4. Standardized fire resistance tests

4.1 ISO 834 standard

ISO-834, dating from September 1999, provides a framework for laboratory assessment of the fire resistance of structural elements using a standardized time-temperature curve, as illustrated in figure 3 . Although this methodology is widely accepted, it should be noted that tests carried out on elements of reduced dimensions do not necessarily reflect actual behavior in the event of fire. To overcome this limitation, the concept of "equivalent time" has been introduced. This equivalent time allows the behavior of an element during a standardized fire to be matched to its behavior during a real fire. This method has found particular application...