SAFIR®

A software for modeling

the behavior of structures
subjected to fire

Jean Marc Franssen & Thomas Gernay

December 2022
 SAFIR®

General Presentation of the software SAFIR®

1) Introduction to SAFIR
a. Description of the software
b. 3 steps procedure: fire, thermal, mechanical
c. Selection of Finite Element type for thermal-mechanical analysis
d. Description of the available FE
e. General principle of a thermal-mechanical analysis with beams
f. List of available materials

2) Introduction to the software environment

3) Examples, validation, and user community

4) Resources

Disclaimer: Under a license agreement between Gesval S.A. and the Johns Hopkins University, Dr. Gernay and the University are entitled to royalty distributions
related to SAFIR. This arrangement has been reviewed and approved by the Johns Hopkins University in accordance with its conflict of interest policies.

© Jean-Marc Franssen and Thomas Gernay 2022 2

 SAFIR®

1) Introduction to SAFIR
a. Description of the software
b. 3 steps procedure: fire, thermal, mechanical
c. Selection of Finite Element type for thermal-mechanical analysis
d. Description of the available FE
e. General principle of a thermal-mechanical analysis with beams
f. List of available materials

2) Introduction to the software environment

3) Examples, validation, and user community

4) Resources

© Jean-Marc Franssen and Thomas Gernay 2022 3

 SAFIR®

Description of SAFIR®
▪ SAFIR is a computer program that models the behavior of building
structures subjected to fire.
▪ The structure can be made of a 3D skeleton of linear elements such as
beams and columns, in conjunction with planar elements such as slabs
and walls. Volumetric elements can be used for analysis of details in the
structure such as connections.
▪ Different materials such as steel, concrete, timber, aluminum,
gypsum or thermally insulating products can be used separately or in
combination in the model.
▪ It is used for research and for commercial applications.

© Jean-Marc Franssen and Thomas Gernay 2022 4

 SAFIR®

Description of SAFIR®

The numerical analyses are based on the nonlinear finite element method.

▪ 2D or 3D conductive elements for thermal calculations

▪ Linear elements for modeling beams, columns (Bernoulli beam type)
▪ Plane elements for modeling slabs, walls, steel plates (shell type)
▪ 3D volume F.E. for modeling connection details, massive members (3D solid type)

© Jean-Marc Franssen and Thomas Gernay 2022 5

 SAFIR®

1) Introduction to SAFIR
a. Description of the software
b. 3 steps procedure: fire, thermal, mechanical
c. Selection of Finite Element type for thermal-mechanical analysis
d. Description of the available FE
e. General principle of a thermal-mechanical analysis with beams
f. List of available materials

2) Introduction to the software environment

3) Examples, validation, and user community

4) Resources

© Jean-Marc Franssen and Thomas Gernay 2022 6

 SAFIR®

3 steps procedure in a SAFIR analysis

1. The thermal attack from the fire is given as an input data

2. SAFIR computes the evolution of temperature in the sections
(thermal analysis)
3. SAFIR computes the mechanical behavior of the structure at elevated
temperatures, taking into account the thermal elongation as well as the
reduction of strength and stiffness in the materials (mechanical analysis)

© Jean-Marc Franssen and Thomas Gernay 2022 7

 SAFIR®

3 steps procedure in a SAFIR analysis

Example: numerical simulation of the FICEB full-scale fire test

1200
Middle
Lef t bottom corner
1000 Lef t top corner
Right bottom corner 1 2
800 Right top corner
Temperature [°C]

OZone model
600

400
Diamond 2009.a.5 for SAFIR

FILE: UlsterH1
200
3 F0

F0
NODES: 2031
BEAMS: 260
TRUSSES: 0
0 SHELLS: 1664
SOILS: 0
0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160 F0 F0

Time [min] F0
BEAMS PLOT
SHELLS PLOT
IMPOSED DOF PLOT
F0

F0 F0

prot1.tem
F0 F0
F0
prot2.tem
F0
F0 prot3.tem
unpr1.tem
slab_side.tsh
F0 F0
F0
slab_center.tsh
F0 F0
F0

