BS EN 13381-6:2012

What is BS EN 13381-6 – Determining Fire resistance of protection applied to concrete-filled hollow steel columns about? 

BS EN 13381-6 is the sixth part of the multiple series document that specifies a test method for determining the contribution of fire protection systems to the fire resistance of structural concrete filled hollow steel columns. The concrete can be lightweight, normal weight or heavyweight concrete, and of all the strength classes provided for in EN 1994-1-2. The use of dry sand is considered to be an alternative, conservative approach to the use of wet concrete. The method is applicable to all fire protection systems used for the protection of concrete-filled hollow columns and includes sprayed fire protection, reactive coatings, cladding protection systems and multi-layer or composite fire protection materials. 

Note 1: BS EN 13381-6 ignores any contribution from the concrete to the structural capability of the hollow column and therefore only deals with thermal performance. The justification for using this approach is given in Annex B. 

Note 2: Testing to BS EN 13381-6 is not required if the fire protection thicknesses for hollow sections derived from prEN 13381-4 (revision of ENV 13381-4:2002) or prEN 13381-8 (revision of EN 13381-8:2010) are to be used for concrete filled hollow sections. 

Who is BS EN 13381-6 - Determining Fire resistance of protection applied to concrete-filled hollow steel columns for? 

BS EN 13381-6 on fire resistance of concrete-filled hollow steel columns structures is useful for:  

• Architects  
• Real estate developers  
• Civil engineers  
• Testing laboratories of concrete-filled hollow steel columns 
• Construction industries 
• Builders 
• Contractors 
• Manufacturers of concrete-filled hollow steel columns 

Why should you use BS EN 13381-6 - Determining Fire resistance of protection applied to concrete-filled hollow steel columns? 

The temperature of the steel member is limited during the period of exposure to fire due to the protection provided by the fire protection system to the steel member. 

BS EN 13381-6 specifies the fire tests and the procedure is used to establish: 

• On the basis of temperature data derived from testing concrete-filled unloaded tall columns and reference columns, a correction factor and any practical constraints on the use of the fire protection system under fire test conditions, (the physical performance) 
• On the basis of the temperature data derived from testing short hollow steel sections filled with concrete, the thermal properties of the fire protection system, (the thermal performance) 

Briefly, BS EN 13381-6 describes the fire tests that can be used to verify whether a fire protection system is capable of protecting composite columns from fire. According to the protocols outlined herein, the tests yield data on the average steel temperatures of the composite column when exposed to the time/temperature curve. BS EN 13381-6 also includes an evaluation technique that will assist you in doing an analysis of the test data and gives instructions on how to perform the interpolation. 

What’s changed since the last update?  

BS EN 13381-6:2012 supersedes DD ENV 13381-6:2002 which is withdrawn. 

ENV 13381-6:2002 has been revised and a completely new document, EN 13381-6, has been prepared. The main differences are as follows: 

• Loaded column omitted since this BS EN 13381-6:2012 provides thermal data only 
• Unfilled sections are required to be tested under EN 13381-8 or ENV 13381-4 
• The use of specified dry sand infill to the sections may be used as an alternative to concrete 
• Thermocouple positions redefined to follow the requirements of EN 13381-8 or ENV 13381-4 
• New matrix of test sections included based on the scope required rather than prescriptive testing 
• Method to correct data for stackability added 
• Method of analyzing the thermal data simplified to a method using linear interpolation 
• Extension of the results of testing added