LAUSR

Abstract Although structural robustness under different fire scenarios has been widely studied in numerous engineering projects, performance-based method still needs to be further defined for better design of bridge structures under fire accidents. This paper presents a practical framework for the performance-based design of bridge structures under vehicle-induced fires. Fire scenarios, structural-thermal analysis method, fire-resistance levels, and a risk analysis-based maintenance cost evaluation process are all defined in detail. The applicability and rationality of this design process are illustrated through a typical case study. The results of the case study demonstrate that the initial properties of the bridge structure can satisfy the defined fire-resistance levels properly, while additional measures for decreasing the burning time are still needed to limit the fire maintenance cost in an acceptable level. The proposed performance-based design process can be widely used in engineering practice.