What Fire Rating Can GRC Curtain Walls Achieve?

The fire resistance of GRC curtain walls is a key safety indicator for their use as building envelope materials. According to the classification standard for burning behavior of building materials and products, high-quality GRC materials can meet the requirements of Class A non-combustible materials. Qinglong Group's GRC products have been tested by the National Quality Supervision and Inspection Center for Fire Building Materials, achieving Class A1 burning performance, producing no toxic fumes at high temperatures, and demonstrating good fire integrity. In important public buildings such as the Wuhan Han Show Theater, the GRC curtain wall system passed a 1-hour fire resistance limit test, providing valuable time for personnel evacuation and firefighting.

The fire resistance of GRC materials stems from their inorganic cementitious system. Cement-based materials do not burn at high temperatures, and their low thermal conductivity effectively blocks heat transfer. Qinglong further improves the fire resistance of GRC by optimizing mix proportions: adding polypropylene fibers, which melt at high temperatures to form interconnected pores that allow water vapor to escape, preventing spalling; and using special admixture combinations to improve volume stability at high temperatures. These technical measures enable GRC materials to maintain good integrity under fire conditions.

Fire protection design of curtain wall systems requires systematic consideration. In its GRC curtain wall designs, Qinglong strictly implements fire compartmentation requirements, installing continuous fire stops at floor levels to prevent flames and smoke from spreading through the gaps between the curtain wall and the structure. Rock wool and other non-combustible materials are used to fill the cavities, and fire-resistant sealing materials are tightly applied around all services penetrating the walls. In the Shenzhen Pingshan High-tech Zone Comprehensive Service Center project, our comprehensive fire protection design enabled the GRC curtain wall system to meet the highest requirements of the Code for Fire Protection Design of Buildings.

Fire protection of connection joints is equally important. The strength of metal connectors decreases significantly at high temperatures, so Qinglong protects connectors with fire-retardant coatings or fire protection cladding systems to ensure they do not fail prematurely in a fire. Embedded parts are positioned away from high-temperature areas, and thermal insulation gaskets are used where necessary to reduce thermal bridging effects. The entire curtain wall system is designed with integrated fire protection to ensure the overall structural stability in the event of a fire.

Qinglong Group recommends that important projects conduct full-scale fire tests to verify the actual fire performance of the GRC curtain wall system. At the same time, a fire protection maintenance regime for the curtain wall system should be established, with regular inspections of the integrity of fire stops to ensure the fire protection system remains effective at all times. Through scientific design, quality materials, and refined construction, GRC curtain walls can fully meet the most stringent fire protection requirements, providing reliable assurance for building safety.