Dr Shan-Shan Huang

HEA, PhD, MSc, BEng

Department of Civil and Structural Engineering

Senior Lecturer in Structural Engineering

Image of Dr Shan-Shan Huang
Profile picture of Image of Dr Shan-Shan Huang
s.huang@sheffield.ac.uk
+44 114 222 5727

Full contact details

Dr Shan-Shan Huang
Department of Civil and Structural Engineering
Room F111c
Sir Frederick Mappin Building (Broad Lane Building)
Mappin Street
Sheffield
S1 3JD
Profile

By understanding what happens to structures in the event of a fire, we can design to improve fire engineering practices, in terms of safety, efficiency, sustainability.

Dr Shan-Shan Huang


Shan-Shan’s research into structural fire engineering aims to explore and understand how fire affects structures. This understanding can inform the design process to improve safety, and make construction practices economical and more sustainable.

Shan-Shan obtained her MSc (Distinction) degree in Steel Construction in 2005 and completed her PhD ‘The Effects of Transient Strain on the Strength of Concrete-Filled Columns in Fire’ in 2009, both in the Department.

She then worked as a Post-Doctoral Research Associate on the European collaborative project COMPFIRE (Design of Joints to Composite Columns for Improved Fire Robustness) before taking up a post lecturing.


Research interests

Her current research focuses are:

  • Sustainable concrete in fire, e.g. the use of recycled waste products (such as tyre fibres) added to concrete as a way of controlling shrinkage cracking and explosive fire-induced spalling. This aims to make concrete infrastructure safer, more sustainable and more economical.
  • Fire resistance of greener building systems - e.g. the behaviour of engineered timber in fire.
  • Robustness and the prevention of disproportionate progressive collapse of high-rise building structures in fire – e.g. steel beam-to-columns connection and composite slabs.
Publications

Books

  • Huang SS & Burgess I (2019) Proceedings of the 6th International Workshop on Concrete Spalling due to Fire Exposure. RIS download Bibtex download

