Cardington fire test data

British Steel carried out four fire tests on the Cardington frame between 1995 and 1997. An additional two test were carried out by the Building Research Establishment (BRE). These test underpin much of the modern science of structural fire engineering in steel framed buildings with composite steel deck floors

The first test was carried out on a single unprotected beam and surrounding area of slab. Further tests were carried out in compartments varying in size from 50m² to 340m² with fire loadings provided by gas, wooden cribs and standard office furniture. Columns were protected but beams were not. Despite atmosphere temperatures of over 1200°C and temperatures on the unprotected steel beams of 1100°C in the worst case, no structural collapse took place. The full set of data from the four British Steel tests is to be found in this article. Descriptions of the tests and guidance on how to interpret the data can be found by following the link here.

Data from the two fire test carried out by the BRE can be found by following the link here. Data on a subsequent, stand alone test conducted by BRE can be found here.

1-D restrained plane beam test

1-D Deflections and rotations

• Horizontal Displacements Above the Test Floor
• Relative Vertical Displacement Between Two Sides of the Lower Flange at Grid Line 1
• Rotation of Test Beam Column Flange at the Connections
• Vertical Deflection of the Beam Measured from the Upper Flange

1-D Drawing menu

• Concrete strain gauge positions on floor above the test beam
• Inclinometer positions for measuring rotation of the test beam and column flange at the
• Location of instrumentation for measuring horizontal displacement between columns above the test floor
• Location of instrumentation for measuring strain profiles in steel members
• Location of instrumentation for measuring temperature profiles within the floor slab
• Location of strain gauges installed in the mesh reinforcement in the floor above the test beam
• Position of the test furnace within the building

1-D Strain data

• Strain measurements at C1 on Column D2
• Strain measurements at C2 on Column D2
• Strain measurements at C3 on Column E2
• Strain measurements at C4 on Column E2
• Strain measurements in the mesh reinforcement
• Strain measurements on concrete slab at position 1
• Strain measurements on concrete slab at position 2
• Strain measurements on concrete slab at position 1
• Strain measurements on non-test beam at B1
• Strain measurements on non-test beam at B3
• Strain measurements on test beam at B2
• Strain measurements on test beam at B4

1-D Temperature data

• Steel and atmosphere temperatures on gridline 1
• Steel and atmosphere temperatures on gridline 2
• Steel and atmosphere temperatures on gridline 3
• Steel and atmosphere temperatures on gridline 4
• Steel and atmosphere temperatures on gridline 5
• Steel and concrete temperatures in the floor between beam and furnace wall at B1
• Steel and concrete temperatures in the floor between beam and furnace wall at B2
• Steel and concrete temperatures in the floor over test beam A1
• Steel and concrete temperatures in the floor over test beam A2
• Supplementary steel and atmosphere temperatures at C
• Supplementary steel and atmosphere temperatures at D
• Supplementary steel and atmosphere temperatures at E
• Supplementary steel and atmosphere temperatures at F
• Supplementary steel and atmosphere temperatures at G
• Supplementary steel and atmosphere temperatures at h
• Supplementary steel temperatures at B
• Supplementary steel temperatures at gridline 1(a-d)
• Supplementary steel temperatures at gridline 3(d-a)
• Supplementary steel temperatures in the end plates at A and I

2-D plane frame test

2-D Deflections and rotations

• Horizontal displacements of primary beam lower flange
• Lateral displacements of columns
• Rotations at the connections and external
• Vertical deflection of primary beams upper flange
• Vertical deflection of primary beams lower flange

2-D Drawing menu

• Measurement positions for beam and column rotations
• Measurement positions for columns B1 & B4
• Measurement positions for column displacements
• Measurement stations for the primary floor beams
• Position of furnace in buildings

