PRINCIPLE SCHEMA OF AN ORIGINAL FULL-, AND REDUCED-SCALE TESTING BENCH, DESTINED TO FIRE PROTECTION INVESTIGATIONS

The authors present the principia of an original testing bench, destined to evaluate the fire-resistance behaviours of the full-scale, as well as the reduced-scale structural elements, subjected to different fire scenarios. The presented scheme is conceived for the column-type elements, but it can be extended also to other ones. The twelve Silite-type electric-heated elements are electronic-controlled and assure a desired stable thermal regime (up to 800°C) with ±1.5°C accuracy. The requested power supply is a 380 AC, with a minimum 30 A permissible current intensity. The presented testing bench can substitute successfully in the above-mentioned testing conditions the relatively difficult and also unsafe gas-burners systems. In the authors opinion this new principia will become useful in the thorough fire-protection experimental investigations, both for unprotected as well as for the protected structural elements.