Fire Protection of Light Gauge Steel
Posted on 6th December 2018 at 17:07
With our sister company, MESS Ltd, we have developed methods to pro rata fire rating at design loads using Academic research
Working with academics and experts in the field we have managed to develop, and are distributing via our sister company, guidance on how to calculate fire rating for light gauge steel studs under design loads.
This is required as EN 1365-1 clause 13 which states that we cannot increase the design load from that tested.
As the date of this blog BRE and Exova are able to apply loads of aroundn 35kN / stud which equates to 2 or 3 stories for a typical domestic build.
Using algorithm’s developed from academic reserearch papers based on test data we have been able to develop guidance for three scenario's:
Single board to both sides
Double boards to both sides
Double boards to both sides with insulation between the studs
The calculation requires data from the manufacturers in terms of the fire rating tested in terms of time and the load per stud applied so that the tool can pro rate according to the algorithm's developed.
Phase two of the project requires more specific test data from manufacturers in the form of flange temperatures measured during testing so that a reduced yield strength can be calculated and a 'hot' stud capacity check be run based on this annealed yield strength.
NHBC have informed us that their Building Control Officers will be looking for this data in January 2019, and all projects being 'Stage 2 Assessed for Light Gauge Steel certification' whose foundations are started in January 2019 will have to demonstrate their fire rating to the Stage 2 Assessor - of which Steve Nappper is one.
Contact MESS Ltd over at their web site (being re developed by it'seeze as I type) for a copy of their worked example.
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