2-D Strain data

• Strain Profile at B1 500mm above level 3
• Strain Profile at B1 500mm above level 4
• Strain Profile at B1 655mm below level 3 decking
• Strain Profile at B1 2200mm above level 3
• Strain profile at B2 500mm above level 3
• Strain profile at B2 500mm above level 4
• Strain profile at B2 910mm below level 3 decking
• Strain profile at B2 2000mm above level 3
• Strain profile at B3 500mm above level 4
• Strain profile at B3 910mm below level 3 decking
• Strain profile at B4 500mm above level 4
• Strain profile at B4 655mm below level 3 decking

2-D Temperature data

• Column B1 at A-A and B-B
• Column B1 at C-C and D-D and above slab
• Column B2 at A-A and B-B
• Column B2 at C-C and D-D
• Column B3 at A-A and B-B
• Column B3 at C-C and D-D
• Connection C1 at B1 sections C-C, D-D and E-E
• Connection C1 at B1 viewed east and west
• Connection C1 at B1 viewed south
• Connection C2 at B2 Sections H-H, E-E, F-F and G-G
• Connection C2 at B2 viewed east
• Connection C2 at B2 viewed north and south
• Connection C2 at B2 viewed west
• Connection C2 at B2 end plates viewed north and south
• Connection C3 at B3 viewed north and west
• Connection C3 at B3 viewed south
• Connection C4 at B4
• Fin plate connection C1A
• Fin plate connection C2A and C2B
• Fin plate connection C3A
• Floor slab at CB1 and CB3
• Floor slab at CB2
• Floor slab at CS1
• Floor slab at CS2
• Steel and atmosphere temperatures at PB1
• Steel and atmosphere temperatures at PB2
• Steel and atmosphere temperatures at PB3
• Steel and atmosphere temperatures at PB4
• Steel and atmosphere temperatures at PB5
• Steel and atmosphere temperatures at PB6
• Steel and atmosphere temperatures at PB7
• Steel temperatures on edge beam at SB1E
• Steel temperatures on edge beam at SB1E_d
• Steel temperatures on edge beam at SB1W
• Steel temperatures on edge beam at SB1W_d
• Steel temperatures on edge beam at SB8E
• Steel temperatures on edge beam at SB8W
• Steel temperatures on secondary beam at SB2E
• Steel temperatures on secondary beam at SB2E_d
• Steel temperatures on secondary beam at SB2W
• Steel temperatures on secondary beam at SB3E
• Steel temperatures on secondary beam at SB3W
• Steel temperatures on secondary beam at SB4E
• Steel temperatures on secondary beam at SB4Ea_d
• Steel temperatures on secondary beam at SB4W
• Steel temperatures on secondary beam at SB5E
• Steel temperatures on secondary beam at SB6W
• Steel temperatures on secondary beam at SB7E

Corner compartment test

Corner test Deflections and rotations

• Lateral displacements of columns
• Rotation of beams and columns at the connections
• Vertical deflections of floor slab and columns
• Vertical deflections of primary, secondary and edge beams

Corner test Drawing menu

• Position of test furnace within building
• Clinometer position for measuring rotations at the connections (vertical plane)
• Transducer position for measuring vertical deflections
• Transducer position for measuring horizontal deflections

Corner test Strain data

• Beam 2D-2E supporting second floor, location_B1
• Beam 2D-2E supporting second floor, location_B2
• Column 1D, 500mm above first floor slab
• Column 1D, 500mm below second floor slab
• Column 1E, 300mm above ground floor slab
• Column 1E, 300mm below first floor slab
• Column 1E, 500mm above first floor slab
• Column 1E, 500mm above second floor slab
• Column 1F, 300mm above ground floor slab
• Column 1F, 300mm below first floor slab
• Column 1F, 500mm above first floor slab
• Column 1F, 500mm above second floor slab
• Column 1F, 500mm below third floor slab
• Column 2/3-E/F,500mm below second floor slab
• Column 2/3-E/F,500mm above first floor slab
• Column 2E 500mm above second floor slab
• Column 2E 300mm above ground floor slab
• Column 2E 300mm below first floor slab
• Column 2E 500mm above first floor slab
• Column 2F 300mm above ground floor slab
• Column 2F 300mm below first floor slab
• Column 2F 500mm above first floor slab
• Column 2F 500mm above second floor slab
• Column 2F 500mm below third floor slab
• Concrete surface of second floor slab

