Fire resistance is measured in minutes of survival against a standard fire curve: the furnace follows the ISO 834 cellulosic temperature-time relationship - reaching about 842 °C at 30 minutes and 945 °C at 60 minutes - while the element under test is loaded, pressurised and observed for integrity failures (flames, hot gases, cotton pad ignition) and insulation failures (temperature rise on the unexposed face). Motis supplies furnaces for this work, including chamber furnace configurations registered for element testing.
How the Fire Resistance Test Furnace (ISO 834) works
The element is built into a restraint frame forming one face of the furnace. Burners bring the furnace onto the standard curve, controlled from furnace thermocouples, with furnace pressure managed to the method. Throughout the exposure, the unexposed face temperatures, deflection and integrity observations are recorded until a failure criterion is reached or the target rating time is achieved.
Key specifications
| Standards | ISO 834-1, EN 1363-1 (heating and pressure conditions for fire resistance tests) |
|---|---|
| Heating | Standard temperature-time curve of ISO 834 (cellulosic curve) |
| Assessment | Integrity (E) and insulation (I) criteria as the product standard requires; loadbearing capacity (R) for loadbearing elements with the appropriate frame |
What the test reports
- Time to failure against each criterion (integrity, insulation, loadbearing capacity)
- Unexposed-face temperature records
- Furnace temperature and pressure records against the standard tolerances
Applications
Doors, partitions, glazing, dampers and penetration seals all earn their ratings in furnaces of this type. Fire resistance furnaces are bespoke installations sized to the elements you test; the specification process starts from your element sizes and target ratings.
Frequently asked questions
Which standard should I order against?
Order against the standard your reports must cite. The instrument platform is shared across the listed standards, but fixtures, software templates and calibration routines differ, so name the standard (and its year) in your inquiry and the configuration will be matched to it.
Can the instrument be installed in an existing laboratory?
Yes, in most cases. Tell us the available floor space, ceiling height, exhaust capacity and gas supplies in your inquiry; large systems such as the SBI and tunnel furnaces need a dedicated exhaust arrangement, which is confirmed in the layout proposal before ordering.
What size furnace do I need?
Furnace size follows the largest element you must test - a door set, a wall sample or a glazing unit. Tell us the element types and maximum dimensions in your inquiry; the furnace, frame and burner capacity are engineered from that.
Can one furnace do vertical and horizontal elements?
Vertical and horizontal orientations need different frames and furnace arrangements. Many laboratories start with the orientation their market demands most; describe your element mix and we will propose the configuration.
Configuration, installation and support
Every Fire Resistance Test Furnace (ISO 834) is supplied as a configured system, not a bare instrument: the test chamber or frame, the burner or heater assemblies named in the method, the measurement chain and the control software with the report templates for ISO 834-1, EN 1363-1. Before quotation we confirm the installation conditions with you - floor loading and ceiling height for large rigs, exhaust and extraction routes, gas and fuel services, and power supply - because a fire test instrument only produces defensible data when the room around it is right. Commissioning covers assembly, calibration of the measurement chain against the method's own checks, and training of your operators on running the test and maintaining the apparatus. Spare ignition parts, thermocouples and other consumables for the first period of operation can be included in the supply, and the instrument is supported with calibration and maintenance services after installation.
What to include in your inquiry
To quote the Fire Resistance Test Furnace (ISO 834) correctly the first time, send: the standard and edition you will test to (ISO 834-1, EN 1363-1); the materials or products you will test and their sizes; the configuration options you already know you need; and the destination laboratory's location and available services. If you are building a new fire laboratory rather than adding one instrument, say so - this apparatus is often planned together with the other instruments in its category, and a combined layout and exhaust plan is cheaper than three separate ones.