Limiting steel temperatures to maintain structural integrity

Maintaining structural adequacy on load-bearing steel is critical to the fire safety of building occupants, fire fighters and the surrounding built environment. Here's how limiting steel temperatures to maintain structural integrity relates to intumescent paint coatings.

In the Australian structural steel passive fire protection market, product manufacturers and applicators face a difficult battle to ascertain the required LSTs on structural elements for every project. Structural fire design is not commonly included in the training of young structural engineers which in turn creates a gap within the industry from the very beginning.

This includes the lack of understanding on passive fire protection and building compliance in regards to the BCA.

This document explains the importance and role that intumescent paint coatings play in maintaining the structural adequacy of steelwork... download it now and read how it's not as difficult to achieve as you may think.

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Intumescent coatings
Passive fire protection
Intumescent coating types

There are a variety of intumescent coating types with different properties and application methods. Which type is the best for your situation?

Intumescent coatings
Passive fire protection
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Passive fire protection methods

There are several ways to protect building structural work. Whilst some methods may be more prevalent, there is no one "best way" to protect a building's structure. The best method will most likely be determined by a number of factors, but here are your options.

Intumescent coatings
Passive fire protection
Fire-rated boards
Vermiculite
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Intumescent paint coating specification templates

Access a range of templates supplied by manufacturers for the purposes of specifying their intumescent paint coating products for various FRLs and corrosivity ratings.

Intumescent coatings
Passive fire protection
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Intumescent paint coating corrosivity ratings in the Australian atmosphere

It's common knowledge that corrosion rates are affected by environmental factors, but do you know the various corrosivity ratings and their definitions?

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Passive fire protection
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Getting help with intumescent paint coatings

The specifying and application of an intumescent coating system is a highly specialised task that requires considerable training and experience to accomplish correctly.

Intumescent coatings
Passive fire protection
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Fire types and severity

Different combustible materials burn at different temperatures which will have a bearing on the FRL of a given intumescent paint coating. This needs to be taken into account when specifying intumescent products so that the required FRL is ensured for the combustible materials that are likely to be encountered in a particular situation.

Intumescent coatings
Passive fire protection
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Quality assurance for intumescent paint coatings

We believe Painting Contractor Certification Program (PCCP) accreditation is paramount for passive fire protection contractors engaged in applying intumescent paint coating systems.

Intumescent coatings
Passive fire protection
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Specifying intumescent paint coatings

Whilst intumescent coating products may look just like paint, they have an important function (i.e. passive fire protection) that makes their specification a much more involved process.

Intumescent coatings
Passive fire protection
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How core filling affects intumescent paint coatings

Core filling is a viable solution to fire-protect high Hp/A hollow section steel that is otherwise unable to achieve the desired FRL.

Intumescent coatings
Passive fire protection
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Applying intumescent paint coatings

Builders need to choose appropriately qualified subcontractors that are licensed to do work in the relevant state or territory, i.e. they are licensed to apply intumescent paint coatings.

Intumescent coatings
Passive fire protection
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