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The purpose of this paper is to study properties of intumescent coatings based on a silicone‐epoxy hybrid resin (with an aminosilane as hardener). In the first part of this study, fire‐resistance behaviour of the intumescent coating based on silicone‐epoxy resin containing intumescent additives is evaluated. The second part assesses the effect of mineral fibres on fire‐resistant properties of intumescent coatings based on the silicone‐epoxy resin.

Thermal degradation and char formation of coatings were investigated by Thermogravimetric analyses, X‐ray diffraction and X‐ray fluorescence and infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The salt spray corrosion test was applied to study the resistance of intumescent coatings. Anticorrosion and fire‐resistant properties after one, three and seven days of exposure were evaluated.

It was shown that a silicone‐epoxy hybrid resin is suitable for applications in the field of intumescent coatings. Intumescent coatings based on this resin form a thermally stable thin ceramic‐like layer, which improves the thermal insulation properties of the char. Mineral fibres reinforced the char structure and thus improved fire‐resistant properties of intumescent coating before as well as after the salt spray test. Mineral fibres also improved anticorrosion properties.

This paper discusses only the effect of mineral fibres on properties of intumescent coatings.

A silicone‐epoxy hybrid resin has not previously been used in intumescent coatings. This type of intumescent coating can be used as an effective passive fire protection system for steel constructions.

Most of the industrial buildings which are designed to moderate loads are constructed using light gauge cold-formed steel (CFS) sections. Residual mechanical properties of CFS sections exposed to elevated temperature need to be investigated as it is necessary to predict the deterioration of elements to avoid failure of the structure or its elements. Also, it would be helpful to decide whether the structural elements need to be replaced or reused. The use of fire-resistant coatings in steel structures significantly reduces the cost of repairing structural elements and also the probability of collapse. This study investigates the effect of fire-resistant coating on post-fire residual mechanical properties of E350 steel grade.

In this study, an attempt has been made to evaluate the residual mechanical properties of E350 steel. A tensile coupon test was performed for the extracted specimens from the exposed CFS section to determine the mechanical properties. Four different fire-resistant coatings were selected and the sections were coated and heated as per ISO 834 fire temperature curve in the transient state for time durations of 30 minutes (821°C), 60 minutes (925°C), 90 minutes (986°C), and 120 minutes (1,029°C). After the exposure, all the coupon specimens were cooled by either ambient conditions (natural air) or water spraying before conducting the tension test on these specimens.

At 30 min exposure, the reduction in yield and ultimate strength of heated specimens was about 20 and 25% for air and water-cooled specimens compared with reference specimens. Specimens coated with vermiculite and perlite exhibited higher residual mechanical property up to 60 minutes than other coated specimens for both cooling conditions. Generally, water-cooled specimens had shown higher strength loss than air-cooled specimens. Specimens coated with vermiculite and perlite showed an excellent performance than other specimens coated with zinc and gypsum for all heating durations.

As CFS structures are widely used in construction practices, it is crucial to study the mechanical properties of CFS under post-fire conditions. This investigation provides detailed information about the physical and mechanical characteristics of E350 steel coated with different types of fire protection materials after exposure to elevated temperatures. An attempt has been made to improve the residual properties of CFS using the appropriate coatings. The outcome of the present study may enable the practicing engineers to select the appropriate coating for protecting and enhancing the service life of CFS structures under extreme fire conditions.

This paper aims to deal with the experimental and numerical investigations of the fire protection performance of a waterborne intumescent coating (IC) on structural steel in case of natural fires. Based on own small-scale laboratory tests, an advanced numerical model is developed to simulate the fire protection performance of the investigated coating in case of arbitrary fire scenarios. The insulation efficiency of the coating is described within the model by temperature and heating rate-dependent material properties, such as expansion factors, thermal conductivity and heat capacity. The results of the numerical model are compared to own large-scale fire tests of an unloaded I-section beam and column.

As natural fires can show arbitrary regimes, the material properties of the waterborne IC are investigated for various heating rates. Based on these investigations, a material model for the IC is implemented in the finite element program ABAQUS. With the help of user subroutines, the material properties of the coating are introduced for both the heating and cooling phase of natural fires, allowing for two- and three-dimensional thermomechanical analyses of coated steel elements.

The results of the performed small-scale laboratory tests show a heating rate-dependent behavior of the investigated coating. The mass loss as well as the expansion of the coating change with the heating rate. Moreover, the material properties obtained on small scale are valid for large scale. Therefore, a material model could be developed that is suitable to reproduce the results of the large-scale fire tests. Additionally, with the help of the numerical model, a dimensioning approach for the dry film thickness (DFT) of the investigated coating is derived for arbitrary natural fires.

