Warren Lecture Series, Special Dexter Lecture with Hussam Mahmoud

Hussam Mahmoud
George T. Abell Professor in Infrastructure and Director, Structural Laboratory
Colorado State University
"Advances in Simulating the Response of Steel Structures under Fire
and Fire Following Earthquakes"

ABSTRACT: Fire ignitions in buildings during or immediately following an earthquake have been noted in previous seismic events. Records from past earthquakes show that the damage caused by the subsequent fire can be substantial, often exceeding the damage caused by the earthquake. The structure's vulnerability can be increased due to the sequential events. It is, therefore, imperative to consider the combination of these loading scenarios in the analysis and design of structures in high seismic regions. The development of guidelines and provisions require advances in analysis and testing tools that support understanding of individual components' performance and vulnerability of structural systems under fire following an earthquake. In this presentation, Mahmoud identifies state-of-the-art techniques developed to quantify vulnerability of steel structural elements and systems subjected to fire and fire following seismic events. These techniques include analytical formulations, finite element models, and advanced hybrid simulations. Code provisions and performance-based fire following earthquake engineering framework that facilitate design procedure for the multiple hazards, developed through the integration of these various techniques, are also introduced. Finally, Mahmoud concludes by highlighting a newly developed model for assessing wildfire risk to communities and its use for evaluating community risk to fire following earthquakes.