Numerical and experimental studies of cold-formed steel floor systems under standard fire conditions

This study was carried out to investigate the structural and fire behaviour, and design of cold-formed light gauge steel floor-ceiling systems using gypsum plasterboards subject to standard fire conditions. It included both the conventional steel floor systems (with and without cavity insulation) and a new composite floor system in which a layer of external insulation was used between two plasterboards. This research used full scale fire tests and comprehensive numerical studies of both conventional and composite LSF floor systems under standard fire conditions and developed simple and accurate design rules to predict their fire resistance rating. It has considerably improved the knowledge and understanding of the fire performance of LSF floor-ceiling systems under standard fire conditions, and has led to the development of both accurate fire design rules, and new composite LSF floor systems with increased fire resistance rating.