Foreword and Introduction

This chapter introduces structural fire engineering along with the specific contents of this handbook. The handbook has called upon the input of global experts to deliver a resource that brings together a significant volume of material on the topic of structural performance in the event of fire. The book is primarily written for practicing consulting engineers. However, it is foreseen that it can be a useful resource for students of structural engineering who wish to develop a deeper understanding of structural performance in the event of fire, as well as building authorities to assist with review of such alternative designs. Many would argue that whilst evidence exists which suggests that prescriptive methods for structural fire protection usually lead to adequate performance levels, few if any could quantify the level of safety that is provided within this framework. More likely, the actual level of structural fire safety is variable from building to building, subject to coincidental structural design decisions for other hazards (and then retrospectively protected/insulated). In contrast, structural fire engineering proactively designs the structure and applied fire protection to achieve targeted performance levels under fire conditions.