Corner test Temperature data

• Atmosphere Temperature Data
• Column 2D, Sections at A,B,C and D
• Column 2F, Sections at A,B,C, D and E
• Column 1E, Sections at A,B,C, D and E
• Column 1F, Sections at A B
• Column 1F, Sections at C, D and E
• Concrete Slab at CS1
• Concrete Slab at CS2
• Concrete Slab/beam at CB1
• Concrete Slab/beam at CB3
• Connection at E1 (Part1)
• Connection at E2 Sections A,B,C and D
• Connection at E2
• Connection at F1
• Connection at E1/2 and F1/2
• Edge Beam, Grid line 1,Location A
• Edge Beam, Grid line 1,Location B
• Edge Beam, Grid line 1,Location C
• Edge Beam, Grid line 1,Location D_a_d
• Edge Beam, Grid line 1,Location D
• Edge Beam, Grid line 1,Location E
• Edge Beam, Grid line 1,Location F
• Edge Beam, Grid line F,Location G
• Edge Beam, Grid line F,Location H
• Edge Beam, Grid line F,Location I
• Primary Beam, Grid Line E, Location G
• Primary Beam, Grid Line E, Location H
• Primary Beam, Grid Line E, Location I
• Primary Beam, Grid Line E, Location J
• Primary Beam, Grid Line E, Location K
• Secondary Beam, Grid line a half, Location A
• Secondary Beam, Grid line 2, Location A
• Secondary Beam, Grid line 2, Location B
• Secondary Beam, Grid line 2, Location C
• Secondary Beam, Grid line 2, Location D_a_d
• Secondary Beam, Grid line 2, Location D
• Secondary Beam, Grid line 2, Location E
• Secondary Beam, Grid line 2, Location F
• Secondary Beam, Grid line E/F, Location K
• Secondary Beam, Grid line 1/2, Location B
• Secondary Beam, Grid line 1/2, Location C
• Secondary Beam, Grid line 1/2, Location D_a_d
• Secondary Beam, Grid line 1/2, Location D
• Secondary Beam, Grid line 1/2, Location E
• Secondary Beam, Grid line 1/2, Location F

Office fire (demonstration) test

Demonstration test Deflections and rotations

• Office fire deflections

Demonstration test Drawing menu

• Position of test furnace within building
• Transducer position for measuring vertical deflections

Demonstration test Strain data

• Level 1,Column 3E
• Level 1,Column 4D
• Level 1,Column 4E
• Level 1,Column 3D
• Level 2,Column 3D
• Level 2,Column 3E
• Level 2,Column 4D
• Level 2,Column 4E
• Level 2,Column 4F

Demonstration test Temperature data

• 50mm Fire Barrier
• Atmosphere temperatures 0.1m Below steel decking
• Atmosphere temperatures 0.3m Below steel decking
• Atmosphere temperatures 0.6m Below steel decking
• Atmosphere temperatures 1.8m Below steel decking
• Atmosphere temperatures at the External or façade level
• Column 3E
• Column 4D
• Column 4E
• Column 4F
• Connection at 3/4E.
• Connection at 3E
• Connection at 4E
• Edge beam, grid line 4, location B1
• Edge beam, grid line 4, location B2
• Edge beam, grid line 4, location B3
• Edge beam, grid line F, location B13
• Partially protected indicative specimens
• Primary beam, grid line D, location B11
• Primary beam, grid line E, location B12
• Primary beam, grid line D, location B13
• Primary beam, grid line D, location B14
• Secondary beam, grid line 3, location B7
• Secondary beam, grid line 3, location B8
• Secondary beam, grid line 3, location B9
• Secondary beam, grid line 3, location B10
• Secondary beam, grid line 3/4, location B4
• Secondary beam, grid line 3/4, location B5
• Secondary beam, grid line 3/4, location B6

See also

• Fire and steel construction
• Structural fire engineering
• Steel fire test data