Passive fire protection

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Fire resistance rated !all assembly !ith fire door, cable tray penetration and intumescent "#$ cable coating. Passive Fire Protection (PFP) is an integral component of the three components of structural fire protection and fire safety in a building. PFP attempts to contain fires or slo! the spread, through use of fire resistant !alls, floors, and doors %amongst other examples&. PFP systems must comply !ith the associated 'isting and approval use and compliance in order to provide the effectiveness expected by building codes.

Contents

# (tructural fire protection ) *ain characteristics + ,xamples - .egulations / 01ld0 versus 0ne!0 2 3ountries !here certification is optional 4 (ee also 5 .eferences 6 ,xternal links

Structural fire protection

Fire protection in a building, offshore facility or a ship is a system that includes:

Active fire protection, !hich can include manual or automatic fire detection and fire suppression.

Passive Fire Protection, !hich includes compartmentalisation of the overall building through the use of fire resistance rated !alls and floors. 1rgani7ation into smaller fire compartments, consisting of one or more rooms or floors, prevents or slo!s the spread of fire from the room of fire origin to other building spaces, limiting building damage and providing more time to the building occupants for emergency evacuation or to reach an area of refuge. Fire prevention includes minimi7ing ignition sources, as !ell as educating the occupants and operators of the facility, ship or structure concerning operation and maintenance of fire related systems for correct function, and emergency procedures including notification for fire service response and emergency evacuation.

Main characteristics
The aim for Passive Fire Protection systems is typically demonstrated in fire testing the ability to maintain the item or the side to be protected at or belo! either #-8 93 %for !alls, floors and electrical circuits re:uired to have a fire resistance rating& or ca. //8 93, !hich is considered the critical temperature for structural steel, above !hich it is in ;eopardy of losing its strength, leading to collapse. This is based, in most countries, on the basic test standards for !alls and floors, such as <( -42: Part )): #654, <( ,= #+2#: #666 > <( ,= #+2- ): #666 or ?(T* ,##6. (maller components, such as fire dampers, fire doors, etc., follo! suit in the main intentions of the basic standard for !alls and floors. Fire testing involves live fire exposures up!ards of ##88 93, depending on the fire resistance rating and duration one is after. *ore items than ;ust fire exposures are typically re:uired to be tested to ensure the survivability of the system under realistic conditions. To accomplish these aims, many different types of materials are employed in the design and construction of systems. For instance, common endothermic building materials include calcium silicate board, concrete and gypsum !allboard. @uring fire testing of concrete floor slabs, !ater can be seen to boil out of a slab. Aypsum !all board typically loses all its strength during a fire. The use of endothermic materials is established and proven to be sound engineering practice. The chemically bound !ater inside these materials sublimes. @uring this process, the unexposed side cannot exceed the boiling point of !ater. 1nce the hydrates are spent, the temperature on the unexposed side of an endothermic fire barrier tends to rise rapidly. Too much !ater can be a problem, ho!ever. 3oncrete slabs that are too !et, !ill literally explode in a fire, !hich is !hy test laboratories insist on measuring !ater content of concrete and mortar in fire test specimens, before running any fire tests. PFP measures can also include intumescents and ablative materials. The point is, ho!ever, that !hatever the nature of the materials, they on their o!n bear no rating. They must be organised into systems, !hich bear a rating !hen installed in accordance !ith certification listings or established catalogues, such as @B= -#8) Part - or the 3anadian =ational <uilding 3ode. Passive Fire Protection measures are intended to contain a fire in the fire compartment of origin, thus limiting the spread of fire and smoke for a limited period of time, as

