Fire resistance of beams, columns, slabs, and walls — Ch. 37 orientation.

Scope

CivilTech notes on structural fire behaviour and design. Not a substitute for project codes, approvals, or peer review.

Regulatory context. South African projects follow National Building Regulations, SANS 10400, and cited material standards; use this material as orientation only.

Using this page

  1. Context — Cross-check these notes with your project fire strategy and the code edition on the job.
  2. Tools — The Fire Engineering page has ISO 834 and steel-retention calculators for quick checks.
  3. Approval — Fire resistance and structural fire design remain subject to the local authority and appointed engineers.

Fire engineering — Member resistance

Section 6 — Demonstrating R (load-bearing) for a required duration for beams, columns, slabs, and walls.

Beams and slabs

Flexure, shear, and deflection limits interact with protection thickness and support conditions; sagging and hogging regions may differ in exposure.

Columns and walls

Stability under thermal gradients and reduced modulus is central; eccentricity and second-order effects often need explicit consideration.

Evidence

Design may use tabulated data, calculation to an approved method, or structural fire testing—consistent with the project’s regulatory route.

Diagram sources

This page has no diagram assets. Text is CivilTech orientation on resistance ratings and evidence—follow the governing standard and approval route for your jurisdiction.