Experimental analysis of a prestressed-concrete structure in fire: The case of industrial warehouse

A new integrated approach for post-fire investigations is presented in this paper with reference to a prestressed-concrete structure. Some of the most advanced techniques are used in parallel to maximize the effectiveness of the assessment. After a thorough survey on the actual geometric properties of the given structure by means of a laser scanner, several techniques are applied (non-destructive tests, core extraction, microscopic analyses, colorimetry and thermogravimetric differential thermal analysis). Evaluating the residual structural safety is the primary objective, together with the study of the time evolution of the thermal field. The proposed design-oriented approach is validated through an application to a prestressed prefabricated industrial building. In the authors’ opinion the experimental results may be a reference for future post-fire investigations.