Fire Protection

Fire-Rated Drywall and Ceiling

Knauf fire-rated systems are meticulously designed to align with performance-based fire engineering principles. The concept of fire compartmentation involves restricting the spread of fire within a building by partitioning areas with fire-resistant walls or ceilings. These partitions also help prevent the spread of smoke, ensuring a safe evacuation during emergencies.

Fire Testing

Knauf compounds and plasterboards undergo rigorous testing at 750°C under BS 476 standards. To qualify as non-combustible, no flaming or temperature elevation of the sample must be observed. Building materials must meet various performance levels, with two main requirements under British Standard 476.

Reaction to Fire - This aspect evaluates the contribution of a material to a fire source, assessed according to:

Fire Resistance - Fire resistance regulations focus on how long a construction assembly can prevent fire from spreading between compartments. This is determined according to:

Tests ensure that materials and components are assembled into a fully effective system.

Fire Resistance Rating

Fire resistance of a complete system is classified based on its performance in full-scale fire tests. Only a complete system, not individual materials, can be evaluated for fire resistance. Therefore, Knauf fire-resistant plasterboards alone cannot provide the required fire resistance.

Fire-Resistance Levels (FRLs) measure system performance within minutes before failure, based on three criteria: