Experimental and Numerical Simulation of Effects of High Temperature on RC Frame Infilled with Sandwich Panel

Abstract

This study investigated the structural behavior of reinforced concrete (RC) frames infilled with masonry walls and polyurethane (PU) sandwich wall panels at elevated temperatures. This study aims to assess the influence of temperature on the stiffness and load-carrying capacity of infilled frames, optimize the thickness of the sandwich wall panel, and compare the performance of masonry and sandwich infill systems. Analytical investigations were conducted using finite element analysis software (ABAQUS) to simulate the behavior of the frames at elevated temperatures and consider various configurations of skin thickness for PU sandwich panels. Experimental tests were performed to validate the analytical results. The frames were subjected to transient temperature conditions and uniform unit loads to evaluate their response. Experimental tests were conducted on RC frames infilled with masonry and sandwich-wall panels at elevated temperatures. The frames were subjected to static loading, and their deformations and failure modes were observed. The analytical study revealed that an increase in the skin thickness of the sandwich panel improved its temperature resistance, stress-withstanding ability, and displacement. A skin thickness of 0.45 mm was determined to be the optimal choice considering stress levels and economic factors. The infilled frame with the sandwich wall panel exhibited a 19.22% higher initial stiffness than the masonry wall panel in the experimental tests. The ultimate load-carrying capacity decreased by 17.86% in the infilled sandwich wall panel frame compared to the masonry infill system. The study provides valuable insights into the behavior of RC frames infilled with masonry walls and sandwich wall panels under elevated temperatures. The optimized thickness of the PU sandwich panel was determined by balancing the thermal resistance and the structural performance. The infilled frames with sandwich wall panels exhibited enhanced stiffness but slightly reduced ultimate load-carrying capacity compared with the masonry infill. These findings contribute to the understanding of thermal effects on building structures and can aid in the design and construction of more resilient and efficient buildings in the future. Doi: 10.28991/CEJ-2024-010-01-018 Full Text: PDF