determined the local building code and fire code. Passive fire protection measures, such as firestops, fire !alls, and fire doors, are tested to determine the fire resistance rating of the final assembly, usually expressed in terms of hours of fire resistance %e.g., C, D, #, #E, ), +, - hour&. ? certification listing provides the limitations of the rating. 3ontrary to active fire protection measures, Passive Fire Protection means do not typically re:uire electric or electronic activation or a degree of motion. ,xceptions to that particular rule of thumb are fire dampers %fire resistive closures !ithin air ducts, excluding grease ducts& and fire door closers, !hich must move, open and shut in order to !ork, as !ell as all intumescent products, !hich s!ell, thus move, in order to function. ?s the name suggests, Passive Fire Protection %PFP& remains silent in your coating system till the eventuality of a fire. There are mainly t!o types of PFP : intumescent fire protection and vermiculite fire protection. Bn vermiculite fire protection, the structural steel members are covered !ith vermiculite materials, mostly a very thick layer. This is a cheaper option as compared to an intumescent one, but is very crude and aesthetically unpleasant. *oreover if the environment is corrosive in nature, then the vermiculite option is not advisable, as there is the possibility of !ater seeping into it %because of the porous nature of vermiculite&, and there it is difficult to monitor for corrosion. Bntumescent fireproofing is a layer of paint !hich is applied along !ith the coating system on the structural steel members. The thickness of this intumescent coating is dependent on the steel section used. For calculation of @FT %dry film thickness& a factor called HpFA %heated perimeter divided by cross sectional area&, referred to as 0section factor0 and expressed in m #, is used. Bntumescent coatings are applied as an intermediate coat in a coating system %primer, intermediate, and topFfinish coat&. <ecause of the relatively lo! thickness of this intumescent coating %usually in the +/8 to 488 micrometer range&, nice finish, and anti corrosive nature, intumescent coatings are preferred aesthetically and performance !ise. Bt should be noted that in the eventuality of a fire, the steel structure !ill eventually collapse once the steel attains the critical core temperature %around //8 degrees 3elsius or 5/8 degrees Fahrenheit&. The PFP system !ill only delay this by creating a layer of char bet!een the steel and fire. @epending upon the re:uirement, PFP systems can provide fire ratings in excess of #)8 minutes. PFP systems are highly recommended in infrastructure pro;ects as they can save lives and property. PFP in a building can be described as a group of systems !ithin systems. ?n installed firestop, for instance, is a system that is based upon a product certification listing. Bt forms part of a fire resistance rated !all or floor, and this !all or floor forms part of a fire compartment !hich forms an integral part of the overall fire safety plan of the building. The building itself, as a !hole, can also be seen as a system.

Examples

This B beam has a fireproofing material sprayed onto it as a form of passive fire protection. fire-resistance rated alls Fire alls not only have a rating, they are also designed to sub divide buildings such that if collapse occurs on one side, this !ill not affect the other side. They can also be used to eliminate the need for sprinklers, as a trade off. Fire-resistant !lass glass using multi layer intumescent technology or !ire mesh embedded !ithin the glass may be used in the fabrication of fire resistance rated !indo!s in !alls or fire doors. fire-resistance rated floors occupanc" separations %barriers designated as occupancy separations are intended to segregate parts of buildings, !here different uses are on each sideG for instance, apartments on one side and stores on the other side of the occupancy separation&. closures %fire dampers& (ometimes firestops are treated in building codes identically to closures. 3anada de rates closures, !here, for instance a ) hour closure is acceptable for use in a + hour fire separation, so long as the fire separation is not an occupancy separation or fire!all. The lo!ered rating is then referred to as a fire protection rating, both for firestops, unless they contain plastic pipes and regular closures. firestops !rease ducts %These refer to ducts that lead from commercial cooking e:uipment such as ranges, deep fryers and double decker and conveyor e:uipped pi77a ovens to grease duct fans.& Bn =orth ?merica, grease ducts are made of minimum #2 gauge %#.2 mm& sheet metal, all !elded, and certified openings for cleaning, !hereby the ducting is either inherently manufactured to have a specific fire resistance rating, 1. it is ordinary #2 gauge duct!ork !ith an exterior layer of purpose made and certified fireproofing. ,ither !ay, =orth ?merican grease ducts must comply !ith =FP?62 re:uirements. cable coatin! %application of fire retardants, !hich are either endothermic or intumescent, to reduce flamespread and smoke development of combustible cable ;acketing& spra" fireproofin! %application of intumescent or endothermic paints, or fibrous or cementitious plasters to keep substrates such as structural steel, electrical or

