What Is Fire?
Building fire tests answer two different questions. REACTION TO FIRE measures the material's contribution to fire and is classified with the Euroclass system from A1 to F according to EN 13501-1; The main tests are EN ISO 1182 non-flammability, EN ISO 1716 gross calorific value, EN 13823 single burning substance (SBI) and EN ISO 11925-2 small flame test. RESISTANCE TO FIRE measures how long the building element retains fire and is expressed in classes such as EI/REI.
Purpose of Fire
The aim is to show that the material and structural element meets the required class in fire safety regulations. Fire class is required according to the purpose of use and height of the building.
Which Products Is Fire Applied To?
- Insulation materials and facade systems
- Interior covering and panel products
- Fire doors and partition walls
- Cable and installation products
- Floor coverings
In Which Sectors Is Fire Used?
Standards Related to Fire
- TS EN 13501-1 (reaction to fire classification)
- TS EN 13501-2 (fire resistance classification)
- TS EN 13823 (tek yanan madde deneyi — SBI)
- TS EN ISO 1182 (flammability test)
- TS EN ISO 1716 (gross caloric value)
- TS EN ISO 11925-2 (small flame test)
- TS EN 1364 / EN 1365 series (fire resistance of non-carrier and carrier elements)
Fire Conditions
- Expiration condition
- The sample is tested with the assembly and infrastructure in real application
- fire curve
- Standard temperature-time curve is applied in resistance experiments
- Additional classes
- Subclasses smoke production (s) and burning drop (d) are separately determined
- Conditioning
- Samples are equilibrated under standard-defined conditions.
Equipment for Fire
- SBI (single burning substance) experimental setup
- fireproof furnace
- Bomba kalorimetre
- Small flame test setup
- Fire resistance furnaces (horizontal and vertical)
- Smoke measurement and gas analysis systems
Sample Requirements for Fire
- Assembled sample representing end use condition
- Infrastructure, adhesive and connection details should be included in the sample.
- Product thickness, density and composition must be declared
- The experiments are destructive; sample is not returned
Duration of Fire
Reaction to fire tests are completed within a few days after sample preparation and conditioning. Fire resistance tests require a longer schedule due to furnace planning and large-scale sample fabrication.
Fire Procedure
- 1The end use condition of the product is defined and the sample is prepared accordingly.
- 2Specimens are conditioned.
- 3The experiment set is determined according to the class goal.
- 4Flammability or caloric value tests are applied.
- 5SBI and small flame experiments are conducted.
- 6Results are classified per EN 13501-1.
Fire Acceptance Criteria
EN 13501-1 determines the Euroclass (A1, A2, B, C, D, E, F) and smoke and burning drop subclasses based on test results. The purpose of use of the building, its height and the national fire regulations define which class is required. Within the scope of (EU) 305/2011, the test result is not a pass/fail decision, but the performance value to be announced in the Declaration of Performance (DoP). The national regulations and project specifications of the country where the structure where the product will be used determine which performance level is sufficient.
Evaluation of Results
The classification is specific to the end use condition tested: the same insulation material may receive a different class with different substructure or different adhesive. This is particularly critical in façade systems; material class does not indicate the façade fire behavior of the system and large-scale façade tests may also be required.
Fire Report
- Product description, thickness, density and composition
- Tested end use condition and installation detail
- Applied experiments and results
- Euroclass and smoke and drop subclasses
- EI/REI class and duration in resistance tests
Accreditation
EUROLAB holds internationally recognised accreditation obtained from accreditation bodies party to the IAF and ILAC multilateral recognition arrangements, under ISO/IEC 17025 for laboratory testing, ISO/IEC 17020 for inspection and surveillance, and ISO/IEC 17021-1 and ISO/IEC 17065 for system and product certification. This chain ensures the reports and certificates issued are accepted worldwide.
Whether this test can be offered within accredited scope depends on your product and the standard applied; since accreditation is method-based, the scope is confirmed in writing at the quotation stage.
Scope and authorisationsRelated Regulations
- Construction Products Regulation (EU) 305/2011
Construction Materials Testing — What Does This Testing Field Cover?
The section below describes the field that the Fire test belongs to; the conditions and acceptance criteria of this particular test are given in the sections above. The scope specific to your product is confirmed in writing at the quotation stage.
