We have a range of precast products which can be used for the construction of concrete fire and blast walls and can achieve up to 4 hours protection. The required containment or separation time will vary depending on the application and location of the project.
Prestressed concrete panels can be installed horizontally between steel columns. If the panels are positioned in the web of the steels, the steel columns may require protection with fire retardant (intumescent) paint. If prestressed panels are installed vertically, with the base of the wall cast into a foundation, then no additional steel supports are required. With panel thicknesses of up to 280mm, we can achieve 3-hour fire protection. Wall heights for horizontal panels will depend on the steel supports, but can potentially go up to 10m, for the vertical cantilever panels, the maximum height is 6m.
The heavy-duty cast in retaining walls can be cast-into a foundation or reinforced concrete floor, which extends the cantilever at the base of the wall. The 250mm thick units, can achieve 3-hour fire protection and are available in heights up to 5m.
If you have an existing concrete floor and do not want to create specific foundations for constructing a fire wall or if you require temporary containment, the interlocking concrete blocks can be used. The 800mm thick blocks, will provide 4 hours of fire protection. For any precast concrete wall to provide protection from fire, joints between the precast elements will require sealing. We recommend Sika Hybriflex FR, which has a 4-hour fire rating.
Please note – the exact amount of time that a precast retaining wall will provide protection from fire will vary depending on a number of factors including, wall location, type of combustible material, concrete strength, cover and type of reinforcement used. Times stated above are for guidance only, site specific durations will be subject to engineers’ design.
If you are not sure which retaining wall product would best suit your needs, please get in touch and one of our product experts will be happy to discuss your options and advise on the most cost-effective solution. We offer a design and installation service for precast concrete products used in the construction of concrete fire and blast walls, please speak to the contracts team for more information.
We provide a full design, construction and precast concrete installation service for all of our products, enabling us to offer turnkey solutions.
Our dedicated team of structural engineers, groundworkers & precast installers have experience of delivering a wide range of construction projects and operate nationwide.