mechanical services, valves, li:uefied petroleum gas %'PA& vessels, vessel skirts, bulkheads or decks belo! either #-8 93 for electrical items or ca. /88 93 for structural steel elements to maintain operability of the item to be protected& fireproofin! claddin! %boards used for the same purpose and in the same applications as spray fireproofing& *aterials for such cladding include perlite, vermiculite, calcium silicate, gypsum, intumescent epoxy, @urasteel %cellulose fibre reinforced concrete and punched sheet metal bonded composite panels&, *icroTherm enclosures %boxes or !raps made of fireproofing materials, including fire resistive !raps and tapes to protect speciality valves and other items deemed to re:uire protection against fire and heatHan analogy for this !ould be a safe& or the provision of circuit integrity measures to keep electrical cables operational during an accidental fire.

#e!ulations
The most important goal of PFP is identical to that of all fire protection: life safet". This is mainly accomplished by maintaining structural integrity for a time during the fire, and limiting the spread of fire and the effects thereof %e.g., heat and smoke&. Propert" protection and continuit" of operations are usually secondary ob;ectives in codes. ,xceptions include nuclear facilities and marine applications, as evacuation may be more complex or impossible. =uclear facilities, both buildings and ships, must also ensure the nuclear reactor does not experience a nuclear meltdo!n. Bn this case, fixing the reactor may be more important than evacuation for key safety personnel. ,xamples of testing that underlies certification listing:

,urope: <( ,= #+2=etherlands: =,= 2825 Aermany: @B= -#8) Inited Jingdom: <( -42 3anada: I'3 (#8# Inited (tates: ?(T* ,##6

,ach of these test procedures have very similar fire endurance regimes and heat transfer limitations. @ifferences include the hose stream tests, !hich are uni:ue to 3anada and the Inited (tates, !hereas Aermany includes a very rigorous impact test during the fire for fire!alls. Aermany is uni:ue in including heat induced expansion and collapse of ferrous cable trays into account for firestops, resulting in the favouring of firestop mortars, !hich tend to hold the penetrating cable tray in place, !hereas 0softseals0, typically made of rock!ool and elastomeric toppings, have been demonstrated in testing by 1tto ArafKinstitut to be torn open and rendered inoperable !hen the cable tray expands, pushes in and then collapses. (pin offs from these basic tests cover closures, firestops and more. Furnace operations, thermocoupling and reporting re:uirements remain uniform !ithin each country.

