FIRE SAFETY PERFORMANCE ​

Fire safety performance of composite materials

With the appropriate choice of resin, additive and fillers, Fibre Reinforced Plastic (FRP) materials can be used to make structures with outstanding fire performance compared to other organic materials.

Composites are by their nature inherently fire resistant. The inert fibre-reinforcement which is major constituent does not burn. The resin which is the polymer base, can be tailored to be self-extinguishing with new advancements in chemistry & formulations.

Fire safety approach
In today’s safety focused approach, most civil defense bodies depend on international building codes & regulatory standards, such as IBC/ NFPA or local building codes for guidelines.

Depending on the associated risk, designed escape routes, system design, building height, assembly type, active suppression systems etc., the International Building Code differentiates the requirements based on:

the height of the building and its distance from the boundary.
structural load bearing constructions, which are required to resist fire for a longer time compared to non-structural decorative elements or claddings.

Most civil defense bodies now rely on full assembly tests based on the approved design to qualify the system and its performance in a larger scale realistic fire scenario.

GRP as a material also finds a special mention in the International Building Code from a fire safety qualification perspective, covering standard areas for architectural FRP applications. Section 2612 (2009 and 2012 Editions) or Section 2613 (2015 Edition) of the International Building code are dedicated to interior finish and trim, light-transmitting materials and exterior use claddings. These stipulations help contractors and architects define the associated safety norm.

Commonly used definitions related to compliance
Building codes and test standards have provided definitions for some terms commonly used to describe how a given material or assembly will perform in a fire. Terms that have been defined include:

Combustible - those that readily ignite and burn.
Noncombustible - A material that is not capable of undergoing combustion under specified conditions.
Ignition-resistant – are those meeting a minimum flame spread rating after being subjected to a specified wetting-drying weathering cycle.
Fire-resistant or Fire-resistance - Fire resistance is typically associated with an assembly construction, and therefore considers the performance of a number of materials that would be incorporated in a wall, floor or roof. The exterior material (i.e., the one exposed to the fire) can be combustible, ignition resistant, having limited combustibility or noncombustible since the entire assembly contributes to the rating.

Criteria to assess fire risk
Fire reaction
this characterises the performance of the material based on:

Fire propagation over time - Flame spread;
Evaluation of compartment fire growth based on the calorific value attached to the material -- Heat Release Rate (HRR).
Quantity & time within which smoke is generated– Smoke opacity & toxicity.
Ability of the material to melt & affect other areas – Falling drops.

It is generally assessed based on the following building standards:

British BS 476 part 6 & 7,
American ASTM E 84
NFPA 268 / 286,
NFPA 285
European EN 13823
German DIN 4102
ISO 5660

Roofing scopes are generally also tested as an assembly based on associated standards ASTM E 108 or BS 476 part 3.

The Fire Resistance of an element of construction is a measure of its ability to withstand the effects of temperatures.
It is generally assessed based on the following building standards:

ASTM E 119
BS 476 part 20 – 24
EN 13501

Certifying bodies
Accredited agencies which are established names on this subject because of their experience, infrastructure & studies advising government bodies are:

BRE Global
Warrington Fire
Intertek
Thomas Bell Wright
Crepim

BFG’s holds certifications to almost all of these standards and have products qualified to:

NFPA 285 – qualified
ASTM E 84 -: Class A
BS 476 –: Class O
BS 476 Part 3 and EN 13501 -5 –: B ROOF (t4)
ASTM E 119 –: Fire resistance > 1 hr.
EN 13501-1 –: B, s2, d0

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