Fire, Fasteners and Finite Element Analysis

From the first sign of smoke or scream of sirens as a building goes up in flames, there may only be minutes that separate a safe evacuation from a more serious scenario. The physical composition of construction materials and the building methods used to erect, fasten, and anchor the components are all factors in determining this time-safety window.

Building codes in the European Union require that roofing systems remain structurally sound for 15 minutes when a fire breaks out to give occupants time to evacuate. For example, commercial, industrial, and residential sheet metal roofs—popular in Scandinavia for their snow-shedding properties—must be able to withstand normal weights and loads at temperatures as high as 600 degrees Celsius (approximately 1100°F), close to the temperature at which aluminum starts to melt. Critical to their structural integrity is the performance of the powder-actuated fasteners (PAFs) commonly used to connect and install these roofing systems.