The Fire Laboratory and Fire Engineering

  • co-operation with industry, businesses, and individuals who encounter problems in connection with the fire safety of products and building
  • the performance of standard laboratory tests of the reaction to fire and fire resistance of structures; the preparation of opinions and expert studies, as well as reviews, throughout the whole field of fire engineering
  • tests of the fire resistance of structures and the reaction to fire of materials have been performed since 1949, whereas fire studies have been performed since 1984research activities
  • since the field of fire safety involves the application of numerous disciplines, researchers and experts from different fields (mechanical engineering, electrotechnics, building and civil engineering, technical safety, physics, and chemistry) are involved
  • professional excellence, the acquirement of new knowledge, unique research and testing equipment in Slovenia, the linking together of researchers and experts from different fields both in Slovenia and in other countries, participation in the work of Slovenian and international organizations and associations

Accreditation

Main activities

Performance of standard and non-standard tests of materials and structures for:

  • Building and civil engineering
  • Testing of reaction to fire, testing of fire resistance
  • The ship-building industry
  • Preparation of Slovenian and European technical assessments for construction products
  • Preparation and reviews of designs and fire safety studies for all kinds of buildings (conventional design according to the valid fire safety regulations, and the advanced performance approach), consulting
  • Preparation of expert opinions about the fire properties of products and specific fire safety problems
  • Expert opinions about the fire resistance of load-bearing structural elements and assemblages of such elements
  • Inspection of structures that have been damaged in fires, preparation of expert studies about the reason for the outbreak and spread of fire
  • Expert studies of the state of load-bearing structures after a fire, and the preparation of necessary repair and strengthening measures
  • Expert studies about evacuation times in buildings in the case of a real fire
  • Education and training in all of the above-mentioned fields

Co-operation in international associations

  • EOTA – European Organisation for Technical Assessment
  • EGOLF – European Group of Organisations for Fire Testing, Inspection and Certification
  • SIST – Slovenian Institute for Standardization
  • CEN – European Committee for Standardization
  • IMO – International Maritime Organization
  • SZPV – Slovenian Association for Fire Safety
  • NFPA – National Fire Protection Association
  • ENBRI – European Network of Building Research Institutes

Research and development

Research is performed in the wider field of fire safety engineering. Our clients include various ministries and branches of industry, and we participate in European projects. The results of the research are regularly published in international scientific journals, and by means of popular science and scientific contributions in domestic journals (e.g. Požar / Fire, Gradbenik / Civil Engineering Contractor, and Gradbeni vestnik / Building Herald) we ensure the dissemination of knowledge and awareness of the importance of fire safety in Slovenia.

Some important research and development projects:
BRIMEE
Cost-effective and sustainable Bio-Renewable Indoor Materials with high potential for xustomisation and creative design in Energy Efficient buildings		 FP 7 – EEB
InnoRenew CoE
Renewable materials and healthy environments research and innovation centre of excellence		 H2020 – TEAMING
Q-Air
Sustainable Prefabricated Glass Façade with Performance Exceeding State-of-the-art Glass Façades		 H2020 – FTI
FIRESIM
Fire-safe placement of combustible materials in steel-framed buildings: Model development and experimental verification		 ARRS
TIGR4Smart
Sustainable and Innovative Construction for Smart Buildings
Area S4 – Smart Buildings and Timber Chain Home		 MIZŠ RRP in value chains and networks
InnoWEE
Innovative pre-fabricated components including different waste construction materials reducing building energy and minimising environmental impacts		 H2020 – EEB
Large-scale fire resistance testing of a contact ETICS facade JUB, 2012
Research on fire response and fire resistance of lime plaster with straw for renovation of cultural heritage buildings and installation in modern wooden buildings MIZŠ, 2013
Cost Action TU0904
Integrated Fire Engineering and Response		 COST (EC), 2010-2014
Fire-resisting construction products and materials after a real fire Ministry of Defence RS, 2012-2014

Major items of research and testing equipment

  • a vertically positioned furnace for testing the fire resistance of vertical structures with sizes up to 3 × 3 m
  • a horizontally positioned furnace for testing the fire resistance of inter-storey and roofing elements with sizes up to 3 m × 4 m, and for testing the elements of systems for the removal of fumes and heat (in the case of load-bearing structures loads can be applied by means of a hydraulically powered system)
  • an SBI measurement system
  • measurements of the reaction of floor coverings to fire
  • a furnace for the testing of non-combustibility
  • a calorimeter
  • equipment for testing the operation of chimneys
  • joint use of other laboratory equipment (thermo-gravimetric apparatus and other laboratory equipment of the Laboratory for Polymers and the Laboratory for Structures)
  • software: ABAQUS, Phisibel, FDS, and Smokeview.

Head of Laboratory:
Friderik Knez
PhD
e-mail: pozarni.laboratorij@zag.si
Phone:
01 513 04 78
01 513 06 78