Enhancement in Fire Performance of Reinforced Concrete Columns with the Aid of Fire Insulation Mortar

Active and passive fire protection techniques are incorporated to achieve the objectives of fire safety in a structure. Passive systems are the final line of defense and rely on intrinsic fire protection instead of active systems, such as sprinklers and alarms, which get activated during fire occurrences. A fire insulation mortar is a passive technology that enhances the capacity of a structural component to withstand fires by offering additional protection from fire occurrences. This study examined the performance of a recently developed cementitious fire insulation mortar made for structural purposes. Three full-scale reinforced concrete (RC) columns were put to the test as part of the examination. The first column remained uncoated and acted as the control specimen while the other two columns had fire insulation mortar applied in average thicknesses of 20 mm and 40 mm. All three specimens were subjected to fire testing simulating the standard ISO-834 fire in a fire furnace. The experimental results showed that using this mortar over the RC columns caused the slow heat progression within the concrete and delayed the spalling in mortar-coated columns, eventually contributing to their superior performance during the fire. These factors collectively resulted in a remarkable enhancement in the fire ratings of up to 95% of mortar-coated columns. The enhanced fire ratings offer an added level of passive fire protection and safety, ensuring the structure can withstand fire hazards without compromising its integrity for a much longer time.