A Framework for Finite Element Modelling of Timber Connections in Fire

Abstract

This paper presents a framework to model timber connections exposed to fire, using the Python [1] interface of Abaqus FEA [2] software suite for FE analysis, currently being developed at ETH Zurich. Models of three-member connections can be easily generated (with any arrangement of fasteners, member geometry, and material properties), submitted to the solver, and the results post-processed. The framework has been used to perform stress and uncoupled heat transfer analyses and is being extended to perform sequentially coupled thermal-stress analyses.