Computational modeling of structures subjected to extreme static and dynamic loads (such as snow, wind, impact, and earthquake) using finite-element software are part of mainstream structural engineering curricula in universities (at least at graduate level), and many experts can be found in industry who routinely undertake such analyses. However, only a handful or institutions around the world teach structural response to fire (at any level) and only a few of the top consulting engineers in the world truly specialize in this niche area. Among the reasons for this are the lack of cheap and easily accessible software to carry out such analyses and the highly tedious nature of modeling the full (often coupled) sequence of a realistic fire scenario, heat transfer to structure and structural response (currently impossible using a single software). The authors in this paper describe how finite-element software can be extended to include the modeling of structures under fire load. The added advantage of...

Modern architecture has been challenging the obsolete assumptions of the current fire safety engineering approaches, most of which still rely on the standard fire curve and continue to focus on the fire resistance of isolated single members. It has been observed time and again that buildings designed to the code-required fire performance fail in fires where the fire behaviour is found beyond current understanding. To fill this gap in knowledge and practice and move a step forward towards more rational fire safety engineering approaches, an integrated modelling tool is proposed in this article which is devoted to the implementation of realistic and advanced fire models that can be used routinely in analyses accounting for heat transfer and thermo-mechanical behaviour. Two case studies are presented to demonstrate the tool utility in simulating a tall building subjected to vertically travelling fire and a low-rise building subjected to a localised fire.