Construction materials testing shows whether a product performs the function it takes on within the structure. A wide field is gathered in this family, from the compressive strength of concrete to the thermal transmittance of glass, from sieve analysis of aggregate to the watertightness of windows.
What sets this family apart from the others is that the result turns directly into a REGULATORY DECLARATION. For products covered by construction products legislation a declaration of performance (DoP) is mandatory, and every essential characteristic in the declaration rests on a test result. Reaction-to-fire class, thermal conductivity, compressive strength, water permeability and release of dangerous substances are declared in this way. The declaration is a legal text carrying the manufacturer's signature; the test record behind it is the first document requested in an inspection.
The second distinguishing feature is that the product is assessed over its SERVICE LIFE. An electronic device runs for five years; a building component stays in place for fifty and is exposed throughout that time to freeze-thaw cycles, UV, moisture, chemical attack and load. Durability tests (freeze-thaw, carbonation, alkali-silica reaction, ageing) therefore carry as much weight in this field as classical strength tests.
Tests are separated by material type and each group has its own set of standards: cement and concrete, aggregate, masonry units, wood-based panels, thermal insulation, glass and glazing units, ceramic tiles, floor coverings, screeds, joint fillers and coating systems. Where the product will be installed determines which set applies — the same panel is assessed against different standards on a wall and on a floor.
Factory production control (FPC) is a continuous component of the field. CE marking on a construction product is not obtained with a single test and then left; the manufacturer must set up a system showing that it monitors production consistency, takes samples regularly and intervenes when there is a deviation. Depending on the product group, this system may have to be audited by a notified body.
Site testing is a separate body of work. In the laboratory the product is approved; on site it is checked that the product really is of the declared class and that it has been applied correctly. Fresh concrete slump, cylinder sampling, aggregate sieve analysis and in-situ watertightness tests fall within this scope.
Method groups in this field
Concrete and cement
Slump, air content and unit weight in fresh concrete; compressive and flexural strength, water permeability and freeze-thaw resistance in hardened concrete. For cement, compressive strength, setting time and composition analysis.
Aggregate
Sieve analysis, particle shape, Los Angeles abrasion resistance, freeze-thaw, alkali reactivity and density/water absorption.
Thermal and energy performance
Thermal conductivity and thermal resistance, calculation of thermal transmittance (U value) in glazing units, solar energy transmittance.
Facade and joinery
Air permeability, watertightness and wind load resistance in windows and doors; fire performance in facade systems.
Fire performance
Reaction-to-fire classification and fire resistance tests; these are two separate concepts and are addressed by separate standards.
Masonry, tile and flooring
Compressive strength, water absorption, abrasion resistance, slip resistance, stain and chemical resistance.
Emissions and dangerous substances
Formaldehyde release from wood-based panels, VOC emissions from construction products, leaching behaviour of aggregates and waste.
Commonly confused in this field
- REACTION to fire and RESISTANCE to fire are different concepts: one describes the material's contribution to a fire, the other how long a component holds the fire back.
- A declaration of performance is not a certificate; it is the manufacturer's declaration. Notified body involvement varies with the product group and the assessment system.
- A test result is valid for the mounting arrangement in which the product was tested. A different substrate, a different thickness or a different joint detail may require reassessment.
- A site sample and a laboratory sample are not the same thing. A concrete cylinder taken on site also reflects application and curing conditions; it does not replace product approval.
- ASTM and EN construction standards measure similar quantities with different specimens and scales; the results cannot be converted one-to-one.
Which decisions these results support
- Declaration of performance (DoP) and CE marking
- Establishing and maintaining the factory production control system
- On-site conformity control of concrete, aggregate and workmanship
- Meeting fire and energy performance requirements
- Verifying the technical items in the project and tender specification
Related Tests
Frequently Asked Questions About Fire
Our material is A2 class, is it safe on the front?
The material class does not indicate the behavior of the system. Fire spread on the facade; Insulation, coating, air gap and details are determined together. Many countries therefore require large-scale façade fire testing.
Are a classification report and a test report the same thing?
It is not. The test report gives the measurement results; The classification report evaluates these results according to EN 13501 and defines the class and scope of validity (which thickness, which substructure). A classification report is required for the declaration.