ISO 834-8:2002

Overview - ISO 834-8:2002 (fire-resistance tests for non-loadbearing walls)

ISO 834-8:2002 defines specific procedures for determining the fire resistance of non-loadbearing vertical separating elements (walls) exposed to heating on one face. It supplements the general requirements of ISO 834-1 and is intended for test use where the wall is representative of in-service construction. The standard excludes curtain walls and walls containing doors or glazing (see ISO 3008 and ISO 3009). Application to other untested constructions is possible only within the direct field of application or after an extended application analysis per ISO/TR 12470.

Key topics and technical requirements

• Scope and exclusions: Applies only to non-loadbearing vertical separating elements; curtain walls, doors and glazed walls are handled by other standards.
• Specimen design and size: Test specimens must be fully representative or designed for wide applicability. Dimensions ≤ 3 m are tested full-size; any dimension > 3 m must be tested at no less than 3 m.
• Supporting construction & restraint: Guidance for installing smaller specimens in a furnace opening; one vertical edge may be left unrestrained with a 25–50 mm gap packed with resilient non-combustible material.
• Test frame rigidity: Increase in internal frame dimension must not exceed 5 mm under a 25 kN applied force.
• Instrumentation:
  • Furnace plate thermometers (minimum of four) distributed across the exposed face.
  • Unexposed-face thermocouples located not closer than 100 mm to any edge at specified positions.
  • Deflection measurement instrumentation to record movements greater than 5 mm at centre and near free edge.
• Performance criteria: Judged against integrity and insulation criteria defined in ISO 834-1.
• Validity & reporting: Test validity requires compliance with equipment, conditions, specimen preparation, instrumentation and procedure limits. Results and test reports follow ISO 834-1 formats.
• Safety: The standard emphasizes hazard assessment (toxic smoke, mechanical risks) and requires written safety instructions and training.

Practical applications and users

Who uses ISO 834-8:2002:

• Fire-test laboratories conducting fire-resistance tests
• Building product manufacturers (non-loadbearing partition systems)
• Fire engineers and consultants performing performance assessments and extended application analyses
• Building code authorities and certification bodies evaluating fire compartmentation solutions

Typical uses:

• Certification and performance verification of partition walls
• Providing data for fire compartmentation design and regulatory compliance
• Supporting extended field-of-application studies for similar constructions

Related standards

• ISO 834-1 - General requirements (test conditions, criteria, reporting)
• ISO 3008 - Tests for walls containing doors
• ISO 3009 - Tests for walls containing glazing
• ISO/TR 12470 - Extended application analysis guidance
• ISO 13943 - Fire safety vocabulary

Keywords: ISO 834-8:2002, fire-resistance tests, non-loadbearing vertical separating elements, fire resistance, test procedure, furnace, integrity, insulation, ISO 834-1.