2.

3 Coatings and Fire Protection

 Content
1. Structural Fire Protection
• Why protect from fire ?
• The options

2. Intumescent Coatings
• History
• Types of Intumescent Coatings
• How do they work ?
• Off site application

3. Summary
Structural Fire Protection - Why
protect from fire?
 Why protect from fire ?
All commonly used building materials
lose some strength when exposed to
fire

• Concrete - spalls to expose reinforcement

• Wood - depletes by charring

• Steel - loses design margin of safety around

550°C.
The Result
 Why protect from fire ?

Fire Protection systems provides extra

time :

• for evacuation of occupants

• for the fire to be extinguished before

structural damage occurs.
Structural Fire Protection – The Options

1.Active

•Sprinklers
•Water Sprays
•Deluge Systems

2.Passive
Construction materials or coatings which limit the
temperature rise of a steel structure in the event of a
fire
 Types of Fire Protection

1 Concrete 2.Spray Vermiculite 3. Fire insulation Board

4.Intumescents paint
 Choice of passive fire protection material

• Bricks and Blockwork

• In-situ concrete All must be completed in situ

• Fire resisting boards

• Intumescent coatings. Can be applied largely off site

 Selection depends on:
• Material content of the structure

• Required level of protection

• Aesthetics

• Location of the steelwork

• Space requirements

• Costs
Fire resistance design : design process of prescriptive approach

Occupancy Type

Section Factor
A/V
Fire Code
A: expose sect.
surface
V: volume of steel
Requirement for fire rating sect.

Manufacturer’s Design Manual

Thickness for Fire Protection

 Regulations on fire protection
Type of fire protection Limitation

Concrete encasement Nil

Fire insulation board N.A. for building

habitable height >24 M
 Regulations on fire protection

Type of fire protection Limitation

Spray Vermiculite N.A. for column in Bldg

habitable height >24 M

Intumescent paint N.A. factory ,storage

*refer to Fire code Appendix F
 Fire Protection Systems
Passive Protection
‹ Insulating Board
‹ Gypsum, Mineral fibre, Vermiculite.
‹ Easy to apply, aesthetically acceptable.
‹ Difficulties with complex details.

‹ Cementitious Sprays
‹ Mineral fibre or vermiculite in cement binder.
‹ Cheap to apply, but messy; clean-up may be expensive.
‹ Poor aesthetics; normally used behind suspended ceilings.

‹ Intumescent Paints
‹ Decorative finish under normal conditions.
‹ Expands on heating to produce insulating layer.
‹ Can now be done off-site.
Sprayed protection

Vermiculite or sprayed mineral fibre

Site measuring tools (thickness
measuring gauges)
Gypsum Board
Installation
Completed work
Fire protection for column
Completed work
Defects ( Improper fixing too near
to the surface of board )
Defects ( improper alignment
cutting)
Defects( dented board )
Defects ( Chipping off of board
and top protection missing )
Mineral Wool slabs
 Intumescent coatings
“reactive”, swelling to many
times their original thickness
when exposed to fire., with
the resultant char insulating
the steel

Up to 120 mins fire resistance time for thin

film intumescent coatings
Up to 240 mins fire resistance time for thick
film intumescent coatings (epoxy coatings)
Intumescent Coatings
 Intumescent Coatings

Thin film “paint systems” which expand on heating to

produce insulating carbon char.
INTUMESCENT PAINT
Why Intumescent?
SOLVE CONSTRAINTS BETWEEN DESIGN & FIRE-RESISTANCE
Smooth and pleasant feature in various colours provide both fire-
protection and decorative functions.
Intumescent Coatings
 Typical Fire Test Performance
Degrees
Furnace Temp
1200
Untreated Steel Temp
1000
Intumescent Treated
Steel Temp
800

600

400

200

0
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80
mins mins mins mins mins mins mins mins mins
 Hp/A Concept

Heating Rate in a fire depends on-

• The perimeter of steel exposed Hp

• The cross-sectional area of the section A

•The thickness of the intumescent coating

Hp/A Concept

High HP Low HP
Low A High A
Fast Heating Slow Heating
 Hp/A Concept

• The Hp/A ratio for individual sections are

obtained from published tables or can be
calculated.

• From this the required film thickness of

intumescent coating can be determined
 Intumescent Coatings - history
• Intumescent Coatings are not new

• They were introduced in the 1930’s

• Their use and acceptance varies around the world.

• In Europe c. 250 000 tonnes structural steel per year are

protected using intumescent coatings

• Modern intumescent coatings are easier to use, more

efficient, cost effective and durable than their
predecessors
 Intumescent Coatings
There are 2 distinct types of Intumescent coatings

• Thick film epoxy mastics generally used for

hydrocarbon fires e.g. petrochemical
– Limited use in building market but being considered
for certain high risk applications

• Thin film “paints” used for cellulosic fires as

would be experienced in most onshore buildings

Both work in exactly the same way

Intumescent Coatings – How do
they work ?
STAGE 1: Initial Fire Exposure

FIRE

Unreacted Material

Substrate
Intumescent Coatings – How do they work ?

STAGE 2: Short Term Fire Exposure

FIRE

Char
Reaction Zone
Unreacted Material
Substrate
Intumescent Coatings – How do they work ?

STAGE 3: Mid Term Fire Exposure

FIRE

Char

Reaction Zone
Unreacted Material
Substrate
Intumescent Coatings – How do they work ?
STAGE 4: End of Term Fire Exposure

FIRE

Char fully reacted

Substrate
Intumescent Coatings – How do
they work ?
Photo of “I” beam coated with an intumescent material
before and after fire exposure
 Benefits of Intumescent coating systems

• Thin film coatings allow maximum use of space

• Decorative appearance permits designers to protect exposed

steelwork

• External systems can allow a single fire protection system to be

used throughout

• Their light weight can reduce the overall weight of structures

• Fast application can assist construction programs.

• Possible to apply off site.

Typical area where space is
limited
Castellated & Cellular Sections
Site Measuring tool
Defects (uneven surface )
Defects (surface damage by other
trade )
Intumescent coatings used on
exposed steelwork
Typical external intumescent
application
 Off-site application
• Recent development in UK Passive Fire
Protection Market

• Now used on most major multi-storey projects

particularly in city centres

• Reduced complexity on site.

• Fire protection taken off critical path

• Requires fast drying products capable of

application to steel before delivery to site

• Requires durable systems capable of withstanding

exposure during the construction phase
 Intumescent Coatings - Summary
• Their decorative appearance permits designers to protect exposed
steelwork

• Thin film intumescent coatings allow maximum use of space

• External systems can allow a single fire protection system to be used

throughout a project

• Their light weight can reduce the overall weight of structures

• Fast application ( on or off site) can assist construction programs.

• Correctly specified, installed and maintained, intumescent coatings

can provide structural fire protection for the life of a building.