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Home / Fire Resistance Testing

Fire Resistance Testing

CMTS conducts certification fire resistance testing for passive flame protection systems such as walls and glazed structures, tile floors and ceilings, beams, pillars, doors, and many more.

What is Fire Resistance Testing?

Fire resistance testing is carried out to measure the performance of building materials for load-bearing or fire-retardant properties. Typically, fire resistance tests will be conducted over half an hour, 1, 2, 4, or 8 hours. For example, the beams, columns, doors, and wall sections’ fire resistance is measured by their behavior in the furnaces against a specified temperature curve, which commonly increases from room temperature to 850 °C within 20 minutes.

The Standards CMTS Used To Conduct Fire Resistance Testing

Standards are written clearly and describe technical procedures and guidelines in order to enhance the credibility of resources, devices, techniques, and operations. This statement also outlines the realization of the British standard that was developed in implementing fire tests for building materials. BS 1363 and BS 476 are a few of the British standards that CMTS follows when conducting fire tests.

BS 1363 was developed to define general principles for fire resistance testing, determining the incombustibility of various construction elements when subjected to fire exposure scenarios. The BS 1363 fire test standard contains examination equipment, settings, samples, installation, operations, procedures, performance criteria, and lab results.

Learn More About BS 1363 Fire Test

The ability of each building material as well as all installed systems to endure in the event of a fire needs to be prioritized. As a result, CMTS routinely implements BS 476 fire tests when evaluating the flammability of construction materials since it may act as a guide in selecting the suitable fire test for each sample element and serves as an indicator in rating the level of resilience.

Explore More Of The BS 476 Fire Test

How Is The Fire Resistance Test Conducted?

>Fire resistance testing will be performed by using a procedure that is nearly equivalent to the real flame circumstances that exist in the structure. For instance, during fire resistance testing, load-bearing elements would be overloaded, giving out a force that is nearly identical to what has been planned in the structural system. While non-load bearing components should be protected when fire resistance testing is done. In conclusion, even when they are exposed to blaze events, construction materials must always continue their structural role properly.

To accomplish fire resistance testing, the examination specimen should be representative of the actual element. The minimum measurement of floor and ceiling specimen size required by the fire resistance testing specification is 180 square feet. After the specimen has been loaded, the specimen will place into a furnace and exposed to the fire according to a time-temperature curve. The degrees are monitored during fire resistance testing by nine thermocouples positioned in the furnace at specified angles from the specimen.

There are three primary ways that fire resistance testing can fail:

  • A temperature on the specimen’s unexposed side to the flame rises more than 121°C at the beginning of fire tests.

  • A collapsing of the specimen.

  • The growth of large gaps on the specimen.

The Processes Of Fire Resistance Testing

1
Installation of the structure
The first step in conducting fire resistance testing is the installation of the correct test structure. The sort of material that will undergo fire resistance testing will determine how the building is put together, which can be done by mounting the component to a frame structure. It is essential to fill in any openings seen between the test specimen's borders and the frame with incompressible material.
2
Initial temperature recorded
The observer must write down the starting temperature that has been determined by each thermocouple in the furnace, five minutes before the fire resistance test is conducted. Similarly to deflection, the temperature must be monitored at the pre-fire resistance testing stage. The starting average temperature of the furnace thermocouples and the heat of the non-exposed surface should be within 10°C to 40°C of the ambient temperature. The temperature inside the furnace must be lesser than 50°C just before fire resistance testing begins.
3
Start of fire resistance testing
Fire resistance testing is considered to have begun as soon as the burners are lighted. During the fire resistance test, the heat of all thermocouples excluding the portable thermocouple should be measured and documented every one minute. If a hot spot arises on the test sample, attach a portable thermocouple to it for 20 seconds. The fire resistance test is allowed to continue if the temperature of the samples at that point is less than 150 °C. According to that, the pressure needs to be assessed and noted continually.
4
The measurement of deflection
Deflections should be noted during the whole fire resistance testing period because they are important to evaluate the exam specimen's performance. Furthermore, if the testing procedure calls for data to be obtained at certain intervals and locations, they should be done in a form that allows reconstruction of the full test specimen movement. The number of deflection readings near integrity collapse should be looked into as it could affect how the result of the continuous operation.
5
Evaluate the specimen's integrity
When doing fire resistance testing, the integrity aspect will also be measured using a cotton pad, a spatial scale, and by observing the flame on the piece of the specimen that is not exposed to the blaze. Every occurrence that happens during fire resistance testing must be documented, as must the location.
6
Examine the overall behavior
Before concluding the fire resistance testing, the observer should identify any gas emission, fractures, breakdown, splinters, or burnt wood elements in the general attitude of the test specimen.
7
Completion of the examination
Fire resistance testing is also known if at least one of the following situations happens: established specifications are met, as in the commanding group's decision, and the fire resistance testing must be stopped to ensure the safety of the crew or avoid damage to the apparatus.
8
Produce a report
An outcome is typically a number, which is then used in conjunction with a specification document to provide a level of compliance. The outcome is either "judged combustible" or "not deemed combustible".
9
Get a certification
If the building material undergoing fire resistance testing fulfills the required standards, a certificate will be issued. However, if the building material does not match the requirements established in the fire resistance tests, no certificate will be provided. However, care will be taken to the full degree until the building material meets the requirements.
What Happens If I Pass An External Cladding Fire Test?
Gain certification

It is necessary to make sure that the business currently operated conforms to all safety standards and building code established by the government. The business must have complete certification and documentation, including a fire resistance certificate, to ensure that it's able to operate without interruption. The usage of fire-resistant building materials is one of the safety regulations that must be fulfilled. A certificate will be issued if the building material undergoing fire resistance testing meets the specified standards.

