Network Rail & Dura Composites Collaborate on Fire Testing Standards

Stringent fire safety standards for composite products.

Dura Composites have been working closely with Network Rail to put in place stringent fire safety standards for composite products used for important applications such as station platforms, bridge walkways and stairs and driver walkways.

As composite materials are playing an increasing role in the rail industry thanks to their high strength to weight ration and durability, Network Rail wanted to update its fire safety specifications aligned to particular test standards for certain common applications. Working with Dura Composites’ Commercial Director and material science expert, Tom Bowman, classifications have been published that cover both structural and non-structural applications and include fire tests including flame spread, burn time and load bearing testing.

All Network Rail projects are obligated to use products that meet these British and European Fire Safety Standards. Working with both the railway infrastructure and construction industries, including Network Rail, London Underground, Crossrail and major rail contractors, Dura Composites exceed all Network Rail specified fire safety standards.

Tom Bowman explains the importance of understanding how fire standards work and what they mean for any given project:

Composites can prove a more time and cost effective and sustainable solution for a range of key rail projects than traditional materials such as wood, steel and concrete, but many composite products don’t currently meet Network Rail’s Fire Safety Standards. At Dura Composites we meet or exceed all of Network Rails upgraded test standards. Within the flame spread test, where class 2 is Network Rail’s standard for materials on certain rail projects, our products were tested to meet the more stringent Class 1 where Dura Platform was found to resist the spread of flame more than any other product on the market.

Tom Bowman

Commercial Director at Dura Composites