Finite element stress analysis of a reinforced high-strength concrete column in severe fires

The objective of this study is to quantify the development of thermal stress states that account for the occurrence of moisture-induced explosive spalling of reinforced high-strength concrete structures under rapid heating conditions. Obtained from finite difference models of simulating coupled heat and mass transport phenomena in heated reinforced concrete elements, transient temperature profiles are used as prescribed boundary conditions for subsequent finite element thermo-elastic stress analysis. A computational methodology using the theory of mixtures (volume averaging) is presented to compute thermally induced effective stresses that are potentially associated with thermal spalling of high-strength concrete.