Fire Resistance Mechanisms in Concrete Tunnel Linings
Summary
Concrete tunnel linings are designed to maintain structural integrity and protect critical infrastructure during high-temperature events. Fire resistance is achieved through a combination of material selection, structural detailing and protective systems. Passive measures include incorporation of insulating aggregates, polypropylene fibres to relieve pore pressure and specialised cementitious additives to mitigate spalling. Surface treatments such as intumescent coatings or board systems using calcium silicate or aerogel mortars provide thermal barriers and delay heat transmission into the concrete core. Advances in mix design—employing high-volume fly ash, nanosilica and nano-silica-modified mortars—enhance thermal stability and reduce microcracking under fire exposure. Numerical modelling and full-scale testing inform design by predicting temperature distributions and mechanical degradation. Post-fire assessment techniques, including ultrasonic pulse velocity and shear-wave tomography, enable quantification of residual strength and detection of internal defects. Together, these approaches support resilient tunnel infrastructures capable of withstanding severe fire scenarios while ensuring safe evacuation and reducing repair costs.
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Fire Resistance Mechanisms in Concrete Tunnel Linings publication trend
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Technical terms
Spalling: Sudden detachment of surface concrete layers due to pore pressure and thermal gradients.
Residual compressive strength: Remaining load-bearing capacity of concrete after fire exposure.
Fire curve: Standardised temperature–time profile used to simulate fire severity in tunnels.
Aerogel: Ultralight, highly porous insulating material used to enhance thermal resistance of coatings.
References
- Fire Resistance Test and Numerical Simulation on the Tube Structure of Steel–Concrete–Steel Immersed Tube Tunnel. Buildings (2022).
- Evaluation Residual Compressive Strength of Tunnel Lining Concrete Structure after Fire Damage Based on Ultrasonic Pulse Velocity and Shear-Wave Tomography. Processes (2022).
- Exploring the Application Potential and Performance of SiO2 Aerogel Mortar in Various Tunnel High-Temperature Environments. Fire (2023).
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