A Literature Review of Concrete Ability to Sustain Strength after Fire Exposure Based on the Heat Accumulation Factor

Concrete is susceptible to damage during and after high-temperature exposure (most frequently in fire). The concrete partial strength re-gain after a high-temperature exposure obtained by the rehydration process is undoubtedly an advantage of this construction material. However, to use fire-damaged concrete, one has to know why the strength deteriorates and what makes the partial re-gain. Within this framework, the paper aims to find what factors influence the strength re-gain. Moreover, an attempt is made to introduce a measure collecting various influences such as the modified heat accumulation factor—accounting only for that which is important for the process, the temperature decomposing cement paste (i.e., above 400 °C). Several factors, i.e., peak temperature, heating time and rate, cooling regime, post-fire re-curing, concrete composition, age of concrete at exposure, porosity, load level at exposure, and heat accumulation are presented by their influence on the relative residual compressive strength, i.e., a portion of initial strength that is obtained after temperature exposure and strength re-gain. Since the relative strength unifies various concretes, a more general assessment and discussion are presented based on the experimental results and correlation factors. As fundamental influences determining the residual strength, the heating time, peak temperature, cooling, or post-heating re-curing regimes are found with the load level at exposure being inadequately examined. This paper also shows the superiority of the modified heat accumulation factor, but the results obtained are not satisfactory, and additional experimental data are necessary to develop a theoretical model of the residual strength.