Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
Thin-Walled Structures, cilt.222, 2026 (SCI-Expanded, Scopus)
Steel storage rack systems rely critically on semi-rigid beam-to-column connections (BCCs), which govern the global stability and seismic resilience of the structure. Despite their importance, a notable research gap persists regarding the residual performance and structural integrity of these connections following fire exposure and subsequent cooling. This study provides the first systematic connection-level experimental evaluation of how different cooling methods influence the post-fire performance of BCCs in steel storage rack systems. A comprehensive test program was conducted on specimens exposed to elevated temperatures ranging from 23°C to 800°C. Four distinct cooling protocols were applied, simulating practical extinguishing scenarios: air cooling (AC), fire-fighting foam cooling (FC), water spray cooling (SC), and water immersion cooling (WC). The residual moment-rotation behavior, moment resistance, rotational stiffness, rotational capacity, and ductility of the connections were systematically evaluated. The results demonstrated that all structural performance parameters decreased with rising exposure temperature, with accelerated degradation typically observed above 500–600°C. Gradual cooling methods (AC and FC) were the most effective, preserving a superior combination of strength and deformation capacity across the temperature range. Conversely, rapid water-based cooling (SC and WC) caused more substantial reductions in ultimate moment capacity. Although water immersion (WC) maintained numerically higher rotational stiffness at elevated temperatures, WC specimens exhibited a significant loss of ductility and rotational capacity compared to AC and FC, indicating a more brittle post-fire behavior. The findings emphasize that post-fire evaluation must account for the loss of ductility and the increased risk of brittle fracture associated with rapid quenching. In addition, cooling-dependent reduction factors and practical post-fire assessment recommendations are proposed, providing a direct engineering framework. This study provides crucial data for the structural assessment, repair decisions, and safe reuse determination of cold-formed steel rack components after a fire event.