Calculation Model for Predicting Fire Resistance Time of Timber Members

In the flame of a research program a basis for the realistic simulation of timber structural members in case of fire was developed. Using the finite difference method, a computer pro-gram was developed to analyse the behaviour of timber members under fire exposure. The fire resistance time of wooden columns as well as wooden beams with and without axial compres-sion can be determined. In this case the charring rate is not fixed but in a preceding thermal analysis it is calculated as a function of parameters such as moisture content, temperature level, exposure time, cross-section area etc.. The temperature influence on the thermal and strength properties as well as the geometrical and physical non-liiearities were considered