The material properties presented in this paper are only valid for the investigated waterborne IC and the parameter area that was chosen. However, the developed modeling approach for the fire protection performance of ICs is general and can be applied for every coating that is part of the intumescent product family.

Until now, only few research works have been carried out on the fire protection performance of ICs under non-standard fire exposure. This paper deals extensively with the material properties and the material modeling of a waterborne IC exposed to natural fires. Especially, the laboratory examinations and the numerical simulations are unique and allow for new evaluation possibilities of ICs.

This study aims to propose a new design value, based on experimental and numerical studies, for surface emissivity of zinc hot-dip galvanized members exposed to fire.

The paper sums up experiments, used specimens and also shows results. Four experiments were performed in a horizontal furnace and one test in a fire compartment of the experimental building. Several tests were carried out for determination of the surface emissivity of galvanized steel structures in fire. The experimental and numerical studies were used for preparation of new generation of the structural steel fire standard Eurocode EN 1993-1-2:2025.

Hot-dip galvanizing is one of the most widely used processes for corrosion protection of steel products. The new design value for surface emissivity of zinc hot-dip galvanized members exposed to fire is determined using experimental results as 0.35. The value is proposed for next generation of EN 1993-1-2:2025. If hot-dip galvanization additionally can contribute beneficially to the fire resistance of unprotected steel members, it would be a huge economic advantage.

Experimental studies in the past years have indicated the influence of hot-dip galvanizing on the heating of steel members. This study suggests 50% reduction of the surface emissivity of a carbon steel member. This amendment will be incorporated in future versions of Eurocodes 3 and 4 and has already been implemented in some fire design tools for steel members in order to consider the beneficial contribution of hot-dip galvanized for fire-resistance requirements of less than 60 min.

Copper substrates covered with ceramic insulating coating were tested for their ability to be used in thick film technology. The ceramic coating was prepared by screen printing from a dielectric composition containing special glass and aluminium oxide and was fired at 820°C–1,000°C. The electrical properties of the coatings studied included voltage breakdown, surface and bulk insulation resistance and dielectric constant. Resistor compositions designed for use on ceramic substrates were screen printed, as on the substrates mentioned, on alumina or ceramic‐coated steel substrates and fired up to the required temperatures (820–875°C). The resistivity and TCR of the prepared resistors were measured in relation to firing temperature. The distribution of lead, bismuth, ruthenium, barium, palladium, silver and copper in the system resistor (or conductor) ceramic coating/copper substrate was investigated. Reference was made to the application of ceramic coatings on copper in other fields, e.g., in heavy‐current electronics.

Intumescent coatings are nowadays a dominant passive system used to protect structural materials in case of fire. Due to their reactive swelling behaviour, intumescent coatings are particularly complex materials to be modelled and predicted, which can be extremely useful especially for performance-based fire safety designs. In addition, many parameters influence their performance, and this challenges the definition and quantification of their material properties. Several approaches and models of various complexities are proposed in the literature, and they are reviewed and analysed in a critical literature review.

Analytical, finite-difference and finite-element methods for modelling intumescent coatings are compared, followed by the definition and quantification of the main physical, thermal, and optical properties of intumescent coatings: swelled thickness, thermal conductivity and resistance, density, specific heat capacity, and emissivity/absorptivity.

The study highlights the scarce consideration of key influencing factors on the material properties, and the tendency to simplify the problem into effective thermo-physical properties, such as effective thermal conductivity. As a conclusion, the literature review underlines the lack of homogenisation of modelling approaches and material properties, as well as the need for a universal modelling method that can generally simulate the performance of intumescent coatings, combine the large amount of published experimental data, and reliably produce fire-safe performance-based designs.

Due to their limited applicability, high complexity and little comparability, the presented literature review does not focus on analysing and comparing different multi-component models, constituted of many model-specific input parameters. On the contrary, the presented literature review compares various approaches, models and thermo-physical properties which primarily focusses on solving the heat transfer problem through swelling intumescent systems.

The presented literature review analyses and discusses the various modelling approaches to describe and predict the behaviour of swelling intumescent coatings as fire protection for structural materials. Due to the vast variety of available commercial products and potential testing conditions, these data are rarely compared and combined to achieve an overall understanding on the response of intumescent coatings as fire protection measure. The study highlights the lack of information and homogenisation of various modelling approaches, and it underlines the research needs about several aspects related to the intumescent coating behaviour modelling, also providing some useful suggestions for future studies.

In the present article, the authors have conducted a review on some of the recent developments given in the literature pertaining to the passive protection of concrete structures using intumescent coatings. Here, the main thrust is placed on the spalling phenomenon of concrete elements when exposed to elevated temperatures and fires.

