Design of Timber Structures
Fire Resistance of Timber Elements
Fire Resistance of Timber Elements
• When timber is exposed to external heat
source, volatiles are released from the
pyrolysis zone.
• Char is developed on the exposed side which
protects the underlying timber. So, timber
having larger section has good inherent fire
resistance.
• Under the char, heat affected layer is formed
Burning Section Of Timber
where pyrolysis may occur and mechanical
can be different.
• Timber is unaffected under the heat affected
layer.
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Fire Resistance of Timber Elements
Main purposes of fire safety design
• To enable people to escape from structure in early phage of fire
• To provide enough fire resistance to prevent spread of fire and collapse of structure
The NCC defines the Fire-resistance level (FRL) as the grading periods in minutes
determined in accordance with Schedule 5 of the NCC, for the following criteria—
(a) structural adequacy,
(b) integrity; and
(c) insulation,
and expressed in that order.
A dash means that there is no requirement for that criterion. For example, 90/–/– means
there is no requirement for an FRL for integrity and insulation, and –/–/– means there is
no requirement for an FRL.
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Fire Resistance of Timber Elements
The required level of fire resistance depends on different factors such as:
building’s height,
occupation use,
the inclusion of sprinklers, escape pathways
Fire design can be defined based on following three sub-division
• Fire Design for Stability
• Fire Design for Integrity
• Fire Design for Insulation
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Fire Resistance of Timber Elements
Fire Design for Stability
It requires the structure to remain in place after fire exposure and still be able to
support a load.
Fire design load = full permanent load + a part of imposed load, usually 40%
(It is assumed that there will not be full load on structure during the fire.)
The structural fire resistance can be determined
• By full scale test as per AS 1530.4, or
• by calculation of as per AS/NZS 1720.4
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Fire Resistance of Timber Elements
Fire Design for Integrity
The main purpose of design for integrity is to prevent the spread of fire. Containment
elements such as wall and floor should have sufficient fire resistance to prevent the
spread.
It is determined only by full scale test as per AS 1530.4
There must not be any gap or opening through which gas or flame can pass during fire.
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Fire Resistance of Timber Elements
Fire Design for Insulation
The main purpose of design for insulation is to prevent the rise of temperature on the
unexposed side of fire so that object will not ignite on non-fire side. This allows the
safe scape of occupant.
It can be determined by,
• By full scale test as per AS 1530.4, or
• by empirical data method as per AS/NZS 1720.4
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Fire Resistance of Timber Elements
Failure of timber structure under fire is mainly due the loss of cross-sectional area
rather than the loss of strength due heating.
AS/NZS 1720.4 provides the provision to calculate the residual cross-section of timber
element being exposed to the fire for specific time period.
The charring rate of timber depends on
Density of timber element
Moisture content
Grain direction,
Intensity of the fire
Loss of section due to charring
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Fire Resistance of Timber Elements
Determining Charring rate as per AS/NZS 1720.4-2019
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Fire Resistance of Timber Elements
Determining Charring rate as per AS/NZS 1720.4-2019
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Fire Resistance of Timber Elements
Calculation of effective depth of charring as per AS/NZS 1720.4-2019
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Fire Resistance of Timber Elements
Calculation of effective depth of charring as per AS/NZS 1720.4-2019
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Fire Resistance of Timber Elements
Loss of section due to charring
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Fire Resistance of Timber Elements
Fire Design Example
What width of a 400 mm deep LVL joist is required to provide 90 minutes fire resistance? Assume 35 mm is required to
support cassette post-fire.
Step One: Calculate the Notional Charring Rate (C in mm/min):
280
= 0.4 + ( )
where D = timber density at a moisture content of 12% (kg/m3 )
Use 550 kg/m3 density, a common average density for LVL with a base timber species of radiata pine.
∴ C = 0.4 + (280/550)2 = 0.66 mm/min
Step Two: Calculate the effective depth of char to give 90 minutes of fire resistance:
Effective Depth of Charring (mm):
dc = C.t + 7.0
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Fire Resistance of Timber Elements
where C = notional charring rate in mm/min, calculated above
t = period of time for the fire resistance required, i.e. FRL, in minutes 90 mins
∴ dc = 0.66 x 90 + 7.0 mm = 66.3 mm
The above calculates the char protection, but it needs to include residual timber section to carry tension and bending,
assumed before of 35 mm, i.e. 67 + 67 + 35 = 169 mm (Figure1)
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Fire Resistance of Timber Elements
Step Three: Determine the size of Joist
The designer must be mindful of the available timber sizes, as non-standard sizes are not readily available or are
expensive. Commonly available LVL widths include 35 mm, 45 mm, 63 mm and 75 mm with depths from 90 mm to 450
mm. Therefore, the design selects the combination of standard LVL widths to make up a size greater than 169 mm. For
example: 63 + 45 + 63 = 171 > 169 mm
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