Fire Protection Joint Systems for Underground Transportation Systems
Against the background of a large number of fires with a tragic outcome, legal regulations on safety in tunnels have been drastically tightened in Europe. Structural provisions are intended to ensure that in the event of fire neither damage occurs to the tunnel affecting its stability nor permanent deformations produced to restrict the tunnel’s serviceability. Structural joints, which are planned and executed to cope with movements, deserve particular attention in such cases. Here Fermacell Aestuver provides a wide range of fire protection technical solutions for effectively producing joints in underground transportation facilities – including the M expansion joint, which was also especially tested for tunnel applications and for which new verifications are available.
Expansion Joint M
The Aestuver expansion joint M is an elastic RTV-1 silicon, which is provided with halogen-free fire protection additives. The material can be used for sealing fire protection joints between massive structural parts up to a width of 40 mm as well as for a fire resistance class of up to EI 180. It is particularly suitable in areas, which must accept expansions or deformations prior to returning to their original form. In addition, it is weather-resistant so that it can also be used in moist and outside areas. Thanks to these material properties the joint system is also suitable for being combined with Aestuver tunnel fire protection boards. Corresponding tunnel joint formations have been verified in structural testing exposed to strain according to RWS240. An additional advantage is that it is possible to seal off cables up to a fire resistance class of EI 120 by means of the fire protection material. It is available in 310 ml cartridges as well as in film tubes containing 580 ml.
T Joint Cord
In tunnelling, the T joint cord is applied to protect EPDM expansion joint strips as for instance, in combination with Aestuver T fire protection boards. It comprises an intumescent polyurethane foam, which is provided with halogen-free fire protection additives and surrounded by a flexible moisture-resistant sheath, which facilitates use even given extreme climatic conditions. In the event of fire, it protects EDPM expansion joints in keeping with the RWS curve (fire duration 120 minutes) The volume starts to increase after a temperature of roughly 300 °C has been reached. The T joint cord is available with a diameter of 32, 42 and 47 mm in lengths according to requirements.