F0

F0 F0
F0
F0
F0

Z F0 F0

F0

X Y

Vassart et al. (2012). “Large-scale fire test of unprotected cellular beam acting in membrane
action“. Structures and Buildings, 165(7), 327–334

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 SAFIR®

Step 1: Define the fire

▪ The thermal action produced by the fire is given as an input data by SAFIR.
▪ The thermal action can be represented by various methods (see “thermal” course):
• Time-temperature curve (standard fires or user-defined curves)
• Imposed flux
• Local model from a local fire to a beam or ceiling (Annex C of EN 1991-1-2)
• Local model from a local fire to a column (RFCS project “LOCAFI”)
• Environment calculated from a CFD software (e.g., FDS)

1200 ISO fire

tpeak = 240 min
1000 tpeak = 180 min
tpeak = 120 min
tpeak = 90 min
Temperature (°c)

800
tpeak = 60 min
tpeak = 30 min
600 tpeak = 15 min

400

200

0
0 60 120 180 240 300 360 420 480 540
Time (min)

© Jean-Marc Franssen and Thomas Gernay 2022 9

 SAFIR®

Step 2:Thermal analysis

SAFIR performs the transient thermal analysis to determine the temperature
distributions in the structure
• 2D or 3D thermal calculations
• Finite elements: triangular, quadrangular, prismatic (6 or 8 nodes)
• Predefined thermal material models from Eurocodes: concrete, steel, wood,
aluminum, gypsum
• User materials with user-defined temperature-dependent thermal properties
Diamond 2011.a.2 for SAFIR

FILE: prot3board
NODES: 1225
ELEMENTS: 1021

SOLIDS PLOT
FRONTIERS PLOT
CONTOUR PLOT
TEMPERATURE PLOT
1 1 1 1 1
1 1 1 1 11
1
1 TIME: 3600 sec
1
1 1041.90
1
1 900.00
1
1 800.00
1
1
1 700.00
1
1 600.00
1
1 500.00
1
1 400.00
1
1 300.00
1
1
1 200.00
1
1 100.00
1
1 20.10
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
Y 1
1
1
1
1
1
X Z 1
1
1
111111 111111 1111111 1111111 111

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 SAFIR®

Step 3: Mechanical analysis

▪ SAFIR performs the transient mechanical analysis to determine the response of the
structure (displacements) under increasing temperatures
▪ It takes into account the effects of thermal expansion and material degradation
• 2D or 3D structural calculations
• Finite elements: truss, beams, shell, solid, spring
• Nonlinear mechanical properties that are temperature dependent
• Large displacements
• Predefined material models of Eurocodes : concrete, steel, wood, aluminum
• Gives result as a function of time: displacements of the nodes, support reactions,
stresses, tangent modulus, effects of actions (M, N,V), etc.

▪ SAFIR also calculates the torsional stiffness of the section (LTB check)

© Jean-Marc Franssen and Thomas Gernay 2022 11

 SAFIR®

1) Introduction to SAFIR
a. Description of the software
b. 3 steps procedure: fire, thermal, mechanical
c. Selection of Finite Element type for thermal-mechanical analysis
d. Description of the available FE
e. General principle of a thermal-mechanical analysis with beams
f. List of available materials

2) Introduction to the software environment

3) Examples, validation, and user community

4) Resources

© Jean-Marc Franssen and Thomas Gernay 2022 12

 SAFIR®

Types of Finite Elements

▪ Link between thermal and mechanical analyses
The type of model used for the thermal analysis depends on the type of model that
will be used in the subsequent mechanical analysis

Temperature field Mechanical model

3D F.E. => 3D F.E. (only for details)

2D F.E. => Beam F.E. (2D or 3D)

1D F.E. (pseudo 2D) => Shell F.E. (3D)

Simple calculation model => Truss F.E. (2D or 3D)

© Jean-Marc Franssen and Thomas Gernay 2022 13

 SAFIR®

Transfer of temperature information in mechanical finite elements

▪ For 3D solid elements, the same discretization is used for the thermal and
mechanical analyses so that the temperatures are directly mapped on the
mechanical model.

