10). However, it deals with reinforced concrete slabs and the moment intensity ratio extends from 0 to 0.7. If the moment intensity for a simply supported slab is 0.5 and the cover is 3/4 in., the fire endurance would be about 1 1/2 hrs. If the slab is continuous, and if after redistribution the moment intensity ratio is 0.25, the fire endurance would be more than 3 hrs. We believe that charts such as Fig. 16 will enable the designer to estimate the amount of redistribution required for any required fire endurance. It will also permit the designer to evaluate whether an increase in cover or an increase in redistribution of moments will be more economical.

FIRE UNDER FLOOR OF INTERIOR BAY Let us now proceed to a still more complex problemthat of a fire beneath the floor in the interior of a large building, as shown in Fig. 17. As the portion of the floor becomes heated, it tends to expand. However, this expansion is re-

-1

Hot-Rolled Reinforcement Normal Weight Concrete w -0.17 COVER, INCHES 4 Hr. 3 2

Fig. 16. Influence of cover and moment intensity on fire endurance of reinforced concrete slabs.

0 0 0.2 0.4 0.6

D+L S6M a

AFTER REDISTRIBUTION

110

listed, or restrained, by the adjoining construction. Section 23(b) of ASTM E-119 implies that a floor or roof assembly should be restrained during a fire test in the same manner in which the floor or roof is restrained in the construction that the specimen represents. Complying with that requirement has been, at best, most difficult since the magnitude and nature of such restraining forces have not been understood. To study the nature of restraint in concrete floors and roofs during fires, the PCA built a unique floor furnace. The cut-away drawing of the floor furnace (Fig. 18) shows the main components. The specimen measures 14 x 18 ft. A simulated uniform live load is applied through 16 hydraulic rams. The fire chamber is located below floor level and natural gas is burned as fuel. What makes the furnace unique are the elements on the four sides of the specimen which can serve to support the specimen and provide restraint to thermal expansion. The four elements bear against horizontal hydraulic rams and are free to rotate or move in the direction of the rams. As a specimen is heated it tends to expand. To restrain

Fig. 17. Fire under floor of an interior bay of a multi-bay building.

the expansion the pressures in the hydraulic rams must be increased. By knowing the hydraulic pressures, it is possible to calculate the magnitude of the restraining force. The capacity of the restraining system is about 1,100,000 lb along the 14-ft dimension, and about 1,500,000 lb along the 18-ft dimension. Fig. 19 shows the restraining system diagrammatically. The south and west supporting elements are actuated by two sets of hydraulic rams, upper rams, referred to as restraint rams (R) and

Fig. 18. Cutaway view PCA floor furnace.

of

PCI Journal/November-December 1973

1 _i

TEST SPECIMEN R-1R M 18 FT. M 3/g-in. strands 10in.

Fig. 19. Schematic drawing of restraining mechanism in PCA floor furnace.

Fig. 20. Test specimen used to study effects of restraint during fire tests.

lower rams, called moment rams (M). By knowing the magnitude and location of R and M (the upper and lower rams are 2 ft apart) it is possible to calculate the magnitude and location of the resultant restraint force, or "thermal thrust." When PCA's floor furnace was first built, three floor specimens were fire tested in a series of shake-down tests. The first specimen was tested without end restraint, i.e., it was simply supported and the structural end point was reached at about 1 hr and 20 min. The second specimen was supposed to be tested "fully restrained," i.e., no expansion was to be allowed. Very early in the test the capacity of the restraining system was reached, and at 40 min. a compression type of failure occurred within the slab resulting in a hole through the slab.

In the third test, an "intermediate" degree of restraint was attempted. Due to a malfunction of the restraining system, quantitative data were not obtained, but after 4 hrs the specimen was still supporting its load with little or no visible deflection or damage. EFFECTS OF RESTRAINT DURING FIRE To study quantitatively the effects of restraint during fire tests, a series of specimens shown in Fig. 20 were cast and tested. Some of the specimens were pretensioned with 3/s in. strand as shown here; others were reinforced with bars. Some specimens were made of lightweight concrete and others of normal weight concrete. Live load was applied to the specimen and the fire test begun. Each specimen was permitted to expand a given amount (ranging from 0.04 to 1.40 in. in 18 ft) and further expansion was prevented. After expansion was stopped, the restraining force (or thermal thrust) increased to a maximum value and then either diminished or remained relatively constant. Fig. 21 shows the maximum measured restraining forces for the prestressed concrete specimens. Note that for small expansions these forces are very large. A small increase in expansion is accompanied by a large reduc-

RESTRAINING , Ta, 400 Normal Weight FORCE, C oncrete kips 200

XX

600

0 0.2 0.6 0.4

EXPANSION e, %

Fig. 21. Maximum measured restraining force versus expansion for prestressed concrete specimens.