Journal articles

Conference proceedings papers

  • Liu Y, Huang S-S & Burgess I (2020) Investigation of the performance of a novel ductile connection within bare-steel and composite frames in fire. Proceedings of the 11th International Conference on Structures in Fire (SiF2020) View this article in WRRO RIS download Bibtex download
  • Li Y, Huang S-S, Pilakoutas K, Angelakopoulos H & Burgess I (2019) Mitigation of fire-induced spalling of concrete using recycled tyre polymer fibre. Proceedings of the 6th International Workshop on Concrete Spalling due to Fire Exposure RIS download Bibtex download
  • Liu Y, Huang SS & Burgess I (2019) Ductile Connections to Improve Structural Robustness in Fire. Proc. Applications of Structural Fire Engineering conference, Singapore. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Shi R, Huang S-S & Davison J (2018) THE EFFECT OF STEEL JOINTS ON FRAME BEHAVIOUR IN FIRE. Proceedings of International Conference on Engineering Research and Practice for Steel Construction 2018 RIS download Bibtex download
  • Figueiredo FP, Shah AH, Huang S-S, Angelakopoulos H, Pilakoutas K & Burgess I (2017) Fire Protection of Concrete Tunnel Linings with Waste Tyre Fibres. Procedia Engineering, Vol. 210 (pp 472-478) View this article in WRRO RIS download Bibtex download
  • Figueiredo F, Rickard I, Shah A, Huang S, Angelakopoulos H, Bisby L, Burgess I & Pilakoutas K (2017) Recycled Tyre Polymer Fibres to Mitigate Heat- induced Spalling of Concrete. Proceedings from the 5th International Workshop on Concrete Spalling View this article in WRRO RIS download Bibtex download
  • Quan G, Huang S & Burgess I (2017) Influence of Beam-End Buckling on Adjacent Beam-Column Connections in Fire. Proceeding of EUROSTEEL 2017 RIS download Bibtex download
  • Quan G, Huang SS & Burgess I (2017) 10.10: Influence of beam‐end buckling on adjacent beam‐column connections in fire. Ce/Papers, Vol. 1(2-3) (pp 2592-2600), 13 September 2017 - 15 September 2017. View this article in WRRO RIS download Bibtex download
  • Figueiredo F, Huang SS, Angelakopoulos, H, pilakoutas K & Burgess I (2017) Mitigation of concrete spalling in fire using recycled fibres from waste tyres. IFireSS 2017 – 2nd International Fire Safety Symposium (pp 589-594). Napoli, Italy, 7 June 2017 - 9 June 2017. View this article in WRRO RIS download Bibtex download
  • Quan G, Huang SHAN-SHAN & Burgess IAN (2016) Component-Based Element of Beam Local Buckling Adjacent to Connections in Fire. Proc. International Conference on Structures in Fire, Princeton, 8 June 2016 - 10 June 2016. View this article in WRRO RIS download Bibtex download
  • Quichaud F, Burgess IW & Huang S-S (2016) Development and Modification of Yield Line Patterns in Thin Slabs Subjected to Tensile Membrane Action. Proc. International Conference on Structures in Fire, Princeton (pp 509-509), 8 June 2016 - 10 June 2016. View this article in WRRO RIS download Bibtex download
  • Hou SHD, Huang S-S, Angelakopoulos H, Pilakoutas K & Burgess I (2016) Reuse of Waste Tyre Fibres in Concrete-Fire-Spalling Mitigation. STRUCTURES IN FIRE (pp 249-256) RIS download Bibtex download
  • Quan G, Huang SHAN-SHAN & Burgess IAN (2015) A Component-Based Approach to Modelling Beam Bottom Flange Buckling at Elevated Temperatures. Applications of Structural Fire Engineering Proceedings, 15 October 2015 - 16 October 2015. View this article in WRRO RIS download Bibtex download
  • Quan G, Huang SHAN-SHAN & Burgess IAN (2015) A Parametric Investigation of the Transition Between Beam-Web Shear Buckling and Bottom- Flange Buckling at Elevated Temperatures. Proc. CONFAB 2015 - International Conference on Structural Safety under Fire and Blast, Glasgow, UK View this article in WRRO RIS download Bibtex download
  • Burgess I & Huang S-S (2015) Tensile Membrane Action and the Performance of Composite Slabs in Fire. RESPONSE OF STRUCTURES UNDER EXTREME LOADING (pp 755-763) RIS download Bibtex download
  • Huang S, Angelakopoulos C, Pilakoutas K & Burgess IW (2015) Reuse of Tyre Polymer Fibers to Mitigate Fire-Induced Spalling of Concrete - A Preliminary Study. Proc 4th International Workshop on Concrete Spalling Due to Fire Exposure, Leipzig, Germany. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Quan G, Huang SHAN-SHAN & Burgess I (2014) Shear panel in the vicinity of beam-column connections - component-based modelling. Prof Eurosteel 2014 View this article in WRRO RIS download Bibtex download
  • Quan G, HUANG SHAN-SHAN & BURGESS IAN (2014) Shear panel component in the vicinity of beam-column connections in fire. Proc. International Conference on Structures in Fire, Shanghai, 11 June 2014 - 13 June 2014. View this article in WRRO RIS download Bibtex download
  • Huang S (2014) A Re-Examination of the Mechanics of Tensile Membrane Action in Composite Floor Slabs in Fire. Proc International Conference on Structures in Fire, Shanghai RIS download Bibtex download
  • Burgess IW, Dai X & Huang S-S (2013) An Alternative Simplified Model of Tensile Membrane Action of Slabs in Fire. Applications of Structural Fire Engineering conference. Prague, Czech Republic, April 2013. View this article in WRRO RIS download Bibtex download
  • Becque J, Oyawoye A, Guadagnini M & Huang S-S (2012) Notched strip tests to determine the yield characteristics of stainless steel. Proc. SCI 4th International Experts Seminar: Stainless Steel in Structures. Ascot, UK, 6 December 2012 - 7 December 2012. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Huang S-S, Davison JB & Burgess IW (2012) Robustness of joints to composite columns in fire. 11th International Conference on Steel, Space and Composite Structures (SS12). Qingdao, China, 12 December 2012 - 14 December 2012. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Huang SS, Burgess IW & Davison JB (2011) A structural fire engineering prediction for the Veseli fire tests, 2011. Proc. Applications of Structural Fire Engineering (pp 411-416). Prague RIS download Bibtex download
  • Huang S-S, Davison JB & Burgess IW (2011) Elevated temperature tests on joints to composite columns. Proc. 6th European Conference on Steel Structures (pp 1593-1598). Budapest RIS download Bibtex download
  • Huang SS, Davison JB & Burgess IW (2010) The fire safety of joints in composite structures. Fire Safety Engineering in the UK: The State of the Art. Edinburgh RIS download Bibtex download
  • Huang SS, Burgess IW, Huang Z & Plank RJ (2008) Effect of transient thermal strain on the buckling of slender concrete and concrete-filled columns in fire. Structures in Fire Workshop (pp 594-605). Singapore RIS download Bibtex download
  • Huang S, Burgess IW, Huang Z & Plank RJ (2007) The Buckling of Slender Concrete and Concrete-Filled Columns in Fire. Proc. Proc fib Workshop: Fire Design of Concrete Structures - from Materials Modelling to Structural Performance, Coimbra RIS download Bibtex download
  • Huang S, Burgess IW, Huang Z & Plank RJ (2007) The Buckling of Slender Concrete and Concrete-Filled Columns in Fire. Proc Concrete Communication Symposium, Sheffield RIS download Bibtex download
  • Huang S, Burgess IW, Huang Z & Plank RJ (2007) Implications of transient thermal strain for the buckling of slender concrete-filled columns in fire. Proceedings of the 3rd International Conference on Steel and Composite Structures, ICSCS07 - Steel and Composite Structures (pp 639-645) RIS download Bibtex download
  • Huang S-S, Angelakopoulos H, Pilakoutas K & Burgess I () REUSED TYRE POLYMER FIBRE FOR FIRE-SPALLING MITIGATION. Applications of Structural Fire Engineering RIS download Bibtex download
  • Alskeif A, Burgess IW & Huang S-S () THE MECHANICS OF TENSILE MEMBRANE ACTION IN COMPOSITE SLABS AT HIGH TEMPERATURES. Applications of Structural Fire Engineering RIS download Bibtex download
  • Liu Y, Huang S & Burgess I () Ductile connections to improve structural robustness in fire. Proceedings of the 6th Applications of Structural Fire Engineering Conference (ASFE'19). Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, 13 June 2019 - 14 June 2019. View this article in WRRO RIS download Bibtex download
Research group