© Jean-Marc Franssen and Thomas Gernay 2022 14

 SAFIR®

Transfer of temperature information in mechanical finite elements

▪ For beam elements, the discretization of the section employed for the thermal
analysis (calculation of the temperature at each node) is used in the form of fibers for
the beam elements in the mechanical analysis. Thus, the determination of forces and
stiffness in the section is based on the temperatures in each element used in the
thermal analysis which form a fiber in the beam element.

© Jean-Marc Franssen and Thomas Gernay 2022 15

 SAFIR®

Transfer of temperature information in mechanical finite elements

▪ For shell elements, a uniaxial temperature distribution is calculated across

the thickness of the slab using pseudo-2D conductive finite elements. The
temperature at the through thickness points of integration
Diamond 2009.a.5 forforthe mechanical analysis
SAFIR

is linearly interpolated between the nodal temperatures.

FILE: slab_center
NODES: 82
ELEMENTS: 40

SOLIDS PLOT F0
F0
FRONTIERS PLOT F0
4
F0

TEMPERATURE PLOT F0

1
TIME: 3600 sec
956.40
F0
900.00 F0 F0
785
800.00 F0 F0
F0
700.00
766
600.00 F0

F0
500.00 F0
1003
F0
1580
F0
F0
F0 400.00 F0

300.00 F0

200.00 1408
F0 F0

2 100.00 F0

Z
0.00 F0
F0
<Tmin 1745
F0 F0
F0
X Y

© Jean-Marc Franssen and Thomas Gernay 2022 16

 SAFIR®

1) Introduction to SAFIR
a. Description of the software
b. 3 steps procedure: fire, thermal, mechanical
c. Selection of Finite Element type for thermal-mechanical analysis
d. Description of the available FE
e. General principle of a thermal-mechanical analysis with beams
f. List of available materials

2) Introduction to the software environment

3) Examples, validation, and user community

4) Resources

© Jean-Marc Franssen and Thomas Gernay 2022 17

 SAFIR®

Discretization for mechanical analysis

7
3
1
3
7

Truss Beam

3
6
3 6
3 3
3
3 6
3 6
Solid Shell

© Jean-Marc Franssen and Thomas Gernay 2022 18

 SAFIR®

Truss FE
▪ One single point of integration (i.e. one material, temperature and stress level) for
each element
▪ 3 DoF at the two end nodes (translations)
▪ Cannot represent buckling
▪ Use:
• External prestressing tendons
• Individual rebars in 3D solid elements
• Bar in tension in a structure (e.g. bracing bar in a building)
• To create a linear relationship between two nodes

© Jean-Marc Franssen and Thomas Gernay 2022 19

 SAFIR®

Beam FE
▪ Prismatic straight Bernoulli type element
▪ 7 DoF at the two end nodes: translations, rotations, warping
▪ 1 DoF at the central node to bear the nonlinear part of the axial displacement
▪ Integration on the section is based on a fiber model
▪ Longitudinal integration is performed numerically using 2 or 3 points of Gauss
▪ Warping function and torsion stiffness calculated based on thermal analysis discretization
▪ Use:
• Linear members: beams, columns
• Bars in truss girders (to capture buckling)
• Steel studs in composite steel-concrete members
• Semi-rigid connections (taking advantage of fiber model)

© Jean-Marc Franssen and Thomas Gernay 2022 20

 SAFIR®

Shell FE
▪ Quadrangle based on 4 nodes
▪ 6 DoF at each node: 3 translations and 3 rotations
▪ Integration on the plane is performed numerically using 4 points of Gauss
▪ Integration on the thickness is performed numerically with the user choosing the number
of Gauss points (from 2 if membrane behavior dominates to 10 if bending dominates)
▪ Possibility to embed layers of reinforcement (smeared laterally, uniaxial behavior)
▪ Use:
• Planar members: slabs, walls
• Plates of steel members (to capture local buckling)

