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Horizontal Furnace

Horizontal Fire Resistance Test Furnace

Structural fire testing of horizontal and loadbearing construction elements with project-specific mechanical loading arrangements.

Structural Fire Testing

Horizontal Testing Under Load

  • Floors and roofs
  • Ceilings
  • Beams
  • Columns
  • Loadbearing walls
  • Ducts and dampers
  • Façade / spandrel systems
  • Penetration seals
  • Applied structural fire protection

Typical Configuration

  • Horizontal test areas from 4 × 2 m up to 4 × 8 m supplied; standard sizes 3 × 3 m and 4 × 3 m; custom dimensions per laboratory scope
  • Movable walls to reconfigure the exposed opening (4 × 5 / 4 × 4 / 4 × 3 m delivered)
  • Project-specific multi-chamber concept
  • Hydraulic loading systems, reaction frames and load measurement
  • Integrated data acquisition

STARKOS engineers project-specific dimensions according to laboratory requirements.

Mechanical Loading

Hydraulic frames for wall, floor, column and beam load application, supplied and commissioned with the furnace.

Floors & Beams

Multiple hydraulic cylinders can be positioned to achieve the required load distribution during fire exposure.

Walls & Columns

Hydraulic loading with measurement and regulation; controlled loading arrangement according to specimen and project configuration.

Refractory-lined furnace chamber alongside the loading frame with hydraulic cylinders mounted over the test opening

Performance

  • Furnace pressure control: ±2 Pa within the specified pressure range
  • Fire curves: ISO 834, slow heating, HC, HCM, RABT, RWS and project-specific curves
  • Maximum temperature capability: up to 1,350 °C, depending on furnace configuration
  • Burner power: configurable according to furnace size and required fire curve
  • Control: fully automatic PLC/SCADA operation with manual override
  • Fuel options: natural gas or light fuel oil, according to project requirements

Maximum temperature, burner power and curve set are specified per project; 1,350 °C is the capability ceiling of the range, not the rating of every furnace.

Refractory Construction

  • High-alumina refractory materials selected according to furnace temperature and duty
  • Insulating refractory layers designed to reduce heat losses and external surface temperatures
  • Low-thermal-mass construction for controlled thermal response
  • Modular refractory design to facilitate inspection, maintenance and replacement
  • Engineered expansion joints to accommodate thermal movement and reduce deformation

Steel Structure

  • Heavy-duty welded steel structure engineered for repeated thermal cycling
  • Structural design adapted to furnace dimensions, specimen loads and laboratory configuration
  • Furnace casing and reinforcement designed for dimensional stability during testing
  • Accessible construction for inspection and maintenance
  • Surface protection and finishing according to project and environmental requirements

Referenced Standards

  • EN 1363-1 / -2
  • EN 1364-2 / -3
  • EN 1365-1 / -2 / -3 / -4
  • EN 1366-1 / -2 / -3 / -4 / -5 / -8 / -9 / -10
  • EN 13381-4
  • CEN/TS 13381-1
  • BS 476 Part 20 / 22
  • ASTM E119
  • ASTM E814
  • UL 1479
  • UL 2079

Furnace configuration, instrumentation and control systems are engineered according to the applicable test standards and the laboratory's specific testing programme. Final compliance capability depends on the delivered configuration, instrumentation, commissioning and the exact applicable edition of each standard.

Selected Horizontal Furnace Projects

  • Country
    United Arab Emirates
    Laboratory
    Fire testing consultancy
    Scope
    Complete laboratoryComplete laboratory: concept, design, commissioning and technician training
    Equipment
    Horizontal furnace 4 × 5 / 4 × 4 / 4 × 3 m with movable walls
  • Country
    Slovenia
    Laboratory
    National building institute
    Scope
    Complete laboratoryComplete laboratory: concept, design, commissioning and technician training
    Equipment
    Horizontal configurations 4 × 4, 4 × 8, 4 × 6 and 4 × 2 m of one light-fuel-oil-fired multi-configuration furnace to EN 1363-1
  • Country
    Denmark
    Laboratory
    Fire and security technology institute, Hvidovre
    Scope
    Design & commissioningConcept, design, commissioning and technician training
    Equipment
    Horizontal/vertical furnace 5.5 × 3.1 × 4.2 m, EN 1363-1, max. 1,300 °C, 9,288,000 kcal/h
All references

Other Configurations

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Discuss Your Project

Contact STARKOS to define your test programme, standards, specimen dimensions, instrumentation and laboratory requirements.

Request Informationinfo@starkos.co