Dynamical behavior of a wooden beam under mechanical loading and fire

Modern construction relies more and more on wooden structures. To minimize the costly consequences of fire, wooden beams are required to exhibit acceptable fire resistance. A combined analytical and numerical model for predicting the fire resistance of a wooden beam is presented. The model is a structural response model that takes into account the variation of the beam physical and mechanical parameters in terms of the ISO 834 temperature variation in time, to establish a partial differential equation with variable coefficients. The analysis has lead to the prediction of time to the structural failure that is necessary for safety consideration.