SCI carries out successful fire test on light steel floor

The first industry sponsored fire test on a light steel floor has been carried out by SCI with the floor achieving 90 minutes fire resistance to BS EN 1365.

Mark Lawson, SCI Professor of Construction Systems at the University of Surrey, said light steel loadbearing frames are widely used in buildings of up to eight-storeys for which longer periods of fire resistance is increasingly needed.

“The introduction of BS EN 1365 has required an extensive programme of re-testing, as it is more severe than the former BS 476-20.”

The test, held at the Building Research Establishment, supported the applied load for 93 minutes, although the designated failure of the test was at 92 minutes.

“Importantly, for the steel joists, their temperature remained at less than 100°C for over 80 minutes and so the joists would be essentially undamaged and re-usable, even after a severe fire,” said Mr Lawson.

The fire test was sponsored by Corus Strip and members of the Light Steel Framing Group. (See ‘Successful fire test on light steel floor’ for the full story.)