© Jean-Marc Franssen and Thomas Gernay 2022 21

 SAFIR®

Solid FE
▪ Based on 6 or 8 nodes
▪ 3 DoF at each node (translations)
▪ The user can select from 1 to 3 Gauss integration points in each direction
▪ Only the quasi-static procedure is available, large displacements not taken into account
▪ Use:
• Joints
• Hollow core slabs
• Concrete masses

© Jean-Marc Franssen and Thomas Gernay 2022 22

 SAFIR®

Spring FE
▪ One single node (pertaining to the structure) and one direction
▪ Its behavior is directly described by a force-displacement relationship (no material)
▪ Use:
• To link the structure to the external world via a non-linear relationship
• Soil pressure on the walls and under the foundations of tunnels
• Soil pressure on vertical walls of underground car parks

F
Fsup

Fi

E
Displaced position Finf

Initial position ui u

© Jean-Marc Franssen and Thomas Gernay 2022 23

 SAFIR®

1) Introduction to SAFIR
a. Description of the software
b. 3 steps procedure: fire, thermal, mechanical
c. Selection of Finite Element type for thermal-mechanical analysis
d. Description of the available FE
e. General principle of a thermal-mechanical analysis with beams
f. List of available materials

2) Introduction to the software environment

3) Examples, validation, and user community

4) Resources

© Jean-Marc Franssen and Thomas Gernay 2022 24

 SAFIR®

General principle of a mechanical analysis based on beam FE (1/2)

1. Place some nodes in the global system of coordinates

2. Link them with beam elements

3. Define the geometry of the section(s)

4. Calculate the temperatures in the section(s)

© Jean-Marc Franssen and Thomas Gernay 2022 25

 SAFIR®

General principle of a mechanical analysis based on beam FE (2/2)

5. Link the section(s) with the elements

6. Define supports and loads

7. Let the heating go

© Jean-Marc Franssen and Thomas Gernay 2022 26

 SAFIR®

1) Introduction to SAFIR
a. Description of the software
b. 3 steps procedure: fire, thermal, mechanical
c. Selection of Finite Element type for thermal-mechanical analysis
d. Description of the available FE
e. General principle of a thermal-mechanical analysis with beams
f. List of available materials

2) Introduction to the software environment

3) Examples, validation, and user community

4) Resources

© Jean-Marc Franssen and Thomas Gernay 2022 27

 SAFIR®

Materials available
THERMAL ANALYSIS STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS
2D Solid 3D Solid Beam Shell 3D Solid
Type of FE
Truss
Type of law Uniaxial Plane stress Triaxial
Beam 3D Solid
Mapped with Shell
Material:
Steel X X X X X
Concrete X X X X X
Wood X X X
HSC X X X
Stainless steel X X X
Aluminum X X X
Gypsum X X
Insulation X X
User X X
User_Steel X X
User_Conc X

© Jean-Marc Franssen and Thomas Gernay 2022 28

 SAFIR®

1) Introduction to SAFIR
a. Description of the software
b. 3 steps procedure: fire, thermal, mechanical
c. Selection of Finite Element type for thermal-mechanical analysis
d. Description of the available FE
e. General principle of a thermal-mechanical analysis with beams
f. List of available materials

2) Introduction to the software environment

3) Examples, validation, and user community

4) Resources

© Jean-Marc Franssen and Thomas Gernay 2022 29

 SAFIR®

Preprocessor GmSAFIR
▪ GmSAFIR is a GUI preprocessor

▪ Allows the generation of input files for 2D / 3D, thermal / torsional / structural models

▪ GmSAFIR is free and open source, see: https://github.com/gmsafir/gmsafir

Note: use of GmSAFIR is not strictly necessary – SAFIR reads ASCII input files which can
be generated by text editor, user-developed code, etc.

Post-processor DIAMOND
▪ DIAMOND allows visualizing the structure and the results

▪ Allows plotting charts for many results and exporting them to Excel

▪ DIAMOND is developed by the SAFIR team and can be obtained for free at:
https://www.uee.uliege.be/cms/c_4016387/fr/ueenew-ressources-sur-safir

© Jean-Marc Franssen and Thomas Gernay 2022 30

 SAFIR®

Organization of the files for a typical calculation – Example for:

▪ One mechanical calculation for a structure made of beam elements

▪ In which there are 2 different section types

Note: one new section type must be considered if:

▪ the geometry of the section is different,
▪ the fire curve is different,
▪ the thermal properties are different,
▪ the mechanical properties are different.
Note: in this latter case, it is possible to copy the results of the thermal
calculation in a file with a new name.

