Fire Protection 

With the recent, highly publicised tunnel fires and consequent damage suffered to their structural linings, the need for fire protection of underground structures has clearly been identified by national authorities.

The fire protection of tunnels is currently viewed as a means to significantly reduce repair time and costs, open the tunnel sooner following a fire, and in some instances, preserve human life.

 To effectively prevent explosive concrete spalling, no reduction in structural concrete strength, or loss in reinforcement tensile strength during a tunnel fire, a thermal barrier is the only solution.

BASF’s unique solution is known as MEYCO^® Fireshield 1350 which is a cementitious sprayed thermal barrier with unique properties that can be sprayed with robotic systems providing high production rates, even finish and of controlled thickness. The thermal barrier system is relatively thin and ideal for both new build tunnels, and existing unprotected tunnel linings where, typically, the space envelope is always limited.

Key features of MEYCO^® Fireshield 1350:

• Significantly higher compressive strength compared to conventional fire barriers
• Durable during service life and under fire
• TNO tested to Dutch Tunnel Fire Load Requirements (RWS, 1350°C for 2 hours)
• As a fully bonded solution, there is no requirement for reinforcement mesh
• Applied by MEYCO^® Robojet Logica to a tolerance of ± 4mm
• Variable thickness of fire barrier to suit fire loads
• Comprehensive technical backup including Design Guide for different fire loads