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Fire resistance interior doors – Reaction to fire – Fire resistance curtains

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Circular M.I. 16476 of 06.11.19

D.M. 18.10.19 Amendments to Annex 1 to the Decree of the Minister of the Interior of 3 August 2015

DM 03.08.15 Approval of technical fire prevention standards

DM 14.07.15 Fire prevention provisions for tourist-hotel accommodation facilities with number of beds exceeding 25 and up to 50

DM 14.12.1993 Technical and procedural standards for the classification of fire resistance and approval of doors and other closing elements

DM 27.01.1999 Fire resistance of doors and other closing elements. Tests and classification criteria

DM 20.04.2001 Use of large fire resistant doors

DM 21.06.2004 Technical and procedural standards for the classification of fire resistance and approval of doors and other closing elements

DM 21.06.2004 Technical and procedural standards for the classification of fire resistance and approval of doors and other closing elements

La marcatura CE dei prodotti da costruzione passo a passo (UE)

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FIRE-RESISTANT DOORS STANDARDS

EN 16034

EN 1634-1

EN 1634-2

EN 1634-3

EN 1363-1

EN 1363-2

EN 13501-2

EN 14351-2

EXAP STANDARDS

EN 15269-3

EN 15269-1

VOCABULARY

UNI EN ISO 13943

Fire resistance is the ability of a door to maintain for a set time:
  • resistance R: aptitude to maintain mechanical resistance under the action of fire;
  • tightness E: aptitude not to let through, nor produce, if subjected to the action of fire on one side, flames, vapors or hot gases on the unexposed side;
  • thermal insulation I: aptitude to reduce heat transmission.
The acronym REI derives from the French words:
  • Resistance = R = resistance
  • Etaincheté = E = airtightness
  • Isolement = I = isolation

The REI symbol (followed by a number n expressed in minutes) identifies a construction element that must maintain its mechanical strength, flame and hot gas resistance, thermal insulation for a given time; The new European classification, which applies to both non-load-bearing closing elements and doors, provides for the elimination of the letter R and the addition of a new W parameter relating to energy emission.

THE REFERENCE STANDARDS

Fire resistance of doors and other closing elements

ITALIAN STANDARD AND EUROPEAN STANDARD TOWARDS CE MARKING

From 1 November 2019, the CE marking of fire doors according to the EN 16034 standard is mandatory but limited to external pedestrian doors, pursuant to the EN 14351-1 standard, and to industrial and garage doors, pursuant to the EN 13241-1 standard .

On 7 November 2018, CEN published the product standard for internal doors EN 14351-2 but the regulatory process is not yet completed: it is now necessary to publish the standard in the European Official Journal to give the status of “harmonized standard” (and therefore mandatory) to EN 14351-2. In the meantime, the national standardization bodies have published the standard. The Italian standardization body UNI made the standard available on 29.11.2018.

FIRE RESISTANCE INTERNAL DOORS

The SanCo fire doors, therefore, cannot yet be CE marked due to a lack of legislation that can only be filled with publication in the European Official Journal; on the publication date it is not possible to make predictions: from that moment the coexistence period will start – during which it will be possible but not mandatory to CE mark the interior doors – and the DOW (Date Of Withdrawal) will also be established, i.e. the withdrawal date of all conflicting national rules; the DOW therefore corresponds to the beginning of the CE marking obligation. At the moment, CEN has set this date as 31.08.2021.
Since 2005, each of our new products has been designed, fire tested and certified according to the European standard EN 1634-1. Each prototype is tested on the mouth of a furnace equipped with at least nine burners that bring the internal temperature to over 900 ° C in a few minutes: the fire resistance class (E, EW, EI1, EI2) expressed in minutes highlights the time during which the door has guaranteed the parameters required for the classification. In the case of class EI1, which is the most valuable, the tested element prevented the passage of the flames and guaranteed, on the unexposed side, a temperature below 140 ° C.

