Scientists have dispelled myths about the insecurity of aluminum structures in case of fire

The Institute of Light Materials and Technologies (ILMiT) has completed the first large-scale study of the fire resistance of aluminum structures in Russia.

According to the scientists, tests of aluminum mesh translucent, ball-rod structures and structures of block-modular buildings with various fire protection systems were carried out. An organization's standard (SRT) has been developed for each type of structure, anticipating the development of the national GOST R standard.

"The advantages of aluminum structures in construction are obvious in terms of ease of installation and aesthetics, but their use is still limited due to the lack of reliable and confirmed information on the complex behavior of structures with special fire protection solutions under flame conditions. We have specially engaged leading accredited laboratories to test both aluminum semi-finished products and real structures in order to confirm the operability of aluminum in extreme conditions. The completed study clearly indicates that aluminum provides all the required safety indicators," said Dmitry Ryabov, Director of Science at ILMiTa.

Due to the fact that systematic studies on the resistance of structures with various types of fire protection had not previously been conducted for aluminum solutions, this complicated the use of aluminum alloys in building load-bearing structures. "The lack of research in Russia and the fact that aluminum has a relatively low melting point (600-660 degrees C) give rise to myths about the alleged insecurity of aluminum structures in the event of a fire. These myths are easily dispelled by up-to-date scientific data on the properties of winged metal and the results of research on fire resistance and fire protection. ILMIT's research and development work will become the basis for creating a Russian regulatory framework on aluminum fire resistance," said Evgeny Vasiliev, Rusal's Director of Market Development.

The requirements for many building materials are fixed in the Technical Regulations on Fire Safety Requirements. One of its key parameters is the fire resistance limit of the material. The indicator reflects how long the material can be exposed to high temperatures without losing its bearing capacity. In the construction industry, the fire resistance limit indicates how much time there is from the start of a fire to evacuate people before structures collapse.

Under normal conditions, aluminum and its alloys do not burn, do not contribute to the spread of flame and are not gorenje catalysts, explained in "Rusal. The flash point of aluminum in oxygen at a pressure of 1000 atmospheres exceeds 1000 C, which is higher than that of steel (930 C). At the same time, due to the higher specific heat, twice as much heat is required to heat aluminum. The thermal conductivity of winged metal, depending on the alloy, is 2.7-6 times higher than that of steel. High thermal conductivity contributes to the uniform distribution of heat and its dissipation during heating, and, therefore, to a longer preservation of the structure in the event of a fire, the company noted.

ILMiT also summarized the data on the main methods of structural fire protection of steel and aluminum structures. Most fires in buildings belong to the so-called cellulose fires, when the temperature gradually rises to 900 degrees C within an hour. Based on such conditions, the fire resistance of aluminum and fire protection methods are calculated. But many countries have developed flame retardants for aluminum structures for more dangerous fires — for use in oil platforms or in coal mines — in fires at such facilities, the temperature very quickly reaches and exceeds 1100 degrees.

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