Fire Protection & Steel Space Frames: How to Safeguard Your Structure Against Fire
Steel space structures offer the advantages of long spans, lightweight construction, and high strength. However, in a fire environment, steel's strength rapidly decreases as temperatures rise. Without proper fire protection design and materials, structural stability and safety can be seriously compromised. This article will introduce the fire protection principles, common fire protection methods, design considerations, and practical recommendations for steel space frames. Fire Behavior of Steel & Why Protection Matters Steel's strength decreases significantly at high temperatures . For example, at temperatures of approximately 550-600°C, steel's yield strength may only be approximately 40-60% of its original strength. Fire protection codes typically require structural steel to provide a fire resistance rating of a certain number of hours (e.g., 1 hour, 2 hours, or more) to ensure evacuation, fire control system response, and prevent premature structural failure. Commo...