EN 1363-2:1999

Overview

EN 1363-2:1999, published by CEN, is the part of the EN 1363 series that specifies alternative and additional procedures for fire resistance tests. Designed to be read in conjunction with prEN/EN 1363-1, this standard covers special heating conditions and supplementary test methods that apply when the standard time–temperature (fire) curve is not appropriate. EN 1363-2:1999 addresses situations such as hydrocarbon fires, slow heating scenarios, external fire exposures, impact during fire, and measurement of radiative heat transfer.

Key topics

• Alternative heating conditions
  • Procedures for applying non-standard heating regimes (e.g., hydrocarbon fire curves, slow heating) when testing building elements and materials.
• External fire exposure
  • Methods for simulating fires impinging on the outside of structures (external fire exposure heating curves).
• Additional impact test
  • Guidance on assessing structural integrity under impact loading combined with fire exposure.
• Measurement of radiation
  • Procedures to measure radiative heat fluxes during test exposures where radiation plays a significant role.
• Scope linkage
  • Requirement to use EN 1363-2:1999 alongside prEN/EN 1363-1 for full test procedure definitions and common test conditions.

Applications

EN 1363-2:1999 is used where conventional furnace test procedures do not represent real-life fire scenarios. Typical practical applications include:

• Petrochemical, oil & gas, and industrial facilities requiring hydrocarbon fire assessment.
• Façade, roof and external structure testing where external fire exposure and radiation measurement are critical.
• Structural components exposed to slow heating or post-impact conditions (e.g., vehicle collisions preceding fire).
• Specialized test laboratories developing and reporting fire resistance test data under alternative curves.
• Fire safety engineers, manufacturers, certification bodies, and regulators who need rigorous methods for non-standard fire exposures.

Who uses this standard

• Accredited fire testing laboratories
• Fire protection engineers and consultants
• Building product manufacturers (cladding, doors, structural systems)
• Certification and conformity assessment bodies
• Authorities having jurisdiction for industrial and infrastructure fire safety

Related standards

• EN 1363-1 / prEN 1363-1 - companion document defining general fire resistance test methods and conditions.
• Other EN fire-resistance series standards for specific element classifications (refer to national/international fire testing guidance for the full suite).

Keywords: EN 1363-2:1999, fire resistance tests, alternative heating conditions, hydrocarbon curve, slow heating, external fire exposure, impact test, radiation measurement, CEN.