© Jean-Marc Franssen and Thomas Gernay 2022 31

 SAFIR®

Text editor GmSAFIR Text editor GmSAFIR

COLUMN.IN BEAM.IN

SAFIR SAFIR

Text editor GmSAFIR

COLUMN.OUT COLUMN.TEM BEAM.TEM BEAM.OUT

COLUMN.XML BEAM.XML

FRAME.IN
DIAMOND DIAMOND

SAFIR

FRAME.OUT FRAME.XML

DIAMOND

© Jean-Marc Franssen and Thomas Gernay 2022 32

 SAFIR®

1) Introduction to SAFIR
a. Description of the software
b. 3 steps procedure: fire, thermal, mechanical
c. Selection of Finite Element type for thermal-mechanical analysis
d. Description of the available FE
e. General principle of a thermal-mechanical analysis with beams
f. List of available materials

2) Introduction to the software environment

3) Examples, validation, and user community

4) Resources

© Jean-Marc Franssen and Thomas Gernay 2022 33

 SAFIR®

Examples of thermal analysis

2D thermal calculation - Reinforced concrete column with hollow core
1097 nodes - 2012 triangular elements

Temperature evolution in the RC section

1200
Corner
1000
Temperature [ C]

800 Steel rebar

600

Core
400
3D thermal calculation
200
H-section through a slab

0
0 30 60 90 120 150 180
Time [min]

2D thermal calculation – Steel section

Interfacing with FDS simulation (localized fire)

© Jean-Marc Franssen and Thomas Gernay 2022 34

 SAFIR®

Example of mechanical analysis

Steel-concrete building by R. Fike and V. Kodur
Michigan State University, USA
Partial model of an eight story steel frame office building

(a) Failure by rupture of the tension strap [1] (b) Maximum principal strains in the tensile strap
obtained by numerical modeling

(c) Buckling of the compression strap in the (d) Displacements at failure in the numerical model
numerical model (displaced scale: 10) (displaced scale: 1)

Drury, M. M., Kordosky, A. N., & Quiel, S. E. (2020). Structural fire resistance of
partially restrained, partially composite floor beams, II: Modeling. Journal of Ni, S., Yan, X., Hoehler, M. & Gernay, T. (2022). Numerical
Constructional Steel Research, 167, 105946. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcsr.2020.105946 modeling of the post-fire performance of strap-braced
cold-formed steel shear walls, Thin-Walled Structures, 171
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tws.2021.108733

© Jean-Marc Franssen and Thomas Gernay 2022 35

 SAFIR®

Example of mechanical analysis of a full scale test

3D mechanical calculation – Steel frame
Flumilog test, INERIS, France
2 624 nodes, 940 beam elements

Diamond 2009.a.5 for SAFIR

FILE: Modelo_Def_3
NODES: 2624
BEAMS: 940
TRUSSES: 0
SHELLS: 0
SOILS: 0

DISPLACEMENT PLOT ( x 1)

TIME: 739.0464 s ec

X Y 1.0 E+01 m

© Jean-Marc Franssen and Thomas Gernay 2022 36

 SAFIR®

Example of mechanical analysis of a full scale test

Vassart et al., RFCS project FICEB – Modeling of a full-scale tensile membrane fire test
F0
F0

F0 F0
F0

F0
F0 F0

F0 F0
F0
F0
F0

F0 F0
F0 F0
F0
F0
F0

F0 F0
F0
F0
Z F0

F0 F0
F0
X Y
Deflection (m) 1.0 E+00 m

0,0
Ulster fire test
-0,2 Numerical simulation

-0,4

-0,6

-0,8

-1,0
0 30 60 90 120 150 180
Time (min)

Vassart et al. (2012). Structures and Buildings, 165(7), 327–334

© Jean-Marc Franssen and Thomas Gernay 2022 37

 SAFIR®

Validation

▪ Ferreira, J., Gernay, T., & Franssen, J.M. (2018). Discussion on a systematic approach to validation
of software for structures in fire. Structures in Fire (Proc. of the 10th Int. Conf.). Ulster
University, UK, Jun 6-8.

