Effect of Slenderness Ratio on the Behavior of RC Bearing Walls under Fire Exposure

Reinforced concrete (RC) bearing walls are commonly used in building structures to resist axial and lateral loads. Therefore, their ability to withstand loads when exposed to fire is important. The behavior of RC walls under fire exposure is affected by various factors, such as slenderness ratio, concrete strength and composition, and axial load. This paper investigates the effect of slenderness ratio on the structural performance of RC walls subjected to fire. A series of numerical simulations were conducted on RC walls with different slenderness ratios. The simulations are performed on a three-dimensional (3D) finite element (FE) model, after validating its thermal and structural behavior using previously published experimental data. The walls were exposed to standard fire curves (ISO834) on one side. The thermal and structural response of the walls were assessed in terms of axial deformations, out-of-plane deformations, and fire resistance. The results showed that slenderness ratio had a significant influence on the fire behavior of RC walls. The walls with higher slenderness ratios exhibited higher temperature gradients and larger deflections compared to the walls with lower slenderness ratios. Moreover, the fire resistance of the walls was significantly reduced when the slenderness ratio was increased.