Investigation of the fire performance of masonry buildings with various parameters

Fire is one of the foremost disaster events and, at the same time, poses one of the greatest threats, particularly to masonry structures. Our country is situated in a geographically rich region in terms of masonry structures and cultural assets. Preserving this richness involves taking into consideration various factors, with fire prevention being of primary concern. Many historical structures, in particular, carry a significant fire load. Proactive measures against fire in the masonry construction technique, which constitutes nearly all historical structures, are crucial for preventing potential incidents or minimizing damage. This study analyzes the fire resistance of masonry structures under various criteria. These criteria include wall thickness, special fire-resistant protective coatings planned for application to structures, and fire curves that can vary depending on the content of the fire load. During the analysis phase, ANSYS software was utilized. Validation studies were conducted on two different models for which experimental studies had been carried out, and then analyses were performed on the newly created model. In the created model, two different walls with thicknesses of 10 cm and 25 cm were used, along with protective coatings ranging from 1 mm to 3 mm in thickness. Measuring dimensions ranging from 0.01 m to 0.08 m were used during program use, and the impact of the measuring dimensions on the analyses was observed. All these different alternatives were analyzed with ISO (standard), Fast, Slow, and Smouldering fire curves. The analyses aimed to comprehend the behaviors of masonry structures with different characteristics under various types of fires and to determine optimal measures that can be implemented against fire.