Eco-Friendly Reinforced Concrete Beams Exposed to Standardized Fire: A Thermal Finite Element Analysis

Concrete has a significant impact on the environment and efforts are being made to replace it with more environmentally friendly alternatives. One possibility is to replace all or part of the conventional components (i.e., cement, water, sand and gravel) with recyclable solutions. Several studies have already demonstrated the mechanical and ecological suitability of the new eco-concretes, but the safety of structures built with them is not considered in the literature, which indicates a lack of knowledge. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the fire safety of reinforced concrete beams built with eco-friendly concretes and compare them to conventional concretes. The analysis was performed numerically and solved with Abaqus software using the finite element method, assuming the thermal parameters previously proposed in the literature through experimental investigations. The thermal field generated in beams with eco-concrete is a maximum of 50% lower compared to conventional concrete and the temperatures of the reinforcement are reduced by a maximum of 260%. There is an interesting perspective for the use of these materials in terms of fire safety criteria.