San.Co is the owner of numerous validations from foreign accredited institutes: on the basis of Italian test reports or directly for tests carried out in foreign laboratories, an authorization is obtained to place San.Co products on the local market. Among the best known laboratories we can mention Efectis for France, VKF for Switzerland and Bodycote Exova for the United Kingdom. CE marking will automatically invalidate all local validations in EU countries and it is likely that many non-EU countries will be able to accept CE marked products without further local validation steps.

In the initial phase, the CE marking will be possible but not mandatory while at the end of the coexistence period, lasting three years, the CE marking will be mandatory. One year after the entry into force of EN 16034 there is still discussion about the duration of the coexistence period for internal pedestrian doors: the non-publication of the product standard EN 14351-2 prevents manufacturers from starting the procedures for CE marking but the 16034 standard does not provide for a differentiated coexistence period between internal and external doors. At present, interior door manufacturers are losing precious years.

Later it will also be possible to formally use the EXAP’s (EXtended APplications), i.e. the group of standards EN 15269 to obtain the so-called Extended Application Report: This will allow manufacturers to leverage their full range of certifications and experiences. In some cases the EXAP’s, which have been developed by working groups composed of European experts, are already EN standards; other EXAP’s are in the process of being published or developed.

It should be noted that a fire door can be CE marked for various performance parameters which are as follows:

  • the fire resistance class (E, EW, EI1, EI2) expressed in minutes
  • smoke tightness (Sa, S200)
  • the durability of self-closing (from C0 to C5) expressed in number of cycles from 0 to 200,000

THE ITALIAN LEGISLATION

General building regulations

In 2019 the Italian Government issued the Ministerial Decree 18.10.19 or a Horizontal Technical Rule (RTO) which updates the previous decree of 03.08.2015 and heavily influences the design of buildings.

ME. 16476 of 06.11.19

The Ministry wanted to clarify that:

  • internal pedestrian fire doors are subject to approval
  • the external pedestrian fire doors are subject to CE marking
  • a “dual use (both for internal and external)” window and door frames must satisfy both conditions
  • as defined in EN 14351-1 a “door for external use is a window that separates two rooms with different climatic conditions”. However, it should be noted that the EN 14351-2 standard at point 3.1.1 and the glossary contained in the EN 12519 standard at point 3.36 define the internal pedestrian doors by reporting a note stating that the entrance doors to apartments or offices must be consider interior doors.
DM 18.10.19
The Ministerial Decree of 18.10.19 updates the previous Ministerial Decree of 03.08.15. The main structure of the RTO remains unchanged, always based on a performance approach, with the determination of risk profiles, performance levels and compliant or alternative solutions.
The novelties, however, are in the form, given that new design approaches are introduced, new solutions in line with technical evolution, giving professionals greater freedom and responsibility.
D.M. 03.08.2015

Approval of fire prevention technical standards

The Ministerial Decree of 03.08.2015 brings together and simplifies a large series of horizontal rules that designers must take into account in their work; regarding the doors:

  • for the first time in Italy it is prescribed that smoke-proof filters are made with doors classified as smoke-tight (S.3.5.2)
  • it is definitively established that panic exit devices with a footprint of less than 80 mm must not be counted for the purposes of the net passage opening (G.1.9-16)
  • the dimensional tolerances of the doors are confirmed (G.1.22) and the minimum passage height of the doors (S.4.5.3)
  • the minimum width of the doors is established (S.4.8.3-2) for different types of rooms (entrances, bathrooms, etc.)
  • doors without locks (S.4.5.6-5) can be used instead of panic bars
  • the installation of signs on fire resistant doors is required (S.3.5.6)
D.M. 14.07.2015

Fire prevention provisions for tourist-hotel accommodation facilities with a number of beds greater than 25 and up to 50.

The Ministerial Decree of 14.07.2015 creates a new “class” of hotels: the previous decrees of 1993 and 2004 in fact provided for different technical approaches based on the number of beds (if less than 25) and on the fact that they were structures new or existing.
The new Decree carves out a specific space for structures whose number of beds is between 25 and 50, introducing simplified rules which still guarantee the safety of the occupants.

