Creep-free fire analysis of steel structures with Eurocode 3 material model

Purpose – This paper aims to propose a methodology to remove inherent implicit creep from the Eurocode 3 material model for steel and to present a creep-free analysis on simply supported steel members. Design/methodology/approach – Most of the available material models of steel are based on transient coupon tests, which inherently include creep strain associated with particular heating rates and load ratios. Findings – The creep-free analysis aims to reveal the influence of implicit creep by investigating the behaviour of simply supported steel beams and columns exposed to various heating regimes. The paper further evaluates the implicit consideration of creep in the Eurocode 3 steel material model. Originality/value – A modified Eurocode 3 carbon steel material model for creep-free analysis is proposed for general structural fire engineering analysis.