Road & Rail Tunnels
Our FireMaster® passive fire protection systems insulate the main concrete structure of road and rail tunnels to prevent collapse in a fire and provide fire insulation to escape passages, refuges, ventilation shafts and critical communication or firefighting services.
A fire in a tunnel can have catastrophic consequences. Apart from the risk to life, collapse of tunnels in a fire can have further consequences such as flooding (if the tunnel is under-water) or temporary loss of transport infrastructure.
The fire in the Mont Blanc Tunnel in 1999 burned for 53 hours and the tunnel was closed for 3 years for repair. Research has demonstrated that tunnel fires can peak at temperatures above 1300°C.
Fire insulation in tunnels is required to prevent collapse of high-strength concrete tunnel linings either due to explosive 'spalling' of the concrete or over-heating of the steel reinforcement bars within the lining. Additionally, there is a need to protect other areas such as escape passages, refuges and services.
FireBarrier™ 135 tunnel fire protection
FireMaster® FireBarrier™ 135 is a spray-applied cementitious fire barrier applied to provide fire insulation to concretes structures to prevent explosive spalling, collapse or excessive heat build-up in areas used for escape or safe refuge.
FireBarrier™ 135 has advantages over alternative materials:
- High-temperature resistance, over 1300°C
- Superior surface finish
- Ease of use and cleaning
- Ease of installation due to single layer spraying and low material wastage
- Large portfolio of fire tests to different fire scenarios and concrete types
- References in use
FireMaster FireBarrier 135 is a spray-applied cementitious fire barrier applied directly onto the tunnel concrete structure to insulate it sufficiently to prevent both spalling and over-heating of the reinforcement bars. A 36mm thick lining of FireBarrier™ 135 can provide sufficient protection to both the concrete and steel reinforcement for a 2 hours 1350°C fire exposure.
Key Features of FireBarrier™ 135 tunnel fire protection systems
- Fire tested to RWS and HCM standard hydrocarbon protection for 2 hours
- Fire testing carried out on large size, stressed slabs to RWS fire standard
- Fire tested to ISO 834 standard fire protection for 4 hours
- High quality, flat, surface finish with excellent appearance
- Very low rebound wastage during spray installation
- Single layer sprayed application
- High adhesive strength
- Stable material. In-service longevity properties are supported by independent testing
- Castable version also available where spray-application is not viable
The tunnel structure is not the only part of a tunnel that requires fire protection. FireBarrier™ 135 also provides fire protection for:
- The main tunnel structure of bored or immersed tunnels
- Escape passages
- Refuges
- Ventilation systems
- Critical services such as fire mains or cables
For more information on using our Firebarrier 135 for your tunnel application, contact us today.