D.M. 21.06.2004

Technical and procedural standards for the classification of fire resistance and approval of doors and other closing elements.

And here is the fourth milestone. In June 2004, the Ministerial Decree was published which incorporates and makes the European regulatory system mandatory also on the Italian territory.

With this decree, the legislator wanted to make it possible for producers to carry out tests according to the European standard, taking care, however, to mediate the transitional period of application and to maintain the homologation system.

The DM 21.06.04 includes in itself:

  • all the reference standards of the sector at the date of issue of the same DM
  • the definitions
  • the methods of use of fire resistant doors
  • the procedures for issuing certificates and approvals
  • the obligations of the manufacturer
  • the methods of control and supervision as well as the validity of the approvals
  • the transitional rules; until the entry into force of the
  • CE marking it will be possible to test and approve:
  • doors tested according to the UNI 9723 standard
  • doors tested according to the UNI EN 1634-1: 2001 standard
  • Annexes A, B, C define – in order:
  • the conditioning methods
  • the classification
  • the permitted variations in addition to the Direct Field of Application

LIST OF APPROVED DOORS (www.vigilfuoco.it)

The Ministry of the Interior publishes the list of approved doors on the website www.vigilfuoco.it.

In any case, it is an easy-to-consult document that is useful for understanding who the players in the fire door market are.

UNI EN 1364-1: 2002

Fire resistance tests for non-load-bearing elements

D.M. 16.02.2007 (effective from September 2007)
Fire resistance classification of products and building elements of construction works.
Transitional rules on the validity of old certified reports issued from 1 January 1996: up to five years from the entry into force of this decree.

UNI EN 1634-1: 2001

Fire resistance tests for doors and closing elements UNI EN 1363-1 UNI EN 1363-2 UNI EN 14600

The European regulatory system has been in operation for some time and by now the national standardization bodies are assigned a “notary” rather than a technical task. Our UNI is also subject to the obligation to implement European standards, in this case the EN 1634-1: 2000 standard. During 2001 the European standard was translated into Italian and the UNI 9723 standard was consequently withdrawn. However, it should be noted that, in any case of voluntary standards, the UNI 9723 standard remains mandatory on the national territory by virtue of the Ministerial Decree of 14.12.1993 despite having been withdrawn by UNI.

The structure of the European standard is very different from the Italian one; the test furnace management standards are EN 1363-1 and EN 1363-2

D.M. 14.12.1993

Technical and procedural standards for the classification of fire resistance and approval of doors and other closing elements.

As is known, UNI standards are voluntary or non-mandatory standards. Ministerial Decree 14.12.93 made the use of the UNI 9723 standard mandatory and introduced the approval mechanism for fire doors.

This is the second milestone for the fire door sector: albeit with some initial problems, however not insignificant, now the homologation system works and allows fire door manufacturers to operate within clear rules while for designers and industry technicians make it easier to verify that products comply with national standards.

Approval is a technical-administrative procedure which, in a very schematic way, is summarized below:

  • The manufacturer submits a request to an authorized laboratory for the execution of an official fire resistance test.
  • The test is performed in accordance with the UNI 9723 standard.
  • The laboratory issues a test report and a test certificate.
  • The manufacturer submits an application for approval to the Ministry of the Interior.
  • After analyzing the test report, the Ministry issues the homologation document in which the permitted extensions are also reported.
  • The manufacturer is authorized to place its products on the market in the face of certain obligations such as the drafting of the declaration of conformity, the affixing of the plate and the serial number, the submission to checks carried out by the Ministry.

The Ministerial Decree of 14.12.1993 is expressly referred to, and is not replaced, by the subsequent Ministerial Decree of 2004 as it constitutes its foundation.

