When it comes to fire resistance, steel profiles present a particular challenge. Unlike other materials, steel will not melt away under the influence of extreme temperatures, but the profiles will deform. More specifically, they will convex towards the flames, with the possible consequences of glass breakage or the creation of openings between the glass and the profile.
FIRE-RESISTANT PROFILES
For windows and doors that must meet specific fire standards, special fire-resistant profiles are used. They are provided with a fire-resistant intermediate layer between, and depending on the required fire resistance, in the steel tubes, and thus meet fire resistance from EI30 to EI120. Today, fire-resistant doors can also be fitted with steel profiles. After all, certified systems for EI130 and EI160 have recently been introduced.
FITTINGS AND PRE-MACHINED PROFILES
Since fire-resistant solutions are always certified as a complete system, here, in addition to the profile and glass choice, the choice of hardware is also of great importance. The exact hardware with which the system has been tested and therefore also must be used is included in the test reports. Furthermore, the processing of fire-resistant profiles requires special attention. After all, when cutting openings for fittings, etc., it is not allowed to remove too much of the fire-resistant material. To avoid problems, manufacturers within the fire-resistant range are increasingly offering pre-processed profiles. These have already been provided with the necessary milling, specifically tailored to the required fitting, and could thus yield a time gain of 1 to 1.5 hours for the constructor. However, when sawing these profiles, supplied in lengths of 2,500 or 3,000 mm, the necessary attention must be paid to the exact position of the milling cuts.
Steel joinery can be very large and slim at the same time. This leads to architectural highlights and a sea of light. This means that there is relatively more glass surface - a property that has its advantages both aesthetically and energetically.
Reference:
• http://projecto.pmg.be/
• 27 march 2020
• by Elise Noyez
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