Fire Protection by Thermal CeramicsTo meet the requirements of the French equipment and transport ministry's directive 2000-63 of 25th August, 2000 the Ariege provincial road agency (DDE) - project owner, and SNCF Ingenierie - lead engineer, wanted to improve the fire resistance of the concrete slab of the emergency escapes and the air extraction and technical ducts in the 2,159 m tunnel on national road N20 in Foix, a Pyrenean city in southern France. Providing thermal protection for the concrete structure with 28 mm of Thermal Ceramics' sprayed mortar FireBarrier 135 after installing a specific grid, the DDE and SNCF Ingenierie ensured level N2 protection, meeting the requirements of the two-hour HCM fire curve. This work, covering 21,500 square metres, was performed in the summer of 2004. Visit www.thermalceramics.comTo meet the requirements of the same directive in the L'Epine tunnel (3,092 m / 3,182 m) on the A43 highway in the French Alps, AREA - the highway operator, and Ingerop - the lead engineer, wanted to improve the fire resistance of the ventilation plant, by protecting the concrete structures with a coating guaranteeing protection to level N3 (two-hour HCM fire curve and four-hour ISO 834 curve). The FireBarrier 135 sprayed mortar was applied in a 28 mm-thick layer after installation of a specific grid. This work was performed between June and October 2005 in the north tunnel. The sheets used for the entrance shafts were also insulated with 75 mm of FireBarrier 135, as well as the electric lines and shafts between areas. At the end of May 2006, French company Innovative Fire System (IFS) will start coordinating the works to install also FireMaster FireBarrier 135 protective mortar in the south tunnel. About 50 tons of product will be installed to protect the ventilation shafts and the electric supply compartments. Click fr/60. Visit www.plan-chamois.com, www.area-autoroutes.fr and www.ingerop.comAt the Maurice Lemaire tunnel (6,872 m) in Alsace, Autoroutes Paris-Rhin-Rhone (APRR) - the owner, and lead engineers Scetauroute and Bonnard et Gardel wanted to provide extra fire resistance for the stale air slab. FireBarrier 135 was selected since the product meets both the N2 and N3 requirements in a 28 mm-thick coating. It will be installed in mid 2006 over 37,500 sq m. The work will take four months. Visit www.parisrhinrhone.fr, www.scetauroute.com and www.bg-21.comIn the Monaco tunnel (1,591 m), the city of Monaco - the project owner, and prime contractor Scetauroute wanted to provide fire resistance for old pre-stressed beams under Albert Prince Palace. FireBarrier 135 was selected in a 65 mm-thick coating as the product meets N2 requirements. It has been installed in March 2006. Click fr/42. View pictures here. 17/06.