Essential Load-Bearing Characteristics of Steel–Concrete Composite Floor System in Fire Revealed by Structural Stressing State Theory

Abstract

This study reveals the essential load-bearing characteristics of the steel–concrete composite floor system under fire conditions applying the structural stressing state theory. Firstly, the strain data in the entire process of the fire test are modeled as state variables which can present the slab’s stressing state evolution characteristics. Then, the state variables are used to build the stressing state mode and the parameter characterizing the mode. Further, the Mann–Kendall criterion is adopted to detect the leap points in the evolution curves of the characteristic parameters during the entire fire exposure process. Also, the evolution curves of the stressing state modes are investigated to verify the leap profiles around the leap/characteristic points. Finally, the detected leap points are defined as the failure starting points and elastoplastic branching points, which is unseen in past research focusing on the failure endpoint defined at the ultimate load-bearing state of the composite floor system. The failure starting point and the elastoplastic branching point are the embodiment of natural law from quantitative change to quality change in a system rather than an empirical and statistical judgment. Hence, both characteristic points avoidably exist in the strain data of the composite floor system undergoing the fire process, which can be revealed through the proper modeling methods and update the existing theories and methods on structural analysis and design in fire.