Ceiling - an important element of passive fire protection in a building

How to choose the best fire-protective ceiling for my project?

There are various types of ceilings, with different scopes and intended uses, which can increase the safety of a building. ** The right choice is based, first of all, on the fire rating of the compartment and on the scope of the ceiling** (contribution to fire resistance of the existing element or fire fire-rated ceiling), but also on acoustic and aesthetic aspects.

As a general rule, the ceiling must be installed as described in the fire test report or in the classification reports, including hanging and fixing systems. Moreover, the total area occupied by fixtures and fittings relative to the area of the ceiling lining cannot be increased, and the maximum tested openings in the lining cannot be exceeded. In other words, if a ceiling is tested with one luminaire cover every 10 square meters, the same percentage must be used in the application on site. If is tested without, no luminaire cover can be used. The same concept is valid for any other fittings or specific penetrations.

Incombustible or low combustible ceilings

The main purpose of these ceilings is to prevent flame from spreading onto the roof and to limit the contribution to the fire load in the compartment. They are classified according to the local ‘fire reaction’ standards. Reaction to fire relates to combustibility and ignitability of a material, i.e., its contribution to fire growth.

From this point of view, the best classification is ‘not combustible’ (such as A1 according to the Euroclass, or similar). The EU classification system for building products according to EN 13501-1 calls for seven Euroclass classifications (A1, A2 and B through F), based on various tests and a so-called reference scenario.

These products do not contribute to the passive fire protection; however, they can be used as part of a ‘fire prevention’ strategy.

Ceilings classified only according to the fire reaction cannot be used for increasing the fire resistance of compartment elements. The ceilings used for fire protection can be incombustible, to combine fire protection and fire prevention.

Suspended ceilings, which contribute to the fire resistance of load-bearing elements (protective systems)

These ceilings, called ‘horizontal protective membranes’ , have the ability to contribute to the fire resistance of horizontal structural building members up to one hour, two hours or more (R 60 – R 120). More specifically, the fire resistance of the load-bearing element protected by the ceiling can be classified based on the temperature within the cavity or on the element itself (in Europe the test standard is EN 13381-1); the classification is done according to EN 13501-2.

These types of ceilings ceilings are used mainly for protection of steel beams supporting a loadbearing concrete floor slab or of concrete slabs or, in some cases, also of timber floors.

The advantage of these ceilings is that they are protective materials, so they can be used for protection of different load-bearing elements, with a wide direct field of application. The contribution to the fire resistance is valid only if the system is installed exactly as in the fire tests, including hanging (suspension system), junctions between membrane and walls or edge panels, joints and jointing materials.

Ceilings as components of fire-rated roof constructions, with or without cavities

These ceilings are considered as part of the whole system (roof or slabs, plus ceiling), and the fire classification is valid only for the entire load-bearing construction (identical or similar to the one tested). So the rating is achieved by the entire system, which is both the structure above as well as the suspension or fixing mechanism and, finally, the lowest membrane or ceiling.

In this case the ceiling is defined as ‘lining plus any supporting framework, including hangers, fixings and any insulation material’ .

The ceiling may be attached directly to the structural member or suspended from it or be self-supporting. If it’s suspended, extremely important is the height of the cavity (the space between the upper surface of the ceiling and the underside of any floor, roof or the ceiling’s supporting construction), which must be at least as high as the one tested: It’s possible to increase the height but not to decrease it.

The complete roofing system, including the ceiling, is tested for integrity, insulation and load-bearing capacity (REI) and with respect to the structural building member; the maximum movements and shear forces shall not be greater than those tested.

No combustible or insulating material can be added to the cavity unless the same amount (in terms of fire load) was included in the fire test. 

In Europe these roof or floor systems are tested according to EN 1365-2.

Typically, such systems achieve up to 120 minutes fire resistance (REI 120) or up to 180 minutes (REI 180) for concrete slabs.

IMPORTANT: The contribution to the fire resistance is valid only if the system is installed exactly as in the fire tests, including hanging (suspension system), junctions between membrane and walls or edge panels, joints and jointing materials.

Independent ceilings (ceiling membranes)

The ceiling is defined as a  ‘non-load-bearing element of a building construction designed to provide horizontal fire separation’ . The ceiling has a stand-alone fireresistance rating and is used to provide protection from fire attack from below or above. In other words, these ceilings possess intrinsic fire resistance, independent of any building element above them.

The ceilings can be either suspended by hangers or fixed directly to a supporting frame or construction or be self-supporting.

In Europe these roof or floor systems are tested according to EN 1364-2, and the classification is done according to EN 13501-2.

The systems (ceiling, plus suspending or fixing components) are required to provide integrity and insulation performance independent of the supporting floor construction (generally EI 30 or EI 120). Also important is the direction of the fire protection, which can be from above, a → b, from below, a ← b. or from both sides, a ↔ b.

These ceiling systems allow for the protection of or from services contained within the ceiling void. More specifically, the ceiling should protect services in the ceiling void from fire in the room or corridor; equally, fire resistance may be needed to safeguard the corridor from burning electrical cables and other services located behind the suspended ceiling.

The fire resistance classification is valid only if the system is installed exactly as in the fire tests, including hanging (suspension system), junctions between membrane and walls or edge panels, joints and jointing materials.

Ceilings of classification EI cannot be considered the same as load-bearing ceilings of classification REI, despite their fire- and heat- stopping capabilities. Ceilings of classification EI are tested according to EN 1364-2, while ceilings of classification REI are tested under full load according to 1365-2, and in that way they also protect the load-bearing capability of structural elements of the building.