FAST ASSESSMENT OF POST-FIRE RESIDUAL STRENGTH OF REINFORCED CONCRETE FRAME BUILDINGS BASED ON NON-DESTRUCTIVE TESTS

Assessment of the residual strength of reinforced concrete buildings subjected to fire is a problem that many times requires a very fast resolution that is necessary for the action of firemen and/or for forensic fire investigation and/or structural assessment of post-fire condition of the building: in all cases safety and integrity of firemen and researchers can be at risk, and it is necessary to have quick and sufficiently reliable information in order to choose whether enter freely, enter with caution or simply do not enter the burned structure, so there is no time or background to develop mathematical models of damage propagation and/or of the structure. This work presents an experimental methodology for a fast assessment of post-fire residual strength of reinforced concrete frame buildings based on the high correlation between the loss of strength and non-destructive tests results of frame concrete elements subject to fire action.