A comprehensive review on fire damage assessment of reinforced concrete structures

The provision of appropriate fire-safety measures is a basic need in building design to guarantee the safety of its occupants. Damage due to fire is one of the most destructive aspects that cause deterioration of reinforced concrete structures. Although concrete is a noncombustible material, its physical, chemical, and mechanical characteristics degrade if exposed to a high temperature. The seriousness of a fire in concrete structures is mostly determined by the magnitude and duration of the fire. If the magnitude of fire is minor and for a limited time then the damage to the concrete members is likely to be minimal. Similarly, a higher magnitude or high temperature with a longer duration will cause maximum damage or may result in the collapse of concrete structures. The purpose of this review is to summarize the damage of reinforced concrete (RC) structures after a severe occurrence of fire. Additionally, to discuss the firefighting deficiencies, and remedial measures adopted for recovering the damage due to fire in high-rise buildings. The current study is a review of previous studies from the last decade on important fire damage assessment measures used for damage assessment of RC structures. Some case studies have also been reported in this work. The review results show the popularity of surveys and case studies on fire damage related to RC structures. The essential contributing factors are collected that correspond to the damage of RC structures due to fire. The electrical problems, faulty fire detection systems, and a lack of firefighting equipment, and obstacles in emergency exits were shown to be the most frequent causes of fire damage.