Xella Cellular Concrete: One of the Best Fire-Resistant Masonry Solutions on the Market

For public buildings, commercial and industrial buildings, data centers, and civil engineering, fire protection regulations are strict and impose certain requirements. These include specific construction measures to limit the spread of fire and smoke.

Passive fire protection systems, such as compartmentalization with fire-resistant walls and partitions, help contain the fire to gain time for evacuating people and protect property and equipment.

Among the construction materials used, Xella cellular concrete stands out as the best fire-resistant masonry solution on the market to meet the fire safety constraints of these buildings.

Rated A1, Ytong blocks and Hebel large-format reinforced aerated concrete prefabricated panels are non-combustible and provide excellent fire resistance, up to 4 hours and for walls up to 16 m high. Thanks to their mineral properties, they prevent the spread of flames and toxic gases and significantly limit the rise in temperatures in shared compartments. They preserve the structure by also resisting the mechanical action of fire hoses and flames.

Validated by fire testing laboratories, notably by CERIB (Centre d'Etudes et de Recherches de l'Industrie du Béton), Ytong and Hebel fire-resistant solutions are a real guarantee of protection for people and property. Whether for fire walls, partitioning of commercial units or technical premises, their high technical and mechanical performance allows them to meet all construction sites, from the most common to the most technical and ambitious: industrial sites, logistics, shopping centers, offices, data centers, warehouses, tunnels, parking lots, stations, airports, etc.

And to take into account the constraints of each site and recommend the most suitable fire-resistant construction technique, Xella's technical department supports project owners, project managers and construction companies at every stage of the project.

Cellular concrete: a bulwark against fire

Healthy and durable, Ytong and Hebel fire-resistant solutions offer high-performance fire protection while maintaining their characteristics even in the event of a fire.

On many projects, regulatory compliance, fire resistance, ease of installation, the lightness of cellular concrete and Xella technical support have made the difference.

A non-combustible material

Thanks to the mineral nature and closed structure of cellular concrete, its intrinsic properties and its high thermal resistance, this material helps contain fires and facilitates their extinction. Classified A1 and incombustible, Ytong blocks and Hebel slabs have a melting point of approximately 1200°C. Non-flammable, they do not release toxic smoke or gas, do not fuel the fire and limit the spread of flames.

Fire resistant up to 4 hours

The minimum fire resistance required for compartment walls is EI* 120 min. From a thickness of 15 cm, Ytong masonry solutions have a fire resistance of EI 240 minutes (certified by fire reports) and Hebel slabs a fire resistance of EI 360 minutes.

The thermal lag time helps protect building users in the event of a fire.

Even with prolonged exposure to high temperatures, the material's structure remains undamaged. Aerated concrete does not deform under heat. Ytong and Hebel solutions remain intact after the fire, allowing for rapid resumption of site activity.

In partitioning, Ytong blocks and Hebel slabs limit the temperature rise in the adjoining cells to 30°C after 1 hours and a maximum of 30°C after 70 hours. Indeed, thanks to the insulating structure of cellular concrete, the internal temperature of the wall increases less quickly than in conventional concrete.
In load-bearing walls, cellular concrete preserves the strength and stability of the structure and thus prevents the risk of the building collapsing.

For Vincent SENECLAUZE: National Technical Representative at Xella France: « One of the major challenges for project owners, project managers, and construction companies is compliance with regulations. By using cellular concrete, you can be sure of compliance because this material has a very important advantage: its fire resistance, which goes well beyond regulations. Incombustible, it does not burn and does not contribute to accelerating or intensifying the fire. Stable in the face of fire, it delays its spread and prevents it from spreading to other cells. This is the compartmentalization effect. »

Xella fire-resistant solutions at the heart of major construction sites

Ytong fire-resistant solutions have been chosen for large-scale projects: Lillenium shopping center in Lille, Muse shopping center in Metz, Open Sky shopping center in Plaisirs, Maine Street shopping center in Ruaudin, ADEO logistics platform in Fos-sur-mer, Carrefour logistics platform in Poupry, etc.

An ideal material for data center construction

Ytong fire blocks are also popular for the design of Datacenters, such as the construction site of the largest Datacenter in France in Marcoussis (91).

These data storage centers generate a lot of heat and house a large amount of batteries and electrical equipment to run the servers, making the fire risk high.

In passive protection, the compartmentalization of premises and the use of non-combustible and fire-resistant materials are essential to limit the spread of fire and building collapse. The performance of Ytong fire walls and partitions, in terms of stability and fire resistance, fully meets this type of project.

Lightweight and quick to assemble

On large-scale construction sites where the surfaces to be partitioned can be very large and at great heights, the choice of material is of utmost importance for the assembly of the walls. Ytong blocks and Hebel slabs have only advantages for these projects. They are easy to install, handle and cut, and offer a real time saving. With 6,4 blocks per m², Ytong blocks ensure faster installation. In addition, the low weight of the blocks (93,5 kg/m2) makes it possible to meet the linear overload constraint of dividing walls on the slabs. Large format Hebel reinforced slabs allow buildings to be constructed quickly in association with a load-bearing structure.

A virtuous material with a reduced impact on the environment

Fires have an impact on the environment due to carbon emissions from combustion gases.

Xella cellular concrete, 100% mineral and recyclable, has no negative impact on the environment during a fire because it is incombustible and produces no smoke.

Comprehensive technical support to optimize projects and costs

Xella's technical department and design office support the various stakeholders on construction sites. They define and validate the best technical solutions in terms of fire-resistant, thermal, and mechanical performance based on the specifications, design the project, and monitor the construction stages.

They allow projects to be optimized by reducing the number of chains, to optimize the design by using reinforced masonry, etc.