The effect of fire curves on the thermal characteristics of a compartment fire: ISO 834 vs. Eurocode

This work investigates the thermal characteristics of compartment fires using four different fire curves, with a particular focus on evaluating the ISO 834 standard fire curve’s applicability in the present era. A series of scaled-down compartment fire tests were conducted, comparing the ISO 834 curve against two Eurocode fire curves representing office and dwelling fire loads. The results demonstrate significant differences in heat release rates, peak temperatures and wall heat fluxes. While the ISO 834 curve results in a more gradual temperature increase, the Eurocode curves show earlier and higher peaks, with temperature differences reaching up to 450°C. The findings highlight that although the total fire load in different fire curves may be similar, the temporal distribution of the developing thermal effects varies greatly, potentially influencing structural integrity and material performance.