Abstract
The lightweight structures such as domes are particularly vulnerable when it has been subjected to high temperature induced by the fire. It is therefore crucial to predict the possible instability path of structures exposed to the fire in structural design process. In this study, the instabilities of single-layer domes is investigated by using finite element technologies with the consideration of high temperature. The material properties of members under high temperature are considered by using the reduction factors which is provided in Eurocodes 3. Some damage patterns are assumed with use of a structural unit which is symmetric in radial direction. For numerical evaluations, the geometrically nonlinear truss element is implemented and the arch-length control method is employed to trace the post-buckling behaviour of domes. From numerical results, it is found to be that a significant change of post-buckling behaviour is detected in dome structures when structural members are exposed to the fire.