In this context, it has been long established that prolonged thermal insult on concrete members will lead to egress of water, both physically bound as well as those present as water of hydration within the concrete matrix, in the form of steam through microchannels and associated pathways of least resistance, often resulting in the flaking of the surface of the structure. The latter process can ultimately lead to the exposure of the ferrous-based reenforcement elements, for instance, to higher temperatures, thus inducing melting. This, in turn, can result in substantial loss of strength and load-bearing capacity of the structural element that is already undergoing disintegration of its base matrix owing to heat/fire. Even though spalling of concrete structures has long been recognized as a serious problem that can often lead to catastrophic failure of infrastructures, such as buildings, bridges and tunnels, the utility of intumescent coating as a mitigation strategy is relatively new and has not been explored to its fullest possible extent. Therefore, in the latter parts of the review, the authors have endeavored to discuss the different types of intumescent coatings, their modes of actions and, in particular, their wider applicability in terms of protecting concrete elements from detrimental effects of severe or explosive spalling.

Given that spalling of concrete components is still a very serious issue that can result in loss of lives and destruction of critical infrastructures, there is an urgent need to formulate better mitigating strategies, through novel means and methods. The use of the intumescent coating in this context appears to be a promising way forward but is one that seems to be little explored so far. Therefore, a more systematic investigation is highly warranted in this area, especially, as the authors envisage a greater activity in the building and commissioning of more infrastructures worldwide incommensurate with augmented economic activities during the post-COVID recovery period.

The authors have conducted a review on some of the recent developments given in the literature pertaining to the passive protection of concrete structures using intumescent coatings. The authors have also included the results from some recent tests carried out at the facilities using a newly commissioned state-of-the-art furnace.

This paper aims to present an evaluation of comparative fire resistance on traditional and engineered wood joists used in the construction of floor systems in residential housing.

Fire resistance experiments were carried out on four types of wood joists, namely, traditional lumber, engineered I-joist, castellated I-joist and steel/wood hybrid joist, used in traditional and modern residential construction. The test variables included type of wood joist, support conditions and fire protection (insulation).

Results from these tests indicate that webs of engineered I-joists and castellated I-joists are highly susceptible to fire, and failure generally occurs through the burn-out of the web. In addition, engineered I-joists have much lower fire resistance than traditional solid joist lumber. The application of an intumescent coating on an engineered I-joist significantly enhances its fire resistance and yields a similar level of fire resistance as that of a traditional lumber joist.

The presented fire tests are unique and provide valuable insight (and information) to the behavior and response of four types of wood joists when subjected to gravity loading and fire conditions.

THE occurrence of isolated fires in commercial, passenger carrying aircraft has focused considerable attention upon the fire risks involved in the use of combustible materials, the arrangement of functional equipment and accessories, and the effectiveness of fire‐proof finishes and coatings. In addition to other studies concerning the elimination of fire hazard through careful survey of the electrical system and other functional systems, studies have been made concerning the improvement of the ignition resistance of materials and the subsequent propagation of fire. Serious fires have developed as a result of propagation by materials which were not responsible for the original ignition of fire. An intensive effort has been made to reduce this fire hazard by the development and application of protective coatings and finishes to vulnerable and combustible materials. This work led to the obvious need for, and development of, a testing apparatus by which a realistic comparison could be made of combustible materials under conditions simulating those of an actual fire.

This paper aims to evaluate fire resistance of carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP)-strengthened concrete slabs in two forms of unprotected and protected against fire.

To achieve the objective, an unstrengthened and two CFRP-strengthened concrete slabs were first subjected to increasing gravity loading until failure. Subsequently, the unstrengthened concrete slab was placed on a furnace and was subjected to a constant service gravity load and then, the temperature of the furnace was increased according to a standard temperature–time curve until the failure of the slab occurred. This slab was strengthened by CFRP with two different amounts and then, in two cases of unprotected and protected against fire, was tested in accordance with the aforementioned method.

The gravity test results revealed that CFRP strips bonded to concrete slabs increased the load-bearing capacity considerably. So, this method can be suitable for flexural strengthening of concrete slabs. The fire test results showed that because of more load-bearing capacity and subsequently increase in service gravity load, the strengthened concrete slab failed in a short time due to the lack of CFRP resistance against fire. By contrast, the protected specimens resisted the fire in a considerable time. In addition, it was revealed that details of fire protective coating had an important effect on fire resistance duration.

It is notable that in the literature, there is a lack of data on the fire endurance of fiber-reinforced polymer-strengthened concrete slabs alone without any fire protection system. Furthermore, the applicability and effectiveness of a new kind of spray mineral fire protective coatings was evaluated.