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[kushsura]

Hello Sefians,

It's an honour to be a member of a distinguished Forum. I am currently involved as in designing Passive Fire Protection coatings such as Vermiculite Cementitious coatings (SFRM ) and Intumescent Coatings (IFRM) and Rigid boards for Structural Steel. I also design Fire Stopping Systems for Floor and Wall Penetrations.

High Rise and Fast Paced Construction demand Structural Steel to be the primary construction material. However the inherent characteristic of steel to loose it's yield strength with increase in temperature demands for a protective Coating to be applied on the member.Coatings such as Vermiculite Cement and Intumescent Paints tested to internationally accepted standards BS 476 Part 20/21 and UL 263 (ASTM E119) are applied on these members to ensure a the critical failure temperature  is not achieved for a given period of time.

Based on the weight and exposed perimeter of the member we calculate a section factor known as HpA(metric) or W/D(imperial) to determine the appropriate thickness required of the coating for a given period of time.

The Fire Rating or Time is determined by the Type of Building, Occupancy, Local Authorities having Jurisdiction and Building Code. The building code NBCC 2005 recommends the beams and columns to have a 2 hrs Fire Rating for a Type 2 to 4 building having more than 1 storey, 1.5hrs for Type 2 building supporting a roof or only one floor and 1 hr for Type 3 and 4 building supporting a roof and only one floor.

Besides Fire Rating these systems have to be designed to be durable for the life of the structure as maintenance of these systems is impractical. Hence Surface Preparation, Compatibility with existing primers/surface, Material Conformance, Application Methodology and Training are very critical while designing and installing these systems.

Do let me know if you'll would like me to address any specific topic with regards to Passive Fire Protection (Standards, Specifications, Application Methodology, Product Testing or Thickness Determination),  I'll be more than delighted to be of assistance to you.



Sincerely,
Kush Sura