Testing : Fire Resistance Testing

Fire Resistance Testing

Fire resistance tests determine the behaviour of an element of construction when subjected to defined heating and pressure conditions which may be encountered in a fully developed fire. Fire resistance is the property of composite constructions, it is a test of structures rather than individual materials and consequently the tests tend to be larger in scale and complexity. The test specimens are representatives of the items that go to make up buildings: doors, walls, floors, beams, columns, ceilings, etc. Fire resistance tests are also commonly called up in codes and regulations in both the building and transport sectors.

Full scale and indicative scale fire resistance tests on elements of structure are undertaken at our Warrington, Gent and Prato (near Florence) laboratories.

Exova Warringtonfire staff work closely with clients to ensure that test the programme is developed to be both comprehensive for the clients need and a cost effective solution to the fire safety problem.

Tests can be carried out to British, European and International test standards and this is reflected in our international client base. Fire resistance tests can be conducted for construction, marine and offshore sectors.

Fire Resistance tests for a range of construction products can be undertaken to BS, ASTM, UL, ISO, LPS, AS, NPD.

We can undertake tests using a variety of heating curves including the normal British Standard (ISO) curve and the hydrocarbon time/temperature curve.

Tests are undertaken on:

Timber and Steel Fire Doors

Wall and Partitions

Glazed Systems, Curtain Walls

Suspended Ceilings

Ventilation Ducts and Dampers

Floor Structures

Steelwork Protection

Shutter Systems

Cavity Barriers

Penetration seals

Intumescent seals

Linear gap seals

Powered and Natural Ventilators

Smoke Control Screens/Curtains

Marine constructions

In addition to the prescribed test standards, Exova Warringtonfire have developed a number of in-house methods to meet specific requirements where no alternative standards exist.

Indicative Testing

Using the indicative furnace it is possible to test smaller elements of structure or to undertake small scale testing before moving to full scale.

The results of indicative tests can not be used in lieu of full scale tests of structures. However, a number of ad-hoc tests can be undertaken on the indicative furnace including fire resistance testing of:

Penetration seals

Linear gap seals

Small sections of steelwork to assess applied fire protection

Smoke exhaust fans

Gas meters

Safes

Smoke Leakage Testing

We are accredited by UKAS to evaluate the smoke leakage performance of full size fire doors to BS 476: Part 31.1 to show compliance with the requirements given in Approved Document B to the Building Regulations.

Fire Resistance Assessments

In addition to fire resistance testing, Exova Warringtonfire also offers the UK's most comprehensive assessment consultancy service. We can undertake:

single assessments for small items or to fill in the gaps in a client's product range

assessments to cover a multiplicity of changes to cover a large range of products

assessment/test packages to ensure that the client gets the maximum amount of products covered for the minimum cost