Bn exterior applications for the offshore and the petroleum sectors, the fire endurance testing uses a higher temperature and faster heat rise, !hereas in interior applications, such as office buildings, factories and residential, the fire endurance is based upon experiences gained from burning !ood. The interior fire timeFtemperature curve is referred to as 0,TJ0 %,inheitstemperaturkurve L standard timeFtemperature curve& or the 0building elements0 curve, !hereas the high temperature variety is called the hydrocarbon curve as it is based on burning oil and gas products, !hich burn hotter and faster. The most severe, and most rarely used, of all fire exposure tests is the <ritish 0;etfire0 test, !hich has been used to some extent in the IJ and =or!ay but is not typically found in common regulations. Typically, during the construction of buildings, fire protective systems must conform to the re:uirements of building code that !as in effect on the day that the building permit !as applied for. ,nforcement for compliance !ith building codes is typically the responsibility of municipal building departments. 1nce construction is complete, the building must maintain its design basis by remaining in compliance !ith the current fire code, !hich is enforced by the fire prevention officers of the municipal fire department. ?n up to date fire protection plan, containing a complete inventory and maintenance details of all fire protection components, including firestops, fireproofing, fire sprinklers, fire detectors, fire alarm systems, fire extinguishers, etc. are typical re:uirements for demonstration of compliance !ith applicable la!s and regulations. Bn order to kno! !hether or not oneMs building is in compliance !ith fire safety regulations, it is helpful to kno! !hat systems one has in place and !hat their installation and maintenance are based upon. 3hanges to fire protection systems or items affecting the structural or fire integrity or use %occupancy& of a building is sub;ect to regulatory scrutiny. ? contemplated change to a facility re:uires a building permit, or, if the change is very minor, a revie! by the local fire prevention officer. (uch revie!s by the ?uthority Naving Jurisdiction %?NJ& also help to prevent potential problems that may not be apparent to a building o!ner or contractors. 'arge and very common deficiencies in existing buildings include the disabling of fire door closers through propping the doors open and running rugs through them and perforating fire resistance rated !alls and floors !ithout proper firestopping.

$%ld$ versus $ne $

Aenerally, one differentiates bet!een 0old0 and 0ne!0 barrier systems. 01ld0 systems have been tested and verified by governmental authorities including @B<t ")$, the <ritish (tandards Bnstitute %<(B& and the =ational .esearch 3ouncilMs Bnstitute for .esearch in 3onstruction "+$. These organisations each publish in codes and standards, !all and floor assembly details that can be used !ith generic, standardised components, to achieve :uantified fire resistance ratings. ?rchitects routinely refer to these details in dra!ings to enable contractors to build passive fire protection barriers of certain ratings. The 0old0 systems are sometimes added to, through testing performed in governmental laboratories such as those maintained by 3anadaMs Bnstitute for .esearch in 3onstruction, !hich then publishes the results in 3anadaMs =ational <uilding 3ode %=<3&. Aermany "-$ and the

IJ, by comparison, publish their 0old0 systems in respective standards, @B=-#8) Part %Aermany& and <(-42 %Inited Jingdom&. 0=e!0 systems are typically based on certification listings, !hereby the installed configuration must comply !ith the tolerances set out in the certification listing. The Inited Jingdom is an exception to this, !hereby certification, although not testing, is optional.

Countries here certification is optional

Fire tests in the IJ are reported in the form of test results, but contrary to =orth ?merica and Aermany, building authorities do not re:uire !ritten proof that the materials that have been installed on site are actually identical to the materials and products that !ere used in the test. The test report is also often interpreted by engineers, as the test results are not communicated in the form of uniformly structured listings. Bn the IJ, and other countries !hich do not re:uire certification, the proof that the manufacturer has not substituted other materials apart from those used in the original testing is based on trust in the ethics or the culpability of the manufacturer. While in =orth ?merica and in Aermany, product certification is the key to the success and legal defensibility of passive fire protection barriers, alternate :uality control certifications of specific installation companies and their !ork is available, though not a legislative or regulatory re:uirement. (till, the :uestion of ho! one can be sure, apart from faith in the vendor, that !hat !as tested is identical to that !hich has been bought and installed is a matter of personal ;udgment. The most highly publicised example of PFP systems !hich !ere not sub;ect of certification and !ere declared inoperable by the ?uthority Naving Jurisdiction is the &hermo-'a! scandal, !hich !as brought to light by !histleblo!er Aerald W. <ro!n, !ho notified the =uclear .egulatory 3ommission of the inade:uacy of fire testing for circuit integrity measures in use in licensed nuclear po!er plants. This led to a congressional en:uiry, significant press coverage and a large amount of remedial !ork on the part of the industry to mitigate the problem. There is no kno!n case a similar instance for PFP systems !hich !ere under the follo! up regime of organisations holding national accreditation for product certification, such as @B<t or Inder!riters 'aboratories.

See also