EN 13501-2 Fire resistance test

EN13501-2 Product Scope of Application:

ØWall Materials

Includes various internal and external wall materials, such as brick walls, concrete walls, gypsum board walls, etc. For these wall materials, the standard can be used to evaluate their integrity, thermal insulation, and other performance aspects during a fire.

ØCeiling Materials

o Ceiling materials like mineral wool boards, gypsum board ceilings, etc., are also within the scope of application. Taking mineral wool boards as an example, the standard can test whether they will fall during a fire, the speed of flame spread, and other fire performance characteristics to ensure they do not cause harm to people below in the event of a fire.

ØFloor Materials

o Solid wood flooring, laminate flooring, carpets, etc., are all products covered by this standard. For instance, for solid wood flooring, the standard considers factors such as its burning rate during a fire and whether it produces toxic gases. In a fire, the fire performance of floor materials directly affects the safety of evacuation, as flames may spread along the floor, or smoke and toxic gases produced by burning floors may hinder escape.

ØDoor, Window, and Frame Materials

o Includes wooden doors and windows, aluminum alloy doors and windows, PVC steel doors and windows, etc. Doors and windows are critical components in building fires, as they can serve as pathways for fire spread and as exits for evacuation. According to this standard, the stability of door and window materials and their frames during a fire is tested, such as whether they deform, their burning rate, etc., to ensure they can open and close normally during a fire, facilitating evacuation while preventing the spread of flames and smoke.

ØBuilding Insulation Materials

o Insulation materials such as polystyrene foam, rock wool, polyurethane foam, etc. These materials are widely used in construction, but their fire performance varies significantly. For example, polystyrene foam burns easily without flame retardants, while rock wool has better fire performance. The EN13501-2 standard provides a scientific classification of the fire performance of these insulation materials to ensure their safe use in buildings.

ØVentilation Duct Materials

o Metal ventilation ducts, plastic ventilation ducts, etc. During a fire, ventilation ducts can become pathways for flame and smoke propagation. This standard can be used to evaluate the combustion characteristics of ventilation duct materials during a fire, such as whether they collapse, to prevent the fire from spreading to other areas of the building through ventilation ducts.

EN13501-2 Determines Compliance Based on Three Criteria:

ŸLoss of Integrity:

Integrity is considered lost when the cotton pad ignites or flames persist on the unexposed surface for more than 10 seconds;

During testing, if a 6mm diameter probe can pass through a crack into the furnace and move along the crack for a length of not less than 150mm;

If a 25mm diameter probe can pass through a crack into the furnace, the specimen is deemed to have lost integrity.

ŸLoss of Insulation:

Insulation is considered lost if the average temperature rise on the unexposed surface exceeds the initial average surface temperature by 140°C, or if the temperature rise at any point on the unexposed surface exceeds the initial temperature at that point by 180°C.

ŸLoss of Load-bearing Capacity:

Load-bearing capacity is considered lost if the specimen collapses during the test; or if the maximum deflection of beam and slab components, the axial deformation of column components, or the axial deformation rate of column components exceeds specified values.

For details, please contact: CAS Fire

RZ202412