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Fire Resistant Molabolt - Corus
The new Firebolt, strength with safety - Corus and Molabolt beat the heat
Andrew Orton, Marketing Development Engineer at Corus explains why he encouraged Molabolt to develop the Firebolt.
Like many others, 9/11 has had a significant impact on Andrew Orton, an engineer in charge of market development at Corus Tubes. Although Corus had been looking at the issues surrounding the use of steel construction in fire before 9/11, that fatal day added an impetus to the research which has taken up much of Andrew’s time since. One area of special interest is the performance of steel connections in fire.
His attention was drawn to the Molabolt and he recognised in its unique qualities a good solution to the problem of reliably connecting steel beams to concrete filled columns, which are one of the most rugged types of column there is under fire conditions . On discussing it with Molabolt it was decided to develop the Firebolt. Designed and patented by ABS Molabolt, the Firebolt is a unique fixing which will allow for maximum benefit to be derived from the combined use of steel and concrete in major construction projects.
Says Andrew: "Corus has been looking at composite construction for many years, researching and testing concrete filled structural hollow sections under all kinds of fire conditions. The concrete adds strength, disperses heat and helps the steel maintain its shape in high temperatures. We believe that one of the key issues in maximising the life-saving benefits of combining steel and concrete columns with steel beams lies in the design of the joints – and in particular the fixings used to secure those joints. We believe that the Firebolt will turn out to be one of the best solutions, available on the market today, for this kind of connection."
"Fire retardants can be dispensed with in many cases"
Recent debates within the structural engineering community have centred on the relative merits of steel structures versus concrete. Andrew Orton believes that this is a misleading debate and that the priority must be to make sure that the frame, as the basic structural element, is as strong as it needs to be to maintain its form in high temperatures. The use of fire retardants has a place, but in many cases it can be dispensed with. In Andrew’s view: "The issue is not whether steel is stronger, cheaper or easier to fix than concrete but rather that, by using a combination, we have an opportunity to dramatically improve the evacuation times available in the event of fire by creating a more robust kind of construction."
Gino Dimola, Head of Research and Development at Advanced Bolting Solutions goes on to say "We satisfied Andrew’s demands with the new Firebolt. Based on the Molabolt Peg Anchor it had a number of advantages over competitors on the market and we are very happy that we have been able to work with Corus on a product which we believe will bring major advances to structural designers and building services design engineers worldwide."