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tion in restraining force. Note also that the forces are larger for normal weight FIRE concrete than for lightweight concrete, ENDURANCE probably because both the modulus of eat Trans. PERIOD elasticity and coefficient of expansion End Point are greater for normal weight concrete. What is most significant, however, is 0' 0100 that all of these tests were conducted % OF FULL RESTRAINT for more than 3 hrs, despite the wide range in allowed expansions. Fig. 22 summarizes the effects of re- Fig. 22. Effect of restraint on fire endurance of beams and slabs. straint on fire endurance in a qualitative manner. Zero percent of full restraint means a simply supported condition where thermal expansion cannot be restricted. In that case, a structural end point will occur when the moment caINSULATING pacity is reduced to the applied mo4 CONCRETE ment. L/w FIRE With 100 percent restraint, a comENDURANCE, pression type of failure will occur. /w 2 hr. However, it is doubtful that full restraint could ever occur in a real building because the forces involved are so 7 5 3 ^I large that some movement will occur, SLAB THICKNESS, in. and that movement will be accompanied by a great reduction in the reFig. 23. Fire endurance of concrete straining force. Between no restraint and full re- slabs as determined by criteria for straint, almost any degree of restraint temperature rise of unexposed surface. will be sufficient to increase the endurance enough that the heat transmission end point will occur. So the amount of restraint determines the type of end point; in Zone 1, structural end point; I IV SU L AT I NG :.GONG::; in Zone 2, heat transmission; and in 4 ':NWCONCRETE eZone 3, flame passage. Most concrete OVER LAY floors lie in Zone 2.
J

THICKNESS,

4 Hr.

HEAT TRANSMISSION THROUGH SLABS To study the heat transmission through floors and roofs, the PCA has conducted a large number of tests on its small slab furnace. Data on heat transmission through 3 x 3 ft concrete slabs correlate well with data from full-scale tests. The graph in Fig. 23 was developed
PCI Journal/November-December

in. 3 5 7

BASE SLAB THICKNESS, in.

Fig. 24. Typical design aid for determining fire endurance of two-course assembly (normal weight concrete base slab with insulating concrete overlay).

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113

from a series of tests conducted on the small slab furnace. The relation between slab thickness and fire endurance is shown for three types of concrete, normal weight (145 lb per cu ft), structural lightweight (110 lb per cu ft), and insulating concrete (30 lb per cu ft dry). Minor differences occur for different normal weight concretescarbonate aggregate concrete gives slightly longer endurance periods than siliceous aggregate concrete. The fire endurance of lightweight and insulating concretes is influenced largely by two factors, unit weight and moisture content. A decrease in unit weight or an increase in moisture content is accompanied by an increase in fire endurance. FIRE TESTS OF TWO-COURSE ASSEMBLIES There has been a need for data on fire endurance of two-course floors and roofs. To fulfill this need, the PCA conducted a number of fire tests of various combinations of materials. From the results, design aids such as the one shown in Fig. 24 were developed. The data apply only to the heat transmission criteria. The design aid (Fig. 24) is only applicable for a two-course assembly consisting of normal weight concrete base slab with an insulating concrete overlay. For a 3-in, base slab with a 2-in. overlay, the fire endurance is about 3 hrs. Design aids were also developed for combinations of normal weight and lightweight concretes, concrete slabs undercoated with insulating materials, concrete roofs with rigid board insulation, and terrazzo floors. RECENT DEVELOPMENTS During the past 13 years, the PCI 114

has sponsored an extensive series of fire tests at Underwriter's Laboratories. In addition, a number of manufacturers have sponsored fire tests not only at UL, but at other laboratories. As a result, fire ratings for a wide variety of prestressed concrete sections are listed by UL, the American Insurance Association, and in building codes. Listings include double-tees, single-tees, monowing slabs, hollow-core slabs, inverted tee beams, I-beams, joists, and solid slabs. The 1970 version of ASTM E119 contains a tentative revision which, in effect, adds new end point criteria to those already specified. The revision imposes temperature limits of 1100 F for structural steel and hot-roIIed reinforcing bars, and 800 F for cold-drawn prestressing steel in unrestrained assemblies. For restrained beams spaced more than 4 ft on centers, the same temperature limits must not be exceeded during the first half of the fire endurance period. There are no temperature limits for the steel in restrained slabs or beams spaced 4 ft or less on centers. The same tentative revision also includes an appendix which is intended to serve as a guide for determining whether an assembly is restrained or unrestrained. Underwriters' Laboratories includes the dual ratings, i.e., restrained and unrestrained, in the Fire Resistance Index. The January 1973 issue lists about 80 prestressed precast concrete designs that qualify for various fire resistance ratings. SUMMARY The structural fire endurance of prestressed concrete is affected mainly by the method of framingsimply supported and unrestrained, continuous, or restrained against thermal expansion. For simply supported and unre-

