Masonry units composed of Solite^® or Kenlite^® have been laboratory tested for compliance with code requirements through full scale fire testing of loaded and unloaded wall sections in accordance with ASTM E-119 requirements.  Similar wails have been real world field tested under actual fire conditions throughout our marketing areas.  Since 1947, the proven performance of lightweight aggregate concrete masonry units in real fires has demonstrated that they provide the protection, isolation and containment characteristics desired by fire marshals and design professionals.

Solite^® and Kenlite^® lightweight aggregate concrete masonry after a fire

When the fire engines leave, lightweight aggregate concrete masonry units remain in place for continued protection and use, requiring only cleaning and minor repointing of joints.

Fire Resistive—Noncombustible
Our lightweight aggregate is manufactured in rotary kilns under controlled conditions.  Process temperatures approaching 2100°F eliminate all combustible matter.  Therefore, lightweight aggregate CMU's do not undergo disruptive expansion when subjected to temperatures specified in the time temperature curve requirements of ASTM E-119.  Flame spread and smoke contribution are “0”.

Insulating
Solite^® and Kenlite^® lightweight aggregate concrete masonry units provide high thermal resistance necessary to limit energy loss through wall envelopes.  The same principles of thermal resistance apply under fire conditions with the retardation of heat flow from the fire exposed side of the wall to the unexposed side.  This limits the fire’s capacity to generate temperatures high enough to reach the flash point of combustible materials on the opposite side of the wall.

Thermal Stability
Solite^® and Kenlite^® lightweight aggregate concrete masonry units have a coefficient of linear thermal expansion that is significantly lower than heavyweight concrete masonry units.  This low expansion characteristic is crucial to walls subjected to fires where the temperatures rapidly approach 2000°F.  This expansion causes forces to act on intersecting walls, structural members or adjoining structures.  Furthermore, the lower expansion coefficient of our products remain essentially constant over a wide temperature range.  Many natural heavyweight aggregate concrete masonry units experience a serious disruptive expansion at temperatures within the usual fire exposure ranges.  Limiting strain within the wall due to thermal shock reduces forces that could cause excessive deflection or collapse.

Wall Subjected to Fires

Structural Strength
Solite^® and Kenlite^® concrete masonry units, although 25% to 30% lighter in weight, can be manufactured to obtain net compressive strengths in excess of 4000 psi.  Strict production quality control assures consistent strengths of lightweight concrete products that will meet the needs of any structure.  Solite^® and Kenlite^® concrete concrete masonry units are manufactured incorporating similar engineering properties required by other structural concrete products.  Historically, Solite^® and Kenlite^® CMU's have been allowed to stay in place after major fires due to their high strength retention capacity.

Over 6000 fire training exercises conducted in this
Solite^® Fire Training Center building.

First Responders rely on
Solite^® and Kenlite^® 4  hour fire ratings.

EQUIVALENT THICKNESS AND FIRE RESISTANCE OF TYPICAL SOLITE^® AND KENLITE^® CONCRETE MASONRY UNITS

Equivalent Solid Thickness is the average thickness of the solid material in the unit, and is used as a criteria for fire resistance.  We can compute Equivalent Solid Thickness by this formula.  If Ps equals percent solid volume, T equals actual width of unit, then equivalent thickness: