STRUCTURES AND FIRE BEHAVIOUR
When talking about the ability of an insulating material to resist fire, there are two fundamental concepts: the material's reaction to fire and its resistance to fire. The reaction to fire class is an indicator that provides an assessment of whether or not the material contributes to fire. The resistance to fire, on the other hand, indicates the ability of a building element to maintain structural stability during a fire for a given period. The primary purpose of fire resistance is to ensure the load-bearing capacity of the structure under fire conditions.
The characteristics that must be maintained during the action of fire are indicated by three letters:
R bearing capacity, ability of the building element to maintain structural stability under the action of fire.
E tightness, ability of the construction element not to let flames, vapours and hot gases pass-through to the side not exposed to fire
I thermal insulation,ability of the construction element to limit heat transmission to the side not exposed to fire
The fire resistance rating is expressed in minutes, during which resistance under the action of flames must be ensured. The indication of minutes follows the abbreviation REI (e.g. REI120). In the case of non-load-bearing structures, where the load-bearing capacity is not significant, the R factor can be omitted and the minutes can be expressed as EI (e.g. EI90).
On our YouTube channel you will find test videos with reactions to flame of our products, have a look!