BRE BR395 PDF

Introduction

The use of high grade concrete in buildings is an important innovation that can reduce the size of structural elements compared with those made from normal grade concrete. This can allow more efficient construction such as maintaining a constant column size throughout the building by using high grade concrete for the lower storey columns carrying the higher loads. One restriction to its use however is concern over its performance in fire, in that its susceptibility to spalling is increased.

It has been proposed that the inclusion of polypropylene fibres in the mix can improve the performance in fire of high grade concrete with respect to spalling. The purpose of this paper is to provide information and recommendations on the use of polypropylene fibres in this respect, based upon fire tests on concrete columns carried out at BRE.