Concrete ‐ Don’t Get Burnt
Preserve Life Minimise Damage
In the design, construction and occupancy of residential and
Photo: Matt Cashmore, UK
commercial buildings, as well as civil structures such as
tunnels, it is crucial to minimise the risks associated with a
possible fire event.
Regardless of cause, once a fire has become established in a
building it can spread rapidly, endangering life and destroying
property through a combination of hazardous smoke and
gases, flames and extremely high temperatures.
Both as a material, and in engineered structures, concrete’s
range of fire resistance properties ensure that it performs well
in a fire event, helping to preserve life and minimise damage.
CONCRETE’S FIRE RESISTANCE Lightweight materials are susceptible to destruction by fire
First and foremost, concrete does not burn – it cannot be ‘set
on fire’. Unlike alternative building materials concrete also
This possibility, coupled with the likelihood that fire service
does not produce toxic smoke or fumes in a fire, or drip
personnel will be delayed following a major earthquake,
harmful molten particles. Concrete is virtually
suggests that those buildings constructed using inherently
non-combustible, and does not contribute to the fire load.
fire resistant materials such as concrete will offer superior
Concrete’s excellent fire resistance can be attributed to its performance.
main constituent materials (cement and aggregate), which
In the majority of cases, concrete’s inherent fire resistance
combine to produce a material (concrete) that has low
means that unlike other building materials it generally does
thermal conductivity.
not require additional fire protection measures in the form of
This low thermal conductivity (rate of heat transfer) enables linings or paint, the cost benefit of which can be
concrete, even after prolonged periods of exposure to fire, to considerable.
maintain a relatively low internal temperature. This in turn
The economic advantages of concrete’s fire resistance also
enables concrete to retain structural and heat shielding
become clearly apparent post fire event. As the majority of
capacity, as well as prevent fire spread, allowing occupants to
concrete buildings are not destroyed during a fire, and their
evacuate the building or for fire service personnel to conduct
load bearing capacity is largely preserved, they can be
operations more safely.
repaired and reoccupied in a relatively short space of time.
While surface concrete may become loose at high Such speed and convenience helps reduced the financial
temperatures, a phenomenon known as spalling, it can be impact following a fire, and is preferable to demolition and
minimised through the use of polypropylene fibres in the replacement.
concrete mix.
Although the engineering justification for sprinkler system
Photo: Ralf Kessel
technology cannot be questioned, it must be considered at a
building’s design stage that most reservoirs in New Zealand
are fitted with seismic auto-shut valves in order to retain water
supply. In a post-earthquake fire event sprinkler systems may
therefore not be fed with an adequate water supply.
C o n c r e t e - Pr e s e r v e Li f e M i n i m i s e D a m a g e
Photo: Flying Colour Ltd / Jupiterimages
Photo: © Fotosearch
Concrete’s fire resistance helps fire fighting personnel ... ...conduct operations more safely
TOTAL FIRE ENGINEERING FEATURE CONCRETE
The fire resistance properties of concrete must be seen as a Does not drip molten particles ●
single element within an overall fire engineering approach to Does not produce toxic smoke or fumes ●
building design. This approach considers both passive
Does not require additional fire-protection ●
measures, such as fire resisting walls and floors, and active
measures, such as fire alarms, smoke detectors, sprinkler Minimises fire (and water) damage ●
systems and automatic smoke vents. As an over-reliance of Non-combustible - does not contribute to fire load ●
active measures is not desirable, concrete’s passive
contribution to safety within a holistic fire engineering Provides fire shield, prevents fire spread ●
approach can be significant. Retains structural strength in typical fire event ●
SUMMARY
Photo: Ratsra, USA, [Link]
It is imperative that buildings and structures are created to
protect people and property from numerous threats –
including fire. Legislation and design codes exist to help
achieve this aim, and are updated to reflect international
research and development in concrete’s fire safety.
As a non-combustible material concrete rarely requires
additional fire protection, while during a fire event it does not
add to the fire load or produce harmful emissions.
Concrete’s slow rate of heat transfer means that within
structures it prevents fire spread, while providing protection
to evacuees and fire fighters. Following a fire concrete
structures generally remain intact, allowing for relatively
quick repair and reoccupation, saving time and money.
This range of properties ensures concrete provides an
impressive level of fire resistance that ultimately assists to
preserves life and minimises damage.
Concrete offers protection against fire spread
FURTHER READING
Concrete Centre (2004). Concrete and fire: Using concrete to achieve safe, efficient buildings and structures. Surrey, UK.
Concrete Society (2008). Assessment, design and repair of fire damaged concrete structures. Technical Report 68. Surrey, UK.
European Concrete Platform (2007). Comprehensive fire protection and safety with concrete. Brussels, Belgium.
Cement & Conrete Association of New Zealand
Level 6/ 142 Featherston St ● Wellington 6011 ● Ph (04) 4998820 ● Fax (04) 4997760 ● [Link] ● admin@[Link]
This leaflet is not a comprehensive guide to fire safety design; rather it summarises key issues as they relate to concrete.
The information provided is intended for general guidance only and replaces in no way the services of professional consultants on particular projects, no legal liability can be accepted by
Cement & Concrete Association New Zealand for its use.
© Cement & Concrete Association New Zealand 2010