60 60 60 Fire-Rated Bricks
There’s no denying that building with brick comes with many benefits. Aside from noise insulation, aesthetic appeal, sustainability and durability, full brick buildings have a huge scope of benefits. One of the most practical elements of brick buildings is their ability to be fire resistant, providing that proper fire-rated bricks are used.
Let’s be honest - the Australian climate is perhaps one of the most-loved things about our country, however, our bushfire seasons also pose one of the biggest threats to Australian homes, especially those in regional areas. The devastating bushfire season of late 2019 and early 2020 claimed millions of hectares of land and destroyed thousands of homes. With temperatures predicted to increase in the coming years, it is more important than ever to build with fire-resistant materials such as fire-rated bricks
With this in mind - read on to discover more about fire-resistant bricks and how this can impact your residential or commercial build.
Designing for fire resistance
Unlike other materials such as cladding - clay bricks are not flammable or combustible. The manufacturing process of clay bricks involves heating the material up to temperatures between 1,000 and 1,200 degrees Celsius. As well as producing the rich colours that we love, firing to such temperatures increases the durable properties and impacts the longevity and resistance to smoke and fire (we told you there were many benefits!).
It is important to note, however, that even though bricks are well known for being one of the most effective materials for fire resistance, all brick products must undergo an assessment to measure the level of fire resistance.
Even for experienced architects, understanding the requirements of the Building Code Australia (BCA) can be confusing. From design to product, there are many contributing factors that determine a building's compliance with safety standards. But what does that mean for masonry work and how do clay bricks satisfy fire-safety standards?
When it comes to selecting fire-rated systems including fire-rated walls and fire-related ceilings, there is some key terminology that is useful to know when designing with brick. In this article, we answer all your questions about industry compliance standards, fire-rated bricks and how fire safety is determined for masonry materials.
Read on to find out how selecting the right products such as Krause fire-rated bricks in your property plan can ensure that your building meets industry compliance requirements.
How fire safety is determined
The fire safety requirements as set out by the National Construction Code(NCC) are detailed in the Australian Masonry Structures standard AS 3700. These are the standards that need to be met when designing with brick to ensure a fire-resistant building.
The NCC specifies three fire-resistant levels (FRLs) that all fire-rated brick walls must be designed to achieve. These are defined as:
1. Structural adequacy - the wall must perform its structural function for the fire resistance period.
2. Integrity - the wall must maintain its continuity by preventing any hot gases or flames from passing through cracks during the fire resistance period.
3. Insulation - the wall must provide adequate insulation to prevent the side of the wall away from the fire exceeding a certain temperature during the fire resistance period.
The result of the fire resistance level is represented in minutes for each of these periods and is always presented in the same order. For example, an FRL of 60,60,60 indicates a fire resistance period of 60 minutes for each level.
Choosing the right bricks
Usually, a building surveyor or certifier will specify the required FRL based on the building design and plans. Once the fire resistance requirements from the plans, building surveyor or building certifier are determined, the right products can be selected for the appropriate fire resistance system.
For instance, if a building element is load-bearing, then it must have a Structural Adequacy component to the FRL. A fire-rated brick wall should have an FRL of 60/60/60 if it is a non-load bearing wall, and a FRL of 90/90/90 if it is a load-bearing wall.
Feeling frazzled? We understand that fire resistance is extremely important and thus a huge subject that needs to be considered for every building plan - to find out more about fire-resistance building planning with Krause Bricks, get in touch today and our friendly team can help with your inquiry for your upcoming build.
Interested in seeing how fire-rated bricks can look? Check out our full range here.