Steel & Composite Structures

Concrete Structures 

Grants

View all research projects

Professional activities and memberships
  • Member of RILEM Technical Committee 256-SPF: Spalling of concrete due to fire: testing and modelling
  • Principal investigator (PI) of research project “FIRECRACKER - Reuse of Waste Polymer Fibres for Crack-Resistant and Fire-Spalling-Proof Sustainable Concrete” (funded by Horizon 2020, £185,798)
  • Co-investigator of research project “Smoke Control and Structural Resilience of Tunnels in Fire” (funded by The Royal Society, £34,442)
  • UoS PI of research project “Re-Use of Waste Tyre Fibres in Concrete Construction” (funded by Innovate UK, £544,186)
  • PI of research project “Sustainable Fire-Spalling-Resistant Concrete” (funded by EPSRC, £124,760)
  • PI of research project “IGNIS - Reuse of Tyre Fibres for Fire-Spalling-Proof Concrete” (funded by Horizon 2020, £158,323)
  • PI of research project “Performance-Based Structural Fire Engineering & Robustness of Structures subject to Multiple Hazards” (funded by Chinese Government, £77,881)
  • Fellow of The Higher Education Academy
PhD opportunities

Sustainable Concrete In Fire

The development of waste-based concrete is urgently needed to improve the sustainability of concrete construction, as well as to reduce waste. The fire performance of such new sustainable concretes is worth investigating. One example is our recent research on the use of recycled tyre fibres to mitigate the explosive fire spalling of concrete. However, the scope of the research on sustainable concrete in fire is much wider. If you are interested in this area, please get in touch to discuss the details.


Cold-formed Steel In Fire

Nowadays, light-gauge structures, made of cold-formed steel, have become increasingly popular due to factors such as cost and weight economy, sustainability, processes, the growth of powerful methods of analysis, etc. Thin-walled sections are more and more often used as primary members in industrial buildings, warehouses and even in multi-storey residential/office buildings. However, problems arise due to the thinness of the walls and there has been very little research on their behaviour in fire, which is surely worth investigating.


Engineered Timber In Fire

Engineered timber construction is being pioneered as a key alternative to the
environmentally unsustainable dependence of the construction industry on concrete and steel. In recent years, there has been increasing interest in using timber structural elements in larger projects, pushing the limits of the industry’s understanding of its structural response in fire and going beyond the scope of the design guidance currently available. This project aims to look at the performance of engineered-timber and/or steel-timber hybrid systems in fire.


If you're interested in one of these projects, or would like to self-propose a project, please contact Shan-Shan at the above email. Current PhD opportunities in the department can be viewed here.