strained members, the cover to the re- inforcement and the load intensity govern the fire endurance. For continuous beams and slabs, the amount and location of negative and positive moment reinforcement determine how much moment redistribution will occur, which in turn determines the fire endurance. For restrained members, structural fire endurance is affected only by the member's ability to withstand the restraining forces, and this is seldom a problem. The fire endurance of restrained floors or roofs is generally governed by the criteria for temperature rise of the top surface. Within the past few years, we have made great strides in developing data for use in rational methods of designing for fire resistance. I am optimistic that within a few years structural engineers will have the data necessary to design concrete structures for any required degree of fire resistance.

4. Gustaferro, A. H., and Selvaggio, S. L., "Fire Endurance of Simply Supported Prestressed Concrete Slabs," PCI JOURNAL, Vol. 12, No. 1, February 1967, pp. 37-52;
PCA Research Department Bulletin 212, Portland Cement Associa-

tion, Skokie, Illinois. 5. Gustaferro, A. H., "Temperature Criteria at Failure," Fire Test Performance, ASTM STP 464, American Society for Testing and Materials, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 1970, pp. 68-84. 6. Ehm, H., and von Postel, R., "Tests of Continuous Reinforced Beams and Slabs Under Fire," Proceedings, Symposium on Fire Resistance of Prestressed Concrete,

SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY
1. ASTM E-119-71, "Standard Methods for Fire Tests of Building Construction and Materials," Part 14, ASTM Book of Standards, Ameri- can Society for Testing and Materials, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. 2. Carlson, C. C., "Function of the New PCA Fire Research Laboratory," PCA Research Department Bulletin 109, Portland Cement Association, Skokie, Illinois. 3. Abrams, M. S., and Cruz, C. R., "The Behavior at High Temperature of Steel Strand for Prestressed Concrete," Journal of the PCA Research and Development Laboratories, Vol. 3, No. 3, September 1961, pp. 8-19; PCA Research Department Bulletin 134, Portland

Translation available at S.L.A. Translation Center, John Crerar Library, Chicago, Illinois. 7. Selvaggio, S. L., and Carlson, C. C., "Effect of Restraint on Fire Resistance of Prestressed Concrete," Fire Test Methods, ASTM STP No. 344, American Society for Testing and Materials, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 1962; PCA Research Department Bulletin 164,

Portland Cement Association, Skokie, Illinois, 8. Issen, L. A., et al., "Fire Tests of Concrete Members: An Improved Method for Estimating Restraint Forces," Fire Test Performance, ASTM STP 464, American Society for Testing and Materials, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 1970, pp. 153185. 9. Abrams, M. S., and Gustaferro, A. H., "Fire Endurance of Concrete Slabs as Influenced by Thickness, Aggregate Type, and Moisture," Journal of the PCA Research
and Development Laboratories,

Cement Association, Skokie, Illinois.

PCI Journal/November-December 1973

Vol. 10, No. 2, May 1968, pp. 924; PCA Research Department Bulletin 223, Portland Cement Association, Skokie, Illinois. 115

10. Abrams, M. S., and Gustaferro, A. H., "Fire Endurance of TwoCourse FIoors and Roofs," ACI Journal, Vol. 66, No. 2, February 1969, pp. 92-102. 11. Gustaferro, A. H.; Abrams, M. S.; and Litvin, A., "Fire Resistance of Lightweight Insulating Concretes,"
ACI Special Publication 29, Lightweight Concrete, American Con-

12. "Fire Resistance Index," Underwriters' Laboratories, Inc., Northbrook, Illinois, January, 1973. 13. "Fire Resistance Ratings," American Insurance Association, New York, New York. 14. Gustaferro, A. H., and Carlson, C. C., "An Interpretation of Results of Fire Tests of Prestressed Concrete Building Components,"
PCI JOURNAL, Vol. 7, No. 5, Oc-

crete Institute, Detroit, Michigan, 1971, pp. 161-180.

tober 1962, pp. 14-43.

Note: This paper was initially presented at the 37th Annual Convention of the Structural Engineers Association of California when the author was manager of the Portland Cement Association's Fire Research Laboratory. The text has been modified to bring the information up-to-date.
Discussion of this paper is invited. Please forward your discussion to PCI Headquarters by April 1, 1974, to permit publication in the May-June 1974 PCI JOURNAL

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