Fire Resistance Time of Container Houses

The fire resistance time of container houses depends on the material of the panels. Container houses using Class A fire-resistant magnesium oxide boards or rock wool boards can have a fire resistance limit of ≥5 hours, and some components that meet the standards can refer to the requirements for Class I fire-resistant buildings (e.g., firewalls with a fire resistance limit of ≥3 hours).

1. Fire Resistance Performance of Class A Fire-Resistant Panels
Container houses produced by companies such as Zeyu Housing use Class A fire-resistant magnesium oxide boards for their floors and ceilings. These boards, primarily made of magnesium oxide cement and glass fibers, achieve an A1 non-combustible rating according to the GB8624-2012 standard, with a fire resistance limit of ≥5 hours and a smoke toxicity level of AQ1 (non-toxic emissions). Such boards can maintain structural integrity at temperatures up to 1350°C and effectively resist flame jets. Additionally, rock wool boards, another Class A fire-resistant material, are widely used in the production of container house fillers, also meeting high fire resistance standards.

2. Relationship Between Fire Resistance Limits and Building Components
The fire resistance limit refers to the time required for a building component to lose its load-bearing capacity, integrity, or thermal insulation under standard fire resistance test conditions. For container houses, if Class A fire-resistant panels are used, their overall fire resistance performance can refer to the standards for Class I fire-resistant buildings. For example, firewalls must have a fire resistance limit of ≥3 hours, load-bearing walls and columns must have fire resistance limits of 3 hours and 2.5 hours, respectively, and floors and evacuation staircases must have a fire resistance limit of ≥1.5 hours. The fire resistance times of these components collectively determine the safety performance of container houses in fires.

3. Fire Hazards of Non-compliant Materials
Some container houses use flammable materials such as polystyrene and polyurethane foam as core materials to save costs. These materials have poor fire resistance properties and can be ignited by electrical welding sparks or cigarette butts. They burn rapidly, emit toxic fumes, and can lead to collapse accidents once the fire spreads, increasing the difficulty of firefighting and the risk to occupants. Therefore, container houses using flammable materials have extremely short fire resistance times and may not even meet basic fire safety requirements.

4. Suggestions for Improving Fire Resistance Performance
To ensure the fire safety of container houses, priority should be given to using Class A fire-resistant panels (such as magnesium oxide boards and rock wool boards) and avoiding the use of flammable sandwich materials. Additionally, electrical wiring should be installed in compliance with regulations, heat sources and fire sources should be kept at a safe distance from the houses, and simple firefighting equipment should be provided. Furthermore, the safety distance between container houses should be ≥6 meters to reduce the risk of fire spread.