IMO Rule A.754(18) Recommendation for Fire Endurance Tests for Class A, B and F Sections

Within the framework of various legal regulations, cargo ships and fishing vessels must have fire insulation approved by IMO. In this context, fire insulation is the ability of the structure to insulate and protect an area from the effects of fire in an adjacent area by having separating performance during a fire.

IMO rule A.754(18), published by the International Maritime Organization (IMO), covers the following structures in terms of fire resistance:

• Class A bulkheads and decks
• Class A doors
• Class B bulkheads, decks, ceiling and cladding
• Class B doors
• Class F bulkheads, decks, ceilings and cladding
• F-class doors

Approval is given according to the results of the tests to be made on the structure and material in question. Tests must be performed at an IMO recognized testing laboratory. Approval of structures is limited to the direction in which they are tested. Therefore, bulkheads, cladding and doors should be installed vertically, and decks and ceilings horizontally. Only the underside of the decks should be tested to be exposed to heating conditions, Class B and F ceilings and coatings should be tested only from the side where the ceiling or cladding is located.

Before testing, the following information must be submitted to the laboratory for each of the materials used in construction:

• Identification mark and trade name
• Basic details of the composition
• Nominal thickness
• Nominal density (for flexible materials this should be related to the nominal thickness)
• Nominal equilibrium moisture content (at 50 percent RH and 23 degrees Celsius)
• Specific heat at ambient temperature
• Thermal conductivity at ambient temperature

The density of each material used in the test sample must be within plus/minus 10 percent of the value specified as the nominal density.

The applicant must provide all structural details of the test specimen in the form of drawings and assembly method, including a detailed component program. In this way, the laboratory can confirm the agreement between the actual sample and the drawings and specifications before testing. The drawings should include the dimensions and details of the insulation thicknesses used in the pavements, the method of securing the insulation system and the details of the components used for this purpose, the details of the joints, joints, air gaps and all other details.

Our organization also provides testing services within the scope of IMO rule A.754(18), with its trained and expert staff and advanced technological equipment, among the numerous test, measurement, analysis and evaluation studies it provides for businesses in various sectors.