Concrete Upgrading Fire Protection
Strengthening and upgrading the structural system to improve fire performance of an existing building is a common building renovation activity. For upgrade projects, design engineers must deal with structures in which every element carries a share of the existing load. Contractors must also deal with critical issues related to access of the work area, constructability of the repair, noise and dust control, as well as the type of construction materials. The latter may not be quite as critical as for new construction projects.

Upgrading concrete systems with matrix engineered mineral board not only improves fire performance but also ensures that high, increased loading is not added to the construction. Equally important, Promat concrete upgrading systems have been tested in a series of fire resistance tests of concrete floors and walls lined with PROMATECT^®-H board. Results are presented in terms of the thickness of PROMATECT^®-H linings required to give a specified improvement in performance over the performance of unprotected concrete. Base concrete thicknesses are readily available from the Promat Technical Department.

General Design Considerations
Following are some of the factors that should be considered when determining the correct specification to ensure a concrete floor will provide the required fire performance: