The European system: classification, testing, market access
In Uzbekistan, European fire protection standards are encountered on projects with foreign clients, on projects financed by international development banks and in the documentation for imported materials. The system works on three levels: test standards (EN 1363, EN 13381, etc.), a classification standard (EN 13501-2) and the rules for placing products on the market (the Construction Products Regulation, European Technical Assessment, CE marking).
Classification: EN 13501-2
EN 13501-2 “Fire classification of construction products and building elements — Part 2: Classification using data from fire resistance and/or smoke control tests, excluding ventilation services” is the standard used to convert fire test results into fire resistance classes. The current edition is EN 13501-2:2023; the previous 2016 edition has been withdrawn.
The main symbols:
| Symbol | Meaning |
|---|---|
| R | Load-bearing capacity |
| E | Integrity |
| I | Insulation |
| W | Limitation of heat radiation |
| M | Mechanical action (impact) |
| C | Self-closing (doors, dampers) |
| S | Smoke tightness |
A class is written as a combination of symbols and a time in minutes from a standard series, for example R 60, REI 90, EI 120. Fire-protected load-bearing steel structures normally require an R class. For elements tested under a different time–temperature curve, the classification also states that curve.
An important difference from CIS practice: a fire protection coating does not receive an R class in its own right. The class is assigned to the structural member (column, beam) with a specific thickness of fire protection, while the coating data are used for assessment and design.
General test methods: EN 1363-1 and EN 1363-2
- EN 1363-1 “Fire resistance tests — Part 1: General requirements” — the current edition, EN 1363-1:2020, replaced the 2012 edition. It specifies the furnace, the standard time–temperature curve, furnace pressure, measurements, performance criteria and the test report.
- EN 1363-2 “Fire resistance tests — Part 2: Alternative and additional procedures” (1999 edition) — alternative exposures (the hydrocarbon curve, the external fire curve and the slow heating curve) and additional procedures (e.g. impact).
Time–temperature curves
| Curve | Formula (T in °C, t in minutes) | What it represents |
|---|---|---|
| Standard (cellulosic) | T = 20 + 345·lg(8t + 1) | Fire in a building; 945 °C at 60 minutes, 1049 °C at 120 minutes |
| Hydrocarbon (HC) | T = 1080·(1 − 0.325·e−0.167t − 0.675·e−2.5t) + 20 | Burning petroleum products; reaches a plateau of about 1100 °C within the first few minutes |
| External fire | T = 660·(1 − 0.687·e−0.32t − 0.313·e−3.8t) + 20 | External elements exposed to flames emerging from openings; plateau of about 680 °C |
The same curves are used in Eurocode EN 1991-1-2 for fire resistance calculations.
Methods for fire protection of steel: the EN 13381 series
The EN 13381 series “Test methods for determining the contribution to the fire resistance of structural members” describes how to determine the contribution that fire protection makes to the fire resistance of a structural member. Three parts apply to steel:
| Standard | Scope | Current edition |
|---|---|---|
| EN 13381-4 | Applied passive protection to steel members — passive fire protection such as boards, plasters and spray-applied materials | EN 13381-4:2013 |
| EN 13381-8 | Applied reactive protection to steel members — reactive (intumescent) fire protection | EN 13381-8:2013 (replaced the 2010 edition) |
| EN 13381-9 | Applied fire protection systems to steel beams with web openings — cellular beams | EN 13381-9:2015 |
According to standards databases, Parts 4 and 8 were confirmed in 2023 and flagged for forthcoming revision; no new editions had been published at the time of writing.
How EN 13381 differs from the GOST R 53295 method
- Specimen set. Instead of a single standard column, a series of loaded and unloaded specimens of different sections and with different coating thicknesses is tested. The loaded beams show whether the coating stays in place on a deforming member (its “stickability”).
- Section massivity. The result is tied to the section factor (Am/V or Hp/A, m−1), the reciprocal of the reduced metal thickness.
- Range of critical temperatures. Instead of a single temperature of 500 °C, the data are analysed for a range of design steel temperatures. This allows the designer to use the critical temperature calculated to EN 1993-1-2 for the specific member and load level.
- Output. The assessment produces tables of the required coating thickness as a function of section factor, critical temperature and required fire resistance period, rather than a “group”.
EN 13381-9 applies to materials already assessed to Part 4 or 8 and adds data for beams with web openings, which heat up differently.
Market access: ETA, EAD and CE marking
There is no harmonised European product standard for intumescent coatings, so CE marking is possible via a European Technical Assessment (ETA) issued on the basis of European Assessment Document EAD 350402-00-1106 “Reactive coatings for fire protection of steel elements” (September 2017). The EAD covers the system of primer, intumescent coat and topcoat and, for fire resistance, relies on testing to EN 13381-8 with classification to EN 13501-2.
Service conditions under EAD 350402-00-1106
| Type | Conditions |
|---|---|
| X | All climatic conditions: internal, semi-exposed and exposed to the weather |
| Y | Internal and semi-exposed conditions (temperatures below 0 °C possible, no exposure to rain, limited UV exposure) |
| Z1 | Internal conditions with humidity of 85 % or higher, excluding temperatures below 0 °C |
| Z2 | Internal conditions with humidity below 85 %, excluding temperatures below 0 °C |
Type X covers all the other types; type Y also covers Z1 and Z2. The assessment methods assume an intended working life of 10 years; 25 years is accepted only where there is documented evidence of such service experience under the stated conditions. For fire resistance, assessment and verification of constancy of performance (AVCP) system 1 applies, involving a notified body, factory production control and inspections.
Given the Central Asian climate, with its wide temperature swings, winter frosts and intense summer UV, the type of service conditions stated in the ETA is one of the key parameters when selecting a coating for unheated and open structures.
Construction Products Regulation
ETAs have been issued under Regulation (EU) No 305/2011 (the Construction Products Regulation, CPR). Regulation (EU) 2024/3110 has been adopted to replace it: the new Regulation entered into force on 07.01.2025 and for the most part applies from 08.01.2026, while a number of provisions of the old Regulation remain in effect during a transitional period. Under the transitional provisions, ETAs already issued remain valid and designated bodies continue to operate.
How to read European fire protection documents
- ETA — product description, service conditions (X/Y/Z1/Z2), declared performance and references to the assessment reports.
- Classification report to EN 13501-2 — the classes for which performance has been confirmed.
- Assessment report to EN 13381-4 or -8 — thickness tables by section factor and critical temperature.
- Declaration of Performance (DoP) — the manufacturer’s declaration that accompanies the CE marking.
A test report on its own, without the assessment and classification reports, is an incomplete package: thicknesses for every section cannot be correctly derived from a single test.
Applicability in Uzbekistan
European documents are not mandatory in Uzbekistan, but they are acceptable as evidence of performance where the specification and the conformity confirmation procedure provide for this. In practice, you need to check that the fire resistance rating required by ShNK (Uzbekistan’s Urban Planning Norms and Rules), such as R 90 or R 120, is achieved with a thickness taken from the European tables for the actual section factor, and that the design critical temperature has been chosen on a sound basis. If the local expert reviewer expects a critical temperature of 500 °C, it is sensible to show the thicknesses for that value as well.