UNI 9723: 1990

Fire resistance of doors and other closing elements

The UNI 9723 standard, in the first version of 1990 and with the update of 1996, replaces the Circular MI.SA. 91/1961 for fire resistant doors. In it both the test standards and the rules for the extension of the results are condensed. In essence, the following are described:

  • the management methods of the test furnace – time / temperature curve, pressure, etc.
  • the rules for applying thermocouples
  • the average and maximum limit temperatures for each thermocouple or group of them
  • the verification rules to determine the end of the test
  • the rules for extending the test results (within Article 3 and the so-called FA1: 1996)

It is a text written with an eye to the German DIN standard, modern and easy to apply, which however suffered greatly from the fact that all fire doors are treated in the same way. In fact, the reference products are metal doors that are blind or equipped with glazed portholes: the other types of fire doors are marginally analyzed, e.g. sliding doors, or are not mentioned such as wooden doors and glazed doors.

For the fire door sector, UNI 9723 is the first milestone: the differences compared to Circular 91 are enormous, just think that with the old standard it was possible to test even a single walled “door panel”, without frame, hinges and locks. , to be able to market fire resistant doors.

All products tested according to UNI 9723 will be usable on the national market until the CE marking comes into force even if the period of coexistence with European standards is already in place, see Ministerial Decree of 21 June 2004.

REACTION TO FIRE

Fire resistance is often confused with reaction to fire but it should be noted that these are completely different characteristics.

Reaction to fire is, according to UNI CEI ISO 13943: 2004, the behavior of a material which contributes, with its own decomposition, to the fire to which it is subjected under certain conditions.

Reaction to fire is conventionally expressed in classes; fire reaction tests are performed on materials, unlike fire resistance where systems are tested.

According to UNI 9177, the fire reaction classes in Italy were identified from 1 to 5 for combustible products while class 0 was defined for non-combustible products according to the Ministerial Decree 03.09.2001; there is also the 1IM class (Whole Artifact according to UNI 9175) for upholstered furniture.

Throughout Europe, the classification deriving from UNI EN 13501-1 now applies, according to which the following classes are identified for construction products (excluding floors):

  • Class A1 for non-combustible products;
  • Classes A2, B, C, D, E for combustible products according to the increase in their participation in the fire.

For floors, the subscript “fl” is added.

The European classification is completed by an “s” parameter relating to fumes and a “d” parameter relating to dripping: a typical classification example of coating materials is B-s2, d0.

FIRE RESISTANCE CURTAINS

DRY fire curtains (rolling shutters without water-based cooling systems) represent an interesting novelty in the field of fire doors.
Technological evolution has made it possible to develop perfectly autonomous closing elements that are classified according to the regulations in force and can be CE marked.

On the contrary, for tent / water systems the fire resistance can only be assessed through empirical tests and with a full assumption of responsibility by the designer regarding the fire resistance of the entire tent / water system / detection system. .
A system of this kind obviously cannot be CE marked and has a long series of very delicate points such as:
• the necessary water flow rate (approximately 15 l / sq m / min or 15 liters of water per square meter of surface for each minute of fire resistance required – for a 4 × 4 m EI120 ′ closure, therefore, at least 28,800 liters are needed of water)
• the durability of the performance of the water system (through suitable collection tanks, pumping systems under an uninterruptible power supply and constant maintenance)
• the need to install the water system on both sides of the tent (since it is not always possible to know from which side the fire will come)
• the overall assessment of the fire resistance of the system by the fire-fighting designer

DRY fire curtains can be CE marked, compulsorily starting from 01.11.2019, to guarantee maximum safety for users of any building in which fire curtains are installed:
• in the level 1 AVCP system (attestation of conformity)
• in accordance with EN 13241 (Industrial, commercial and garage doors and gates – Product standard, performance characteristics) and EN 16034 (Pedestrian doors, industrial, commercial, garage doors and opening windows – Product standard, characteristics performance – Fire resistance and / or smoke control characteristics)
• with a wind load classification given in accordance with EN 12424 (Industrial, commercial and garage doors – Resistance to wind load – Classification)
• with a fire resistance classification given in accordance with EN 13501-2 based on laboratory tests performed according to EN 1634-1

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