Fire protection procedures for metallic structures
02.08.2017
The fire protection is a relevant topic that has to be considered from the design phase of a project. The budget and the construction program could otherwise be heavily impacted if this issue was not thought of in time and the available options for each case in part were not analyzed and properly put into place.
Most materials are unable to resist by themselves in case of fire. Protecting them in order to avoid eventual negative consequences is therefore absolutely mandatory. Even so steel is the material, which is mostly exposed to protective treatments, plastic and aluminum are also subject of fire protection and should be taken into consideration when creating projects.
No matter of the base, the principle remains the same. The main idea is to avoid the increase of the surface temperature above a certain level where the features of the material are going to be modified.
Simply put the fire protection offers time for savings and fire extinguishing reducing to the minimum the damage generated onto the object itself and to its neighborhood.
Therefore choosing the material that should be applied for this purpose and respecting the application procedure are critical for obtaining the best results.
For instance, in case of metal structures it is recommended to previously clean the surface, through blasting it at least till the Sa2.5 level. It should contain no oily elements, dust or other similar contaminants. In case the cleaning process is mechanically organized the surface should reach the St2 level. When this is properly done one can insure that the results of the painting operation will be optimum.
In case of wood or concrete structures the cleaning will be organized through air blasting and it becomes absolutely necessary for insuring the paint’s adhesiveness to the surface.
What type of protection is necessary for each case in part?
Civil Constructions
Usually, it is recommended to isolate the exterior and interior structures plus the emergency routes with cellulose or hydrocarbon especially in case of high buildings, commercial areas, airports and other similar transport stations, bridges, stadiums and sportive arenas.
Industrial installations
It is mandatory to isolate with cellulose and hydrocarbon and to install fire sprinklers for protecting the tanks, the pipelines and other equipment in chemical, nuclear, petrochemical, and oil & gas industries.
Off shore installations
Isolating with hydrocarbon and installing fire extinguishers is mandatory in case of steel structures and pipelines from the fixed platforms of oil and gas, oil ships and gas stations.
