Fire damage diagnosis.

Fire damage diagnosis of concrete is a process of investigating the cause and extent of fire and smoke damage to concrete structures. This is critical because fire damage of concrete is often not visible on the surface and the investigation is required to ensure the safety and integrity of the concrete. The purpose of fire investigation of concrete is to determine whether the concrete is still strong and stable after the fire and whether further repairs or replacements are needed to restore the structure.

There are several techniques used in fire damage testing of concrete, including visual inspections, concrete hardness measurements and destructive tests.

HERE IS AN EXAMPLE of possible components of a fire damage diagnosis:

• VISUAL INSPECTION AND DAMAGE INVENTORY

  • A visual inspection and inventory of all relevant damage phenomena to the affected elements

• SAMPLING AND LABORATORY ANALYSIS

  • Sampling and destructive examination of the damaged materials combined with laboratory analysis to identify possible degradation of material properties.

• TECHNICAL EVALUATION

  • A technical assessment of the stability of the building/elements with accompanying recommendations for repair, reinforcement, or at worst demolition.

• FIRE RESISTANCE CALCULATION

  • Detailed fire resistance calculation of concrete elements cf. NBN EN 1992-1-2