Fire Resistance Ratings

Description of Specimen:
General
The specimen comprised a single leaf loadbearing limestone block wall nominally 3000mm high x 3000mm wide x 125mm thick. The 290mm high x 600mmlong x 125 mm wide blocks were laid in stretcher bond with full mortar joints using a mortar mix comprising one part cement, one part lime and six parts sand by volume.

Load
Total load was 90 kN

Restraint
The specimen was unrestrained on the vertical walls the vertical gap between specimen frame and wall was filled with compressed ceramic fibre

Furnace
The furnace is lined with refractory bricks and materials with the thermal properties as specified in AS 1530.4-1990.

Temperature
The temperature in the furnace chamber was measured by 9 K-type thermocouples housed in high – nickel steel tubes substantially sealed at the exposed ends.

Test performance results

Structural Adequacy – 133 minutes
Integrity – 127 minutes
Insulation – 134 minutes

For the purposes of building regulations in Australia, the FRL of the test specimen was 120/120/120

For the purpose of AS 1540.4-1990 the results of these fire tests may be used to directly assess fire hazard.

Mr GRG Everingham: Testing Officer
Mr Garry E Collins: Senior Fire- Engineering Scientist for Manager, Fire Technology