Numerical simulation of the thermal degradation of a timber beam under a fire event using low‐end personal computers: a simplified method

Abstract

In this work, the experimental tests that lead to the values of effective thermal properties for timber shown in Eurocode 5, annex B, have been simulated using Ansys. The simulation was made following two different procedures. In procedure A, convection and radiation fluxes were applied on the exposed surfaces of the structural elements, and the environmental temperature was set according ISO 834-1 curve. In procedure B, a simplified method was used, in which the temperature from ISO 834-1 curve was applied directly on the exposed surfaces of the structural element. The results were compared with each other, with the experimental results, and also with the results from previous researchers. It was concluded that this simplified method can be potentially used when high-end computers are not available and a difference of 8 % in results is acceptable.