EN 1366-1

EN 1366-1 Fire resistance test for service installations

-Part 1 : Ducts
General principles
The objective of the test method described in EN 1366-1 is to assess the ability
of a duct system to resist a fire from spreading from one fire compartment to
another. Not only does the test cover the fire resistance of the ducts, but also
the suspension system and the penetration through the wall/floor.

Preparation for a horizontal test at DBI

The test is divided into two fire scenarios, fire from outside of the duct and fire
from inside of the duct. One duct is needed for each scenario and both scenarios have to be tested in horizontal and vertical direction. A total of four ducts
are therefore necessary for a full test.
A full test covers one type of duct shape (circular or rectangular) and one type
of supporting construction (rigid or flexible). As an example, a full test could
cover circular ducts penetrating a rigid wall/floor.
Each duct are tested with a part of the duct inside the furnace (exposed
surface) and a part outside the furnace (unex-posed surface) as shown in the
photo. The standard heating curve described in EN 1363-1 is used for both
scenarios.

Fire from outside

Fire from outside

The duct is subjected to an under pressure of 300 Pa. The end of the duct outside the furnace is unrestrained making it possible for the duct to defect.
During the test, the leakage due to under pressure, the deflection of the duct
and the temperature rise on the unexposed surface are measured (see figure
A).

Fire from inside

Inside the furnace the duct is partly opened. A fan is connected to the duct in
order to extract hot furnace gas at a velocity of 3 m/s. For five minutes, prior to
every 30 minutes of testing, the fan is switched off (see figure B).
The duct is restrained at both ends. Forces from the elongation of the duct and
the temperature rise on the unex-posed side are measured during the test.

Fire from inside

Performance criteria
The ducts are monitored throughout the test for performance against three
criteria: Integrity (E), Insulation (I) and Smoke leakage (S).
The integrity is the ability of the duct system to prevent the passage of flames
and hot gases through the system and to prevent the occurrence of flames on
the unexposed side. The duct can no longer satisfy the integrity criteria if:
sustained flaming on the unexposed side occurs
it fails the cotton pad test or the gap gauge test
the leakage exceeds 15 m3/h per m2 exposed duct surface. This criterion
applies only to duct A.

The duct does no longer satisfy the Insulation criteria if the temperature rise
on the unexposed side exceeds 180 oC on any of the thermocouples or 140
oC in average. (The average temperature criterion only applies for some of the
thermocouples.)

The smoke leakage criterion is equal to the third integrity criterion with a limit
of 10 m3/h per m2 exposed duct surface.

Testing at DBI
The capacity of the combi furnace at DBI makes it possible to test both fire
from inside and fire from outside simultaneously.
It is possible to mount the vertical ducts in a frame away from the furnace,
while at the same time, the horizontal ducts are built in into the combi furnace.

Further information
For further information regarding
testing fire dampers according to
this method, please contact
Anders Drustrup
Phone: +45 36 34 90 38
E-mail: adr@dbi-net.dk

This testing facility makes it possible to mount the vertical and the horizontal
duct at the same time if the sponsor wishes.
The flexible system of double mounting increases the efficiency and reduces
the time for preparation and testing.
At DBI the time needed to make a complete horizontal and a vertical test is 1
weeks.
The dimension of the ducts needed for the test is listed in the table below.

Classification
The three performance criteria are used for classifying the duct system according to prEN 13051-3 (The prEN 13051-3 is not yet finished, but is expected to
be published in 2005).
Ducts tested with the prescribed dimensions cover ducts with rectangular
dimensions up to 1000 mm x 1000 mm and circular ducts with a diameter up to
1000 mm.

Test specimens
C ross-section
C ircular

Rectangular

Scenario
Diameter
Fire outside duct (A) 800 10 mm
Fire inside duct (B)
630 10 mm
Scenario
Width
Fire outside duct (A) 1000 10 mm
Fire inside duct (B)
1000 10 mm

Height
500 10 mm
25010 mm

Danish Institute of Fire and Security Technology

05/08

Jernholmen 12, DK-2650 Hvidovre

Tlf.: +45 36 34 90 00, Fax: +45 36 34 90 01
E-mail: dbi@dbi-net.dk
www.dbi-net.dk