Thermo‐Mechanical Behaviour of Steel–Timber Composite Beams: A Numerical Analysis

Abstract

While the environmental benefits of steel–timber composite (STC) structures are increasingly recognised, research into their fire performance remains limited. This study presents a numerical investigation into the fire behaviour of STC composite beams. A finite element model is developed and validated against published experiments. Parametric studies are conducted to assess the effects of fire modelling and protection strategies. The results indicate that the intumescent protection effectively limits steel heating, yet timber charring at critical regions cannot be fully prevented, and the interface exhibits complex slip demands that may continue to develop during fire decay. This work advances understanding of STC beam performance in fire and supports the development of performance‐based fire design strategies.