SN05 05/2006

Steel

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in re

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STEEL INDUSTRY
GUIDANCE NOTES

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Steel is the most comprehensively re tested of all structural framing materials. Over the past

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twenty years, the steel construction sector has carried out over a hundred individual re tests.

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These include large-scale tests, which have demonstrated the behaviour of re in real buildings.

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1. Building Regulations Hp/A concept

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The heating rate of a steel section in a fire depends upon
The Building Regulation requirement for re is stated a) The perimeter of the steel exposed to flames - Hp
as:The building shall be designed and constructed so b) The cross sectional area of the section - A

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that, in the event of a re, its stability will be maintained for

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a reasonable period.
In England & Wales, an Approved Document approach is
used to satisfy this requirement. The relevant Approved
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Document is B in which a combination of building occupancy
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and height determine the required re resistance. This can

vary from 15 to 120 minutes but the dominant period by
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far is 60 minutes.
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High Hp / Low A = Fast heating Low HP / High A = Slow heating

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2. What does 60 minutes re resistance mean?

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When a building has 60 minutes re resistance, it doesnt

mean that it will necessarily collapse after 60 minutes if
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there is a re in the building. It means that, if the fully loaded 4. Building in Fire Resistance
structural elements are subjected to a standard re test, Some forms of steel construction have re resistance built-
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outlined in BS476, it will fail after that time. However, very in and may require no added re protection. The most
few res are as severe as the standard re and this fact, popular methods are Slimdek and concrete lled tubes
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combined with additional capability due to the structural both of which can have 60 minutes inherent re resistance.
continuity and robustness to be found in most multi-storey Fire resistance built into the structure in this way can never
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buildings, means that there is considerable conservatism in be compromised.

most of our re precautions.
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5. Passive Fire Protection

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3. The Inherent Fire Resistance of Steel Passive re protection materials insulate steel structures
Sections from the effects of the high temperatures that may be
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Fire resistance is expressed in units of time so one of the generated in re. They can be divided into two types, non-
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contributory factors to re resistance is the heating rate reactive, of which the most common types are boards and
of the member; this governs the time taken to reach its sprays, and reactive, of which intumescent coatings are
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failure (or limiting) temperature and varies according to the best example.
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the dimensions of the section. Clearly, a heavy, massive Intumescent coatings now dominate the market for
section will heat up more slowly (and thus have a higher
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structural re protection. They are generally thin lm, paint

re resistance) than will a light, slender section. (see gure like coatings which are inert at low temperatures but which
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in next column) provide insulation by swelling to provide a charred layer of

For unprotected hot rolled steel beams and columns the low conductivity materials at temperatures of approximately
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inherent re resistance varies between 10 and 45 minutes. 200-250C.

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The information given in this Steel Industry Guidance Note is for general information
only and the reader should always seek specific advice on any particular issue.
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Improvements in technology in recent years have reduced 7. Advanced Design Methods for Fire

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coating thicknesses considerably and intumescents
At the same time as costs have been falling, fundamental
are increasingly cost competitive for up to 90 minutes
research into the nature of real res in buildings, allied

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re resistance. Intumescent can also be applied off-site
to advances in structural engineering, have led to the
in factory conditions before the steel is erected. Steel
development of design methods which allow secondary
manufacturer Corus estimates that some 75,000 tonnes of

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beams in composite metal deck construction to be left
structural steelwork was given re protection during factory
unprotected.
based operations in 2005. That represents some 35% of

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the total market for intumescent re protection.
After intumescent coatings, boards dominate the remainder 8. Fire Safety Engineering

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of the structural re protection market. The increasing use of re safety engineering has resulted in
the re ratings of many tall and/or complex buildings being

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reduced without compromising the safety of the building or
6. The Cost of Fire Protection

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its occupants. This has resulted in a signicant reduction in
Fire protection for structural steelwork used to be a cost the numbers of buildings in the UK requiring the maximum,

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factor that could sometimes swing projects towards other 120 minute, re rating.

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materials. But over the past 20 years the cost of protection

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has fallen by some 70% in real terms.
9. Reinstatement

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Where a re does occur in a steel framed building,
reinstatement may be simple and straightforward. After

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Fire
Protection 31 Fire down 70% a re in Broadgate in 1990, the structural repair was
Painting
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less than 5% of the overall cost. This should be seen as
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Erection 17 a marked contrast to the concrete frame of the Windsor
7 5 Erection down 28%
Fabrication 10 Torre Fire, which is being torn down after its recent re due
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35 Fabrication down 20% to concerns with the structural integrity of the reinforced
Steel concrete after the re.
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33 Steel down 36%

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1981 2004 Q3
Actual 1981 Cost 985/T Actual 2004 Cost 1450/T
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Real 2004 Value 2750/T

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Key Points
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1. Fire Resistance Periods 4. The Cost of Fire Protection

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When a building has one hours re resistance, it Over the past 20 years the cost of re protection
doesnt mean that it will necessarily collapse after has fallen by some 70% in real terms.
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60 minutes if there is a re. There is a great deal of

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inbuilt conservatism in re precautions. 5. Designing for Fire

The use of Fire Engineering techniques can
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2. The Inherent Fire Resistance of Steel Sections reduce the re period of complex buildings
The inherent re resistance of unprotected hot remove the need for re protection of secondary
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rolled steel beams and columns varies between 10 steelwork

and 45 minutes.
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This gure can be rapidly improved by utilising 6. Reinstatement

the built in protection offered by systems such as For a steel framed building, reinstatement after a
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Slimdek re is normally simple and straightforward.

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3. Passive Fire Protection

can be divided into two types, non-reactive, of
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which the most common types are boards and

sprays, and reactive, of which intumescent coatings
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are the best example.

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Further sources of Information

www.corusconstruction.com/structuralsteel
www.structuralresafety.org