Designing polymer matrix composite panels for structural integrity in fire

This paper discusses the compressive load bearing capability of polymer matrix composite panels in fire, a combined thermal and mechanical loading condition. An example of such combined loading condition is that of panels in ship structures under transverse thermal gradients caused by fire. Investigation is focused on failure modes under transverse thermal gradients and compressive mechanical loads, i.e. buckling, deflection induced by the shift of the neutral axis, thermal distortion without mechanical loads. Thermal field and mechanical fields for these failure modes are presented and discussed in details for the purposes of design considerations. Design diagrams are constructed to design mechanical loads for given fire protection time, and on the opposite, to design fire protection time for given mechanical loads. Unlike panels made by the conventional ship building material steel, the design diagrams for the temperature dependent materials with transverse thermal gradients consist of multiple failure mechanisms.