High-quality defense

The endurance of construction supplies to flame can be evaluated by performing fire resistance testing on them. Building materials that pass fire resistance testing are required.   In addition, fire resistance testing can demonstrate whether a material will contribute to the spread of the blaze or not. Every company that completes flame resistance testing can offer all building occupants high-quality fire protection in the event of a fire. This is because fire-resistant building materials provide ample time for building residents to escape and rescue themselves.

Minimizes damage

Building materials are run through fire resistance testing to see how well they can withstand a blaze. By guaranteeing that every material and system installed in the building meets fire resistance testing standards, the building owner would be saved from severe damage. Property damage or structure destruction can be reduced when fire resistance testing is completed effectively. This is valid since the owner can make sure, that only construction materials such as brick, and concrete that can endure a blaze for a long period would be installed inside the building according to the outcomes of fire resistance testing.

What Happens If I fail An External Cladding Fire Test?
Uncertified 

It is classified as a failure if the building material put through fire resistance testing somehow doesn't meet the requirements. Consequently, the fire resistance certificate will not be given out. Various building rules must be obeyed to run a business. if the firm does not obtain this fire resistance certificate, it is considered not to meet the specified safety standards. Additionally, accreditation can set you above other experts in similar businesses by proving your dedication to acquiring and succeeding in your industry. Conducting fire resistance testing may give you a competitive advantage, which is crucial in the current business industry.

Cost a fortune

When the building materials utilized do not comply with the fire resistance testing standards, the next procedure will be very pricey. This is because remedial alternatives are available if the material fails the fire resistance testing. Then, numerous tests and treatments will be applied frequently until the materials that will be utilized satisfy the fire resistance testing criteria. This will directly affect the building owner because they will have to pay money to guarantee the security of both the residents and the property.

Fire safety violations

Failure to pass a flame safety inspection is undesirable. Building owners must take action to make sure that all procedures are followed. The buildings must pass each aspect who relevant to fire regulations. For example, the property owners must be ensuring that all systems and construction materials have been undergoing fire resistance testing. The authorities may conduct flame examinations on buildings at any time. If you do not comply, it's very likely that the building owner will be penalized or that the authorities will order the structure to be closed.

Frequently Asked Questions:

What kind of steel resists fire?

A lot of fire resistance testing on stainless steel has already been done to discover how it responds when confronted with a fire. Comparing the performance of unstained steel with other metals has also been done as part of the testing for fire resistance.

However, in every fire resistance test that has been carried out, the performance of stainless steel may compete with the performance of many other plates of steel. When stainless steel is tested by being exposed to fire for an extended period, it still showed excellent endurance.

Stainless steel can be classified as fireproof steel based on the findings of incombustible tests. Since stainless steel is inflammable-free, it will not contribute to the spread of the fire. Additionally, stainless steel is commonly used by industries because it is strong and resists oxidation at high temperatures.

How long should a fire door survive the flames?

A fire door is one of the passive fire safety devices that must be installed in every building that is constructed. The building's fire door will facilitate the quick exit of its residents from the area of the blaze. As a result, fire resistance testing on this safety door is required to verify that it is capable of functioning at an optimal rate in the event of an emergency in the structure.

Fire doors come in a variety of thicknesses and are constructed from a wide range of materials. As a result, the fire resistance period of each door differs. Fire doors with an FD30 rating are fire resistance tested to withstand blaze for 30 minutes, while those with an FD60 rating can survive in the flame for 60 minutes. However, the fire door's capacity to withstand fire depends on them being installed correctly with appropriate sealing and fire-rated equipment, together with fire door guards.

All business owners have to focus on ensuring that each fire door has completed fire resistance testing. The safety door also needs to do a fire inspection regularly. This is because fire resistance testing on safety doors can help identify the emergency exit that does not meet building codes.

How to stop the spread of a fire?

Naturally, nobody wants a fire to break out on the property they own or live in. Unfortunately, we cannot prevent a fire from breaking out in the building. However, several methods can be used to reduce the spread of fire. Among them is:

• Active fire protection:

If a fire breaks out inside the structure, it needs to be put out right away at a steady rate. Extinguishers, fire alarms, and sprinklers are all examples of active flame security.
Your company should have various fire protection systems that are always working. Each fire-resistant system must undergo a reaction to a fire test to make sure it can fulfill its obligations successfully. This provides the highest chance of extinguishing different kinds of fires while limiting damage to the property and putting lives at risk.

• Passive fire protection:

The goal of passive fire defense is to stop a fire from spreading across your property. Every system utilized inside the structure must receive a fire resistance test to make sure it can function normally in the incident of a fire.
It is critical to install a passive protection system that has passed fire resistance testing in every area. By doing so, the risk is cut in half and possible fire damage is quickly reduced. To prevent the spread of flame from getting worse, fire resistance testing needs to be carried out.

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