From our London branch
Join us for this
free, in-person event exploring the structural response to fire, delivered by Professor Asif Usmani, Chair Professor of Building Sciences and Fire Safety Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University.
Fire safety engineering has historically relied on prescriptive design approaches that simplify both fire behaviour and structural response. While these methods provide practical guidance, they often lack the fidelity required to capture the true mechanical and thermal complexities of structures exposed to fire. This presentation examines the transition from traditional prescriptive practice toward
knowledge-based and performance-driven methodologies that enable more realistic assessments of fire-structure interaction.
The talk begins by establishing the limitations of conventional prescriptive frameworks and outlining the research motivation for developing mechanics-based approaches. Central to this discussion is the improved quantification of fire-induced demand on structures and the use of physically consistent models to compute structural response, including the progression from heating to local damage and potential progressive failure.
Drawing upon insights gained from the landmark Cardington fire tests, the presentation explores the fundamental mechanics governing structural behaviour under elevated temperatures. These findings provide the foundation for understanding structural robustness, load redistribution, and failure mechanisms in real fire scenarios.
The latter part of the seminar applies these principles to major fire-induced structural failures, offering engineering interpretations of well-known events, including the collapses of World Trade Center Buildings 1, 2, and 7, as well as the Plasco Tower collapse in Iran. The presentation may also include discussion of the Gretzenbach car park collapse, highlighting emerging research into reinforced concrete flat slab behaviour under fire conditions.
Overall, the session aims to illustrate how mechanics-based, performance-oriented approaches can enhance structural fire engineering practice, improve design resilience, and deepen understanding of complex failure phenomena.
About the speaker
Professor Asif Sohail Usmani, PhD currently serves as Chair Professor of Building Sciences and Fire Safety Engineering at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU), where he leads research and innovation in fire safety, structural resilience, and construction automation.
Professor Usmani’s academic journey began with a Bachelor of Engineering in Civil Engineering from NED University of Engineering and Technology, followed by a Master of Science in Structural Engineering from Stanford University, and a PhD from the University of Wales, Swansea. His early research focused on computational simulation of heat transfer and solid mechanics—work that laid the foundation for a distinguished career in structural fire engineering.
With nearly three decades in UK and Hong Kong academia, Professor Usmani has made seminal contributions to the understanding of structural behaviour under fire conditions, including insights into the performance of steel-framed composite buildings under real fire exposures and the structural collapse mechanisms observed in large-scale events such as the World Trade Center twin towers. His work has consistently pushed beyond prescriptive approaches to develop realistic, performance-based design and analysis methodologies.
He has led major research initiatives, such as the FireGrid project, which developed real-time tools for forecasting fire evolution in urban environments, and the SureFire: Smart Urban Resilience and Firefighting programme—a large, Hong Kong Research Grants Council funded project advancing AI-based tools for smart firefighting and resilient infrastructure. His research has produced hundreds of peer-reviewed publications and guided the development of computational simulation frameworks used internationally.
Professor Usmani’s current research interests intersect fire safety engineering, integrated structural-fire simulation, performance-based design, and construction automation, particularly exploring innovative strategies such as leveraging 3D printing and optimisation techniques to transform traditional construction processes.