▪ Modeling of the validation examples in Annex CC of DIN EN1991-1-2/NA(2010)

• Open data: http://hdl.handle.net/2268/208197

▪ The full report is at https://www.uee.uliege.be/cms/c_4016387/fr/ueenew-ressources-sur-safir

2017 journal paper

© Jean-Marc Franssen and Thomas Gernay 2022 38

 SAFIR®

Users

© Jean-Marc Franssen and Thomas Gernay 2022 39

 SAFIR®

Example of published application: ASCE-CPF Study

SGH, Walter P Moore, Thornton Tomasetti

Prepared by the Structural Engineering Institute (SEI)

of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE)

https://ascelibrary.org/doi/book/10.1061/9780784482698

© Jean-Marc Franssen and Thomas Gernay 2022 40

 SAFIR®

Example of published commercial application

MP Ingénieurs Conseils, Switzerland – Wilsdorf bridge in Geneva

Tonicello, E. et al. (2012). Proc. 7th Structures in Fire Conf.

© Jean-Marc Franssen and Thomas Gernay 2022 41

 SAFIR®

Example of published commercial application

INGENI, Switzerland – Japan Tobacco Headquarter in Geneva

SAFIR models for fire analysis

Model for ambient temperature

analysis (not SAFIR) Lelli, L., Loutan, J. (2017). Journal of Structural Fire Engineering.

© Jean-Marc Franssen and Thomas Gernay 2022 42

 SAFIR®

Example of published commercial application

BuroHappold Engineering, UK

Del Prete, I., Block, F. (2017). Proc. of IFireSS

2017, Naples, Italy.

© Jean-Marc Franssen and Thomas Gernay 2022 43

 SAFIR®

1) Introduction to SAFIR
a. Description of the software
b. 3 steps procedure: fire, thermal, mechanical
c. Selection of Finite Element type for thermal-mechanical analysis
d. Description of the available FE
e. General principle of a thermal-mechanical analysis with beams
f. List of available materials

2) Introduction to the software environment

3) Examples, validation, and user community

4) Resources

© Jean-Marc Franssen and Thomas Gernay 2022 44

 SAFIR®

Resources
▪ Manuals, worked examples and input files can be downloaded for free

▪ Manuals: https://www.uee.uliege.be/cms/c_4016387/fr/ueenew-ressources-sur-safir

▪ Examples: https://www.uee.uliege.be/cms/c_4016388/fr/ueenew-safir-application-examples

▪ More examples: https://mars.jhu.edu/safir/worked-examples/

▪ Video tutorials: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0E-fNxuxk0pQORHy89Lw6g

▪ GmSAFIR: https://github.com/gmsafir/gmsafir/tree/master

▪ Contact us at safir@uliege.be

▪ Training sessions can be organized on demand

Reference
Franssen, J. M., & Gernay, T. (2017). Modeling structures in fire with SAFIR®: Theoretical background and
capabilities. Journal of Structural Fire Engineering, 8(3), 300-323. http://hdl.handle.net/2268/202859

© Jean-Marc Franssen and Thomas Gernay 2022 45

 SAFIR®

General Presentation of the software SAFIR®

Franssen, J. M., & Gernay, T. (2017). Modeling structures in fire with SAFIR®: Theoretical
background and capabilities. Journal of Structural Fire Engineering, 8(3), 300-323.
Disclaimer: Under a license agreement between Gesval S.A. and the Johns Hopkins University, Dr. Gernay and the University are entitled to royalty distributions
related to SAFIR. This arrangement has been reviewed and approved by the Johns Hopkins University in accordance with its conflict of interest policies.

© Jean-Marc Franssen and Thomas Gernay 2022 46