FireSERT New Generation of Precast Concrete Sandwich Panel Façade Resistant to Fires, KTP FireSERT & FP

The project has been designed to address what is a well-established industry-focused need for developed precast sandwich panel façade systems with advanced construction materials increasing the safety level. Following catastrophic events of the past decade, architects and designers are today in search of sustainable, resilient and smart facades, which are providing the necessary safety. This project responds to the call for smart (active) and transformative construction via an innovative façade system which addresses well-known limitations and safety issues to the wider use as well as overcoming barriers arise from not meeting the required fire standards and regulations. As the objectives are met through every single task described, the project will generate unique knowledge and data (material performance, testing methods, assembly methods/designs, etc.), and strengthen the UK’s market through IP generation.

Key objectives for the M&S project:

• To manufacture building components and facades using the concrete systems developed and to investigate the fire performance of the individual components (concrete, insulation and fire retardant protection) and a building façade (thermal property, ignition, flammability, flame and smoke).
• To conduct Fire Resistance using iso 834 fire cure tests façade system in the large furnace in Ulster University in order to evaluate its performance against the existing product developed.
• To conduct large scale natural fire scenario of a 9m height panel system in a real building environment to evaluate the holistic performance and resilience of the precast sandwich panel system using the developed product at the company’s site.
• Numerical studies of the tested precast systems will be performed using Finite Element Method to validate the computational models to further understand their fire and structural performances in order to optimise the structure profile
• To Develop a fire design rules for current and optimized precast concrete sandwich panel systems