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"THE MOST ADVANCED FIRE PROTECTION

TECHNOLOGY IN THE WORLD..."

      Structural Fire Engineering, Building in the "Hot Form" 

This is the face of the man behind the science and development of STRUCTURAL FIRE ENGINEERING worldwide.  Noel C. Manning, Fire Researcher, Lecturer and Developer of Structural Fire Engineering: Building In the 'Hot Form'.  Noel is probably better known and recognised all over the world for his unique fire research and fire test procedures, and numerous television programmes, both here in Ireland and internationally.

His resulting developments of engineered design solutions to protect against fire spread within and between buildings is now part of the Diploma in Fire Safety Practice (postgraduate course) at the University of Dublin, Trinity College.  This postgraduate course is designed to enable Architects / Engineers and Fire Safety Officers, and other professionals within the construction industry obtain a thorough knowledge and understanding of how buildings which are in real terms built in the cold state, behave in the hot state, i.e. when subject to fire.  Structural fire engineering enables designers to predict and control structures / structural components and or elements of structure, through the introduction of engineered design solutions, thereby containing fire, by preventing fire spread within and between buildings.  Illustrated examples of such engineered design solutions are contained on this website.

FIRE TESTS

Unique fire testing procedures as developed by Noel C Manning in the early 80’s, on buildings specifically built for the purpose of testing engineered design solutions in conjunction with known fire resistant products has proven to provide the ultimate required outcome. 

FIRE TEST INDEPENDENTLY MONITORED BY THE THEN IIRS

The fire tests were carried out in conjunction with what was then the Irish Institute of Research and Standards (IIRS), now known as the National Standards Authority of Ireland (NSAI) / The Institute of Higher Education Limerick, Ireland, and the British Building and Fire Research Establishment, Bourehamwood, in what was describes as real fire, in real buildings, with real people in mind, the result being no fire spread, and predictable damage limitation.  The fire tests showed clearly the need for engineered design solutions in conjunction with fire protection materials to enable one to predict and control the collapse of structure, which in turn controls fire spread.  Note: To protect property is to protect people.  See Fire Tests.

STATE OF THE ART

His invention and technological development's in structural fire engineering and resulting engineered design solutions, is described as being the most advanced fire protection technology in the world today.  Noel followed through his technological approach to the control of fire and fire spread within and between buildings, with engineered design solutions and products for all types of construction methods and buildings, which are now considered 'state of the art' and readily available to the Irish and UK markets.  See Fire Spread in Housing / Apartments the Cause, examples only.

LABORATORY ISOLATION FIRE TESTS BRITISH STANDARDS INCOMPLETE AND MISLEADING

Laboratory fire tests on fire protection products, whilst important, are for the most part isolation tests to British Standards, fire resistance only, which of course is only part of the equation.  Such products, methods and or systems when tested are invariably not tested in the configuration of the intended application, and or known end use ! 

SUITABILITY

Regulations require that we pre-establish the suitability of products, methods and or systems in their intended function, to enable compliance with the intent and content of our National Mandatory Building and Fire Regulations.  Accordingly, as presently issued, fire test certificates resulting from laboratory isolation fire tests, on products / methods and or systems can be quite misleading indeed, if not invalid. 

TERRACE OF THREE, TWO PARTY WALLS

An example of such misleading certification can be seen in the fire test as referenced and pictured on this website.  For example: Rockfibre as a fire stop as per TGD B, has been placed on the left-hand party wall at its abutment with the roof covering as viewed in the picture.  Such fire stopping of rockfibre infill is alleged to be commonly in use in such applications, and therefore deemed to be adequate ! 

NOT SUITABLE MATERIALS

However such methods when fire tested (as pictured), note: applied in the configuration as illustrated in TGD B, and or as illustrated in the Irish Homebond manual.  Such party wall fire stopping as referenced is incorrect as specification and as illustrated in both TGD B, and the HomeBond manual.  When officially fire tested in the configuration as illustrated such methods of party wall fire stopping failed, and therefore is known not to work in the intended application and function of same.  The fire tests as referenced simply confirmed what had been known to be happening in actual fires, all over Ireland and indeed the UK.  See photograph album.

See illustrations A1 & A2, the as referenced party wall fire stopping failure. 

Note also and compare the structural fire engineering approach A3 & A4 (FireBar), and the successful performance of same in the fire tests as referenced as seen to the right of the fire test picture.  

REGULATORY NON-COMPLIANCE

Noel C. Manning as the developer of Structural Fire Engineering: Building in the 'Hot Form' as stated is probably better known and recognized all over the world for his unique fire research and fire testing approach, and resulting engineered design solutions than in his native Ireland, where indifference to National Mandatory Building and Fire Regulations has been, and continues to be the order of the day.  

National Mandatory Building & Fire Regulations did not exist in the Republic of Ireland until 1992.  Ireland does not have a history of fire research and or in the development of indigenous technologies, particularly in the field of active and or passive fire protection in design solutions and or products.  Whilst the building industry in more recent time in Ireland has benefited from an economic boom in general, the construction industry has particularly benefited with apartments and housing completions at their highest in 2006, reaching almost 100,000 completions.  Unfortunately however regulatory non-compliance has also been at its highest.

