Effects of Fire on Concrete

by Narendra Gosain, Ph.D., P.E.

From the April 2006 issue of Concrete International

'It’s commonly understood in the building industry that concrete is the most fire resistant building material in everyday use. Because of concrete’s high specific heat capacity, a fire will generally not cause a rapid increase in its temperature and may not cause significant damage.

Even so, it’s necessary to evaluate all structures after a fire event. This article provides a discussion of the assessment, testing, and repair techniques that can be used, in most cases, to determine a cost effective repair strategy...'