With ever-increasing fire safety requirements, contractors are facing new difficulties finding solutions that comply with fire regulations, that are technically feasible and economically viable. While the classical approach to applying intumescent paints is not always financially justified, there are also solutions with rendering systems that have reduced material cost. However, the application of renders is more costly, slower and delays other construction site processes. The third reliable way is cladding with boards, which, as all other systems, must have the necessary documentation proving the structural fire resistance capability.
How to find the optimal solution for the strict fire requirements problem?
Considering all the methods that are available, and based on decades of experience, Promat can optimise structural steel fire protection and save our partners time, money, and trouble during the design and application phase of construction. Our innovative and high performing fire protective PROMATECT®-XS board is specifically designed for fire protection of structural steel elements, such as columns and beams with either open or hollow sections. PROMATECT®-XS’s performance stands out at the far high end of the fire requirements range (R 90 – R 300), especially in structures with slender elements (for instance in industrial projects, warehouses, low-rise buildings, etc.).
For medium to high requirements (R 60 and above), PROMATECT-®XS delivers a cost-effective solution compared to intumescent paints. The installation time is also shorter and not affected by weather conditions, so, unlike rendering systems, it does not restrict other activities on the construction site. The boards can be plastered and painted with a decorative finish.
Moreover, thanks to its ability to protect closed section members, PROMATECT®-XS is often used to protect seismic and wind bracings, as well as the secondary steelwork of sandwich panel walls. Due to the low structural loads, these types of structures are rather slender, and consequently challenging or even impossible to protect with paints and renders.
Storage and handling advantages
The use of a single layer reduces both the purchase and installation costs. Thanks to its optimised thickness, PROMATECT®-XS allows its users to order, store, handle and install less material. The low weight and lack of a supporting structure of additional metal profiles make the solution suitable for the fire protection of beams and columns, decreasing the installation time and cost for additional elements. The boards are manufactured and available in various thicknesses (12.7, 15, 18, 20 and 25 mm). This achieves an effective system thickness without unnecessary cost and is, due to its low bulk-density, the ideal solution for protecting steel beams with difficult access.
Safer and better workability for your projects
By choosing PROMATECT®-XS you can be sure of using the safest and most qualified systems for the fire protection of steel structures:
- up to R 300
- covers all types of members and sections
- reduced weight, easy installation
- boards and fasteners are all you need, no auxiliary steel angles, studs, or clips
- the joints do not require any grouting for fire protective purposes
- the steel surface does not need to be cleaned of dust, oil, or other substances
- CE-marked based on ETA 18/0645
PROMATECT®-XS has been designed to meet the needs of those who design fire systems and want to ensure high performance and added value solutions, without neglecting the economic aspect of the system that is supplied and installed.
Why the CE marking according to EAD?
The CE marking in accordance with EAD (European Assessment Document) is the safest way to obtain a CE marking for the specific purpose of protection from fire according to the actual conditions of intended use. It also ensures the user that a specific system used in a country member of the EU can be built in exactly the same way in any other country within the EU. Promat clients thus do not need to search for a new and unfamiliar solution when working on international projects.
System performance and thicknesses
The fire resistance of the systems ranges from R 30 to R 300 according to EN 13501-2, depending on the section factor (Ap/V) and design temperature. In the tables, included in our technical documents, you can find the necessary thicknesses of PROMATECT®-XS fire protective boards to be applied for the fire protection of steel beams and columns.
Different rules apply to different installation situations (beams or columns, single or double-layer fire protection), so we want to list some general instructions regarding installation:
- Cladding of steel columns is generally done from four sides, while cladding of steel beams is generally done from three sides.
- The joints of boards are staggered, with the offset of 400 mm to each other.
- The PROMATECT®-XS boards are installed on steel beams using PROMATECT®-XS 120 x 20 mm wedge soldiers with a maximum centre-to-centre distance of 1200 mm. The soldiers are not required on columns.
- The boards are attached to the wedge soldiers and the other boards with fasteners with a maximum centre-to-centre distance of 100 m.
- No joint filler is needed.
Introducing a truly flexible and advanced system providing unparalleled performance resulting from technical skills, commitment, dedication to improvement, extensive research and development work involving our best experts, and strengthened by over 50 years of experience in the fire protection field to guarantee safety in buildings. Try our products and experience the details that make the difference when it comes to fire safety.
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Technical Documentation
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