NO PROPER FIRE PROTECTION / PEOPLE AND PROPERTY AT RISK / BUILDING MAINTENANCE GROWTH INDUSTRY

The down side of such massive building construction completions is that there has been little or no enforcement of Building and Fire Regulatory Standards by the Department of the Environment and or fire authorities for which in due course there is a price to be paid, as people and property have been knowingly put at risk.  Accordingly it is predictable that building maintenance will be a growth industry into the future here in Ireland.    

FIRE IS INDISCRIMINATE 

Fire is indiscriminate - it pays no heed to status or stature, young or old. 

Noel's technological approach and design solutions, as written / illustrated and designed by him, have been incorporated into the Loss Prevention Council Design Guide for the LPC (renamed LPCB) for use by British insurers worldwide.  His products and design solutions are registered and known under the trademark name FireBar. 

The technology of structural fire engineering, design solutions and products have been applied to, for example: Hospitals / Prisons / Historic Buildings / Castles / Local Authority Housing / Private Housing / Apartments / Office Blocks / Military and Naval Establishments / Factories and schools here in Ireland and the U.K. 

LECTURE CIRCUIT

To-date Noel has lectured in the National Institute of Higher Education Limerick, The Institute of Local Authority Engineers, The Royal Institute of Architects Ireland (RIAI), University of Dublin Trinity College Engineers Department, University College Dublin (UCD), Bolton Street College, Ulster University and Queens University NI, Institute of Fire Engineers Ireland, The Loss Prevention Council (LPC now LPCB), Timber Research and Development Association (TRADA), Building and Fire Research Bourehamwood, Greater London Council (GLC now GLA), Crown Property (now the Property Services Agency), British Precast and the Irish Concrete Federation, Rand Development Cooperation USA, and for DCE Certified Continuing Professional Development Seminar Presentations, Limerick, Galway, Cork and Dublin Ireland.  

PRODUCT DESIGN SOLUTIONS APPROVALS 

DoE UK, Greater London Authority formally GLC, LPCB, TRADA, BRE UK, DoE Ireland, Enterprise Ireland, NSAI. 

IN USE FOR ALMOST 30 YEARS

The methods / systems and products have been specified and in use within the building industry for almost 30 years.  The systems have performed to the fullest when fire tested, and in actual fires including where the properties have been subject to arson.

FIRE TEST ON A TERRACE OF THREE HOUSES

Fig.2 THE MIDDLE SECTION AS VIEWED WAS THE AREA OF IGNITION. 
Fig.1 THE LEFT HAND PARTY WALL (Masonry) WAS FIRE STOPPED AT THE ABUTMENT OF SAME WITH THAT OF THE ROOF COVERING AS PER TGD, B, AND OR AS PER THE HOMEBOND IRELAND HOUSE BUILDING MANUAL PARTY WALL FIRE STOPPING DETAIL.
NOTE: SUCH SO DESCRIBED FIRE STOPPING FAILED.  THE FIRE SPREAD TO THE LEFT HAND COMPARTMENT AS VIEWED,
IN UNDER 8 MINUTES

NOTE: Fig.3 THE RIGHT HAND PARTY WALL (Timber Frame) WAS FIRE STOPPED WITH THE FIREBAR ROOF DIVIDE SYSTEM:
 = NO FIRE SPREAD TO THE RIGHT HAND COMPARTMENT

THIS PICTURE AS DEPICTED WAS TAKEN 8 MINUTES INTO THE FIRE TEST

 * Click on Image to Enlarge *

Masonry Party Wall                     Timber Frame Party Wall

 

Party Wall Fire Stopping as per TGD B, Failed * Click on Image to Enlarge *
		The as viewed party wall fire stopping detail as per TGD B (copied), not only failed in the fire test as viewed above, but also failed in the two previous fire tests as carried out in conjunction with the relevant authorities in 1981 & 82.  The as specified and illustrated party wall fire stopping detail as per TGD B, note as viewed is also incorrect and continues to be incorrect !  Note: the NSAI / IAB have also confirmed that this method is flawed and unworkable as specified and illustrated and therefore uncertifiable.  Were you as a designer / specifier / builder and or developer made aware of such known facts ?

"FireBar Works"

Contrary to the fact that the left hand party wall of masonry was fire stopped at the abutment of same with that of the roof covering as per Regulatory requirements, the fire spread to the left hand compartment within minutes.  As viewed, such fire spread is commonplace ! 

Family homes e.g. semi-detached, terraced type houses and / or apartments are not being properly fire protected against such fire spread from one property to the other. 

This is due to the fact that there is no compliance with the intent and content of our Building and Fire Regulations.  Furthermore there is no proper inspectorate or enforcement of same.

Note: as pictured above, there was no fire spread to the right hand compartment, which had been properly fire protected against such fire spread by the FireBar party wall roof divide system.  For less than 200 Euros, your home, property, and family can be protected against such fire spread.  "FireBar Works" 

"ENTITLEMENT BY LAW" 

 Here in Ireland purchasers are entitled to proper certifiable fire protection by law as required by our National Mandatory Building & Fire Regulations.  THEREFORE THE CHOICE IS YOURS THE PURCHASER: Advise your Architect and / or Builder to apply the FIREBAR system. 

THE FIRE TESTS AS VIEWED WERE SHOWN ON BBC'S ' TOMORROWS WORLD ' / NATIONWIDE R.T.E / PUBLIC ACCOUNT R.T.E / OUR HOUSE R.T.E & SKY TELEVISION.

View our structural engineering blog on www.build4less.ie

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