Fire Safety of buildings

“The use of SCI 's Fire Safe Design publication for the fire design of composite floor plates often results in 40% savings on the cost of fire protection”

SCI is committed to improving the fire safety in buildings. Over 20 years it has undertaken research and development projects to improve performance and reduce costs. SCI offers a fire engineering special advisory service to assist engineers to incorporate some of the latest knowledge available into their buildings, to produce more economic designs that will benefit their clients.

SCI Fire Engineering business values

Improvements of fire safety

·        SCI research found that fibre reinforcement in composite floors offers speed and safety advantages over mesh reinforcement

·        Development of analysis tools that enable the thermal and structural response of structures to be predicted and the accumulation of a significant base of knowledge in structural fire engineering

·        Establishment of a common testing and assessment protocol for intumescent fire protection materials applied to beams with web openings, in conjunction with ASFP and UK fire testing laboratories

Fire Safety cost reduction

·        The use of SCI’s Fire Safe Design publication for the design of composite floor plates often results in 40% savings on the cost of fire protection

Visit www.steelbiz.org for more information on SCI's Fire Safety publications.

SCI Fire Engineering deliverables

·        SCI completed a study to assess the load carrying capacity of fibre reinforced composite floors and demonstrated that such construction is adequate to fulfil the fire resistance requirements of compartment floors as defined by Building Regulations. SCI also developed appropriate design tables.

·        SCI updated the design recommendations published in 2000 based on the Cardington full scale fire tests. These now extend to natural fire scenarios and cover the use of anisotropic mesh reinforcement.

·        In conjunction with ASFP and UK fire testing laboratories, SCI has established a common testing and assessment protocol for intumescent fire protection materials applied to beams with web openings.

Fire Engineering direct contact: Ian Simms
Tel: +44 (0)1344 636557 Email: i.simms@steel-sci.com