Runehamar Tunnel Fire Tests - Uptun: Fire Protection
By Octavian Anton , Xiao Wu, Promat International NV , Belgium |
| |
 Introduction
|
 |
A good construction is a safe construction and an important factor is fire safety. The Promat organisation, a component of the world wide known construction materials Etex Group, has long experience in fire protection of different constructions from buildings to tunnels, from airports to a sports stadium. Promat offers not only a large range of products – PROgressive MATerials - but also systems, adapted concepts for most efficient fire protection of people and goods. |
|
Confronted with a large variety of demands, evolving in parallel and together with security legislation in different countries from different continents, Promat has introduced from its creation time a specific concept in developing products, systems, services including free advice and detailed
documentation for Fire Protection needs. |
|
Promat International has a long experience in providing effective fire protection solutions for tunnels . Products were developed for fire protection of concrete structures , ventilation systems , communication systems , escape infrastructures . Products and systems are considered together and
tested and certified in different accredited international laboratories. Different solutions are generally tested in simulated fire conditions with temperatures described by specific curves still under discussion by the international specialised community : RWS , HCM , RABT , ISO . |
|
Runehamar tunnel fire tests in the frame of UPTUN project were organised , using real natural conditions, in view to investigate on thermal output and smoke development from burning cargoes trucks (no hydrocarbon fire considered) , on resulting effects of different fires on the tunnel structure, investigate on the effects of the longitudinal ventilation on the development of fire . |
|
Promat International offered its experience and proposing for test in particular construction conditions a new generation of fire protection materials with outstanding performances thanks to a new concept in product development and manufacturing. |
|
|
| Mineral engineering and products with engineered matrix |
|
The known, largely used, development and manufacturing techniques of a product aimed to fire protection is the combination of different inorganic raw materials in view to obtain an incombustible , fire resistant product with needed physico-mechanical characteristics. |
|
Promat’s Research and Technology department developed a new approach in products’ manufacturing. Selected mineral phases are synthesised by a controlled crystal growth technology. This mineral engineering applied by specific manufacturing technologies allows to realise the best performances for a given application. Not only the crystallo-chemistry is controlled but also the morphology and the crystals assembling manner (figure 1) , thus realising a product with a specially designed porosity, density, mechanical performances, thermal conductivity, dimensional stability in diverse humidity and temperature conditions; a product with an engineered matrix.
Fig.1 - controlled crystal growth
technology for engineered matrixes.
|
| |
|
| Next page | |
| |
|
| |
| Back | |
