For 10 years, the only valid reaction to fire rating for construction materials, apart from the aforementioned exception of textile elements, has been theEuroclases.
Euroclasses are defined in the European classification UNE-EN 13501-1 and are expressed by a code containing a main classification, ranging from “A” to “F”, a smoke sub-index, ranging from “s1” to “s3”, and a droplet sub-index, from “d0” to “d2”.
| CLASS | INTERPRETATION |
|---|---|
|
A1 |
Non-combustible. No contribution to fire. |
|
A2 |
Non-combustible. No contribution to fire. |
|
B |
Combustible. Very limited contribution to fire. |
|
C |
Combustible. Limited contribution to fire. |
|
D |
Combustible. Average contribution to fire. |
|
E |
Combustible. High contribution to fire. |
|
F |
Unclassified. No behaviour determined. |
| CLASS | INTERPRETATION |
|---|---|
|
S1 |
Low smoke production. |
|
S2 |
Average smoke production. |
|
S3 |
High smoke production. |
| CLASS | INTERPRETATION |
|---|---|
|
d0 |
No droplets/particles are produced. |
|
d1 |
Falling of non-burning droplets/particles. |
|
d2 |
Drop of burning droplets/particles. |
| CLASS | INTERPRETATION |
|---|---|
|
B ROOF (t1) |
Combustible. Very limited contribution to fire. |
|
F ROOF (t1) |
Unclassified. No behaviour determined. |
To determine the Euroclass, two laboratory tests are performed to determine the fire performance of the panel:
The reaction to fire must be set apart from the concept of fire resistance.
Resistance measures how long a material can remain stable during a fire. The greater the resistance, the more time there will be for rescue work.
The fire resistance test on sandwich panels is performed by increasing the temperature inside the facility. Results are measured in minutes and expressed using three symbols.
R – For the roof resistance capacity
E – For the structural integrity of the panel
I – Thermal insulation capacity
The symbols are used as follows:
Supporting elements (roofs and floors)
Non-supporting elements (walls and ceilings)
FM Global is an American brand that provides testing and certification services for commercial and industrial products worldwide through FM Approvals. Globally recognised and respected, FM Approvals® certification ensures customers receive a product or service that has been objectively tested and meets the highest national and international standards.
| CLASS | INTERPRETATION |
|---|---|
|
4471 |
Class 1 Panel Roofs |
|
4880 |
Class 1 Insulated Wall and Ceiling Panels - Fire |
|
4881 |
Class 1 Exterior Wall Systems |
|
4882 |
Class 1 Interior Wall and Ceiling Systems - Smoke Sensitive Occupancies |
FM 4880 is an approval standard for “Class 1 fire rating of insulated walls or wall and roof/ceiling panels, interior finish materials or coating and exterior wall systems” that evaluates the fire performance of construction panels or interior finishing materials in terms of combustibility and self-propagation.
This standard establishes approval requirements for exterior wall systems that are subject to hazards and weather conditions (e.g. wind, hail, and wind-driven debris).
All exterior wall systems must be approved by FM with a Class 1 fire rating. Therefore,
Class 4880 FM approval is a prerequisite for all exterior wall systems.
FM 4882 is an approval standard for clean room interior wall materials. It is applied to interior walls for clean rooms in pharmaceutical and food processing plants and is intended to minimise potential safety hazards and risks in the event of an unexpected fire (to prevent the spread of fire and minimise potential smoke damage).
Roofs are the first line of defence of buildings against the wind and can be built using different options. One of the most commonly used is the construction of roofs using insulation panels. Standard FM 4771 certifies that the elements have been strictly evaluated and tested against fire, wind, and atmospheric phenomena, such as hail.
The “Avis Technique” document is issued by the CSTB (Centre Scientifique et Technique du Bâtiment), a science and technology centre dealing in construction quality and safety activities and specialising in the evaluation of innovative building element technologies.
The Avis Technique is an official document on the suitability of a product or procedure that offer confidence with regard to its performance. It certifies all the mechanical and insulation properties of the product: thermal transmittance, self-supportability, properties of the finishes, etc., along with the installation instructions and all the elements that must be used.
Self-supporting insulation sandwich panels with double metal side. Factory-made products.
PAP insulation panels are compliant with the CE marking, certifying compliance with the following tasks:
FPC involves the control of the production process, controlling the raw materials, the product in progress, and the finished product by performing the tests set out in the standard.
Initial type testing is performed by accredited laboratories on different parameters, as set by the standard, of a test piece of a sandwich panel or a complete panel. This means that the panels will be produced with the same characteristics as the samples already tested by the laboratory.
The mandatory characteristics must be tested. The following Initial Type Tests have been performed on MULTIPANEL:
PAP issues a declaration of performance. This is a declaration showing a list of the products with their identification, intended use, assessment system, harmonised standard, notified bodies (laboratories), and declared performance of the products according to the results of tests in external laboratories.
This declaration entitles PAP to attach CE Marking labels to the products.
All panels manufactured at PAP are labelled with the CE Marking to show that each panel is compliant with the characteristics of the tests performed.
The CE Marking consists of a label bearing the CE marking symbol. This label is attached to the product in a visible, legible and indelible manner using a label attached to the packaging.
The marking indicates that the product is compliant with the implementing directives, and it must be attached at the end of the production control phase.
