Fire Resistant Materials In Large Scale Developments

In large-scale developments such as commercial and industrial complexes, fire safety is a key concern. With many of these developments hosting large scale buildings, it creates a large circulation of people entering and exiting these areas. And because of this large population circulation, even a small fire can quickly create dangerous scenarios. So, it is a duty of the engineer to reduce risk of fire as much as possible. But what materials can make this possible?

One material is Brick and Mortar. A major characteristic of this material is its protective quality. It is one of the most fire resistant construction materials, being able to understand a maximum temperature of 1200 Degrees Celsius. Also, mortar can be mixed into materials such as lime, sand, and cement, giving a similar protective quality to these materials.

Stone holds similar qualities, but they may be less effective. Forms of stone such as granite and sandstone are able to resist moderate fire conditions, but they are very prone to cracking.

While timber may be seen as a highly flammable material, other forms of timber may be utilized in large-scale construction for its anti-flammable qualities. It can be painted with materials that either slow the fire or stop the fire, creating a form of wood that is less flammable than timber such as plywood.

One of the most valuable of these materials is steel. Not only can this materials support the structural demands of a large scale development, it can also be heated to temperatures of up to 1400 degrees Celsius. Also, similar to wood, it can be painted with similar fire-slowing and fire-proofing materials.

The implementation of fire resistant materials in large scale buildings is vital to the protection and sustainability of these developments. As developments are constructed, and operations begin in these structures, it is important to ensure that the building is as safe as possible. While fire regulations and fire training are both vital to the safety of a large-scale development, it is the duty of the engineer to use materials that will reduce the chance of a fire occurring in the first place.