Current Landscape of Steel Structures and its Fireproofing

Fireproofing is done by applying fire resistant covering materials to thermally protect the underlying steel from the heat of the fire. There have been many significant technological advancements in the development and commercialization of innovative and new generation fireproofing materials. As a result fire proofing has become cost effective with the use of lighter weight boards, lower density fireproofing sprays, increase in thermal efficiency and the advent of Fireproofing Paints or coatings. However, the industry has still not been able to keep itself abreast of these developments.

Steel structures, consist of structural steel connections, fasteners and frames that act together in resisting actions such as loads, pressures, displacements, strains, etc. Load bearing steel framed building structures need to cater the load including the load of dead building itself. We need to pay special attention to the Fireproofing On Steel framed buildings in order to ensure that during per-determined fire scenarios that the steel does not rise above critical temperatures.

The amount and type of Fire Proofing Paint or spray is dependent on a number of variables, some of which include size of steel members in question, fire severity, fire rating or duration of exposure to a given fire, time of application of the fireproof covering, budget and location of project.

However it should be kept in mind for some lower fire ratings or durations, where load ratios are not extreme high because heavy gauge and high yield strength steel structures can withstand the effects of fire without any additional fireproof covering materials, testing standard time versus temperature curve apply.

Conventional spray applied materials: These are the oldest materials and at the same the most widely used form of fireproofing material. These are relatively speaking low density materials which are supplied in bags, and when mixed with water and sprayed as a type of slurry. The thicker the applied material, the higher is fire rating, within maximum thicknesses which prove the material’s adhesiveness to the steel during fire testing.

As per the current landscape, Fireproofing materials have been allocated in three distinct Generic categories which include:

1. Conventional spray applied materials
2. Board materials
3. In-tumescent paints

Board Materials:

Board materials, like conventional spray applied materials, have been preferred and used for quite a long time in Australia. Manufactured board materials can be cut as per the size and fixed around steel sections to provide the necessary fireproofing.

In-tumescent Paints :

In-tumescent paints are the newest form of fireproofing paint . They have been used in Australia for almost two decades. In-tumescent materials are those which expand to many times their original volume when exposed to heat. They are widely used in the Passive Fire Protection or Fire Stopping market.