Fire Resistance Levels

Contents
Fire Safety
Fire Hazard Properties (Specs C1.10 & C1.10a)
C1.10 Materials & Assemblies
C1.10a Floor Coverings
C1.10a Wall & Ceiling Linings

Fire Resistance Levels

When wood is exposed to high temperatures it will decompose to provide an insulating layer
of char that retards further degradation of the wood. The rate of char is initially fast but as
the depth of char increases, the rate of char slows because of the increasing insulation
provided.

The rate at which timber chars varies between species and is predominately dependent on
density and moisture content.
The predictability of timber charring is used by building regulators to develop Fire
Resistance Levels for building elements like large cross-section timber columns and beams.
The Australian Standard AS 1720.4Timber Structures : Fire-resistance of structural timber
members provides a method of calculating fire resistance levels for solid timber.
Large cross-section timber is able to carry load during a fire event as the char occurs on the
outside of the element and the effective cross section of the timber is only slowly reduced.
The insulating qualities of timber mean that although the temperature at the char layer may
be 300oC, the temperature of the inner wood is considerably lower. The remaining uncharred
cross-sectional area of a large wood member remains at a low temperature and can continue
to carry a load.

Calculating Depth of Char

The Australian Standard AS 1720.4 Timber Structures : Fire-resistance of structural timber
members provides a method of calculating a conservative char depth. By substituting
appropriate values in the equations below, the residual cross-section may be calculated with
sufficient accuracy for design of the elements and consequent compliance with the
requirements of the BCA, as allowed for in Specification A2.3 Clause 3.
The Notional Charring Rate is given by
C = 0.4 + (280/D)2
where

C = Notional Charring Rate, in millimetres per minute (mm/min)

D = timber density at a moisture content of 12% in kilograms per cubic metre
(kg/m3)

The Effective Depth of Charring (in millimetres) is given by

dc = Ct + 7.5
where
dc = calculated Effective Depth of Charring in millimetres (mm)
C = notional charring rate in millimetres per minute (mm/min) as calculated
t = period of time, in minutes (min)
Note that the net effect of charring/fire will depend on whether 1, 2, 3 or 4 faces of the
member are exposed to the fire.
Broadly speaking, the charring rate (C) is inversely proportional to the density (in kg/m3) of
the timber element. The calculation of expected performance must however allow for
charring (and hence reduction in cross section size and thus load carrying capacity) on 1, 2,
3, or 4 sides, as appropriate.
Example of calculating the fire resistance level (FRL) of a structural element
Suppose that to provide structural support under fire conditions a blackbutt timber post is
required to measure at least 50 x 50 mm for 60 minutes of exposure to fire. Blackbutt at a
M.C. of 12% has a density of 900kg/m3 so the notional charring rate given by the equations
above would be 0.5mm/min. This would result in a charring depth of 37.5 mm on each side
of the post.
The size of post required, assuming that the fire will affect all four sides of the post, would
be 50 + 37.5 + 37.5 = 125 x 125 mm. If this size is not available then the next largest size
should be used.