[en] This paper discusses two implicit principles relating the performance of load-bearing elements in standard fire resistance tests to their performance in real fires. Firstly, it considers the concept of a monotonically increasing relationship between these two performances—a premise with which the author concurs. Secondly, it examines whether this relationship remains consistent across different types of structural elements. In this regard, the author references several recent research programmes demonstrating that unprotected timber columns are more susceptible to delayed failure than concrete columns.
