Fireproofing is rendering something (structures, materials, etc.) resistant to fire, or incombustible; or material for use in making anything fire-proof.

[1] It is a passive fire

protection measure. "Fireproof" or "fireproofing" can be used as a noun, verb or adjective; it may be hyphenated ("fire-proof").

Applying a certification listed fireproofing system to certain structures allows them to have a fire-resistance rating. The term "fireproofing" may be used in conjunction with
standards, as reflected in common North American construction specifications. An item classed as fireproof is resistant in specified circumstances, and may burn or be
rendered inoperable by fire exceeding the intensity or duration that it is designed to withstand.

Markets[edit]

 Commercial construction
 Residential construction
 Industrial construction
 Marine (ships)
 Offshore construction
 Aerodynamics
 Tunnel concrete walls and ceilings or linings
 Under- and above-ground mining operations

Applications[edit]

 Structural steel to keep below critical temperature ca. 540 °C

 Electrical circuits to keep critical electrical circuits below 140 °C so they stay operational
 Liquified petroleum gas containers to prevent a BLEVE (boiling liquid expanding vapour explosion)
 Vessel skirts and pipe bridges in an oil refinery or chemical plant to keep the structural steel below critical temperature ca. 540°
 Concrete linings of traffic tunnels
 Fireblocking: In a wood frame construction, gaps are created by joists or studs in floor or wall partitions. These hollow spaces allow fire to travel easily
from one area to another. Fireblocks are installed internally to divide these areas into smaller intervals. Common materials used include solid
lumber, plywood, OSB, Particle board, gypsum board, cement fiberboard, or glass fiber insulation batts.[2]
 Firewall (construction) is a common method employed to separate a building into small units to restrict or delay the spread of fire from one section to
the next. Fire walls usually extend the full length of a building, from foundation to roof.[3]
 Fire barriers and fire partitions: They are similar to fire walls in operation; however, their height is limited to a single floor, from the slab of one floor to
the underside of the next.[4]
 Coatings, e.g. to fireproof wood.[5][6]

History[edit]
Asbestos was one material historically used for fireproofing, either on its own, or together with binders such as cement, either in sprayed form or in pressed sheets, or as
additives to a variety of materials and products, including fabrics for protective clothing and building materials. Because the material was later proven to cause cancer, a
large removal-and-replacement industry has been established.

Endothermic materials have also been used to a large extent and are still in use today, such as gypsum, concrete and other cementitious products. More highly evolved
versions of these are used in aerodynamics, intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) and re-entry vehicles, such as the Space Shuttles.

The use of these older materials has been standardised in "old" systems, such as those listed in BS476[full citation needed], DIN4102[full citation needed] and the National Building Code of
Canada.

Fireproofing of structural steel[edit]

In a building fire, structural steel loses strength as the temperature increases. In order to maintain the structural integrity of the steel frame, several fireproofing
measurements are taken:

 restrictions on the amount of exposed steel set by building codes.[7]

 encasing structural steel in brick masonry or concrete to delay exposure to high temperatures.[7]

Historically, these masonry encasement methods use large amounts of heavy materials, thus greatly increasing the load to the steel frame. Newer materials and
methods have been developed to resolve this issue. The following lists both older and newer methods of fireproofing steel beams (i-beams):[7]

 complete encasement in concrete square column.[8]

 wrapping the i-beam in a thin layer of metal lath and then covering it with gypsum plaster. This method is effective because gypsum plaster contains
water crystals that are heat resistant.[8]
 applying multiple layers of gypsum board around the i-beam.[8]
 applying spray-on fireproofing around the i-beam. Also called spray-applied fire-resistive materials (SFRM) using air pressured spray gun, which can be
made from gypsum plaster, mineral fibers mixed with inorganic binder or a cementitious formula using magnesium oxychloride cement.[8]
 enclosing the i-beam in sheet metal and fill with loose insulation.[8]
 hollow columns filled with liquid water or antifreeze. When part of the column is exposed to fire, the heat is dissipated throughout by the convection
property of the liquid.[8]
 encasing the i-beam in rigid concrete slab.[8]
 a layer of suspended plaster ceiling isolating the i-beam [8]

Source: Wikipedia