Fire resistance of passive fire protection coatings after long-term weathering

Passive fire protection (PFP) systems are widely used by the oil, gas and chemical industries to protect offshore and onshore facilities against the effects of fire. However, there are concerns that the performance of PFP systems in a fire may have deteriorated because of weathering and/or that corrosion of the protected item may be taking place beneath the PFP systems. In May 1987, Shell UK began a long-term PFP weathering programme at a maritime test site using furnace tests to assess the fire performance of the materials. The programme was handed over to the Health and Safety Executive in October 1999 and was continued and extended to include the more severe jet fire testing of weathered specimens. This paper describes the effects of weathering on six epoxy intumescent PFP products and one cementitious PFP product in common use. The results are discussed in relation to alterations in physical form, corrosion of the substrate and changes in fire resistance.