In his welcome speech, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Architect Lê Quân, Rector of Hanoi Architectural University, emphasized the importance of the seminar's content on "Fire-resistant Materials and Structures for Buildings and Constructions" in ensuring the safety of residents in all living and working conditions.
According to Assoc. Prof. Dr. Architect Lê Quân, in recent times, along with the implementation of various fire prevention and control standards, the Ministry of Construction, in cooperation with relevant agencies, has been striving to complete the system of standards to be applied in practice. As an educational institution, Hanoi Architectural University recognizes that fire safety information and life safety in fire prevention affect all training processes at all levels. Therefore, the University hopes that through this seminar, a voice will be raised on fire safety, and research will be conducted to establish standard frameworks and regulations in materials to ensure the structural integrity of buildings and constructions.
In his opening speech at the seminar, Dr. Lê Quang Hùng, Former Deputy Minister of Construction and President of the Vietnam Concrete Association, stated: Currently, buildings and constructions generally have two main structures: reinforced concrete and steel. Each structural component has a specified fire resistance time, making it essential to consider the construction of structural layers to ensure fire protection and to calculate the load-bearing capacity specifically. Additionally, the process of amending fire prevention and control regulations has attracted public attention due to existing inadequacies and challenges.
Thus, the presentations at the seminar focused on calculating the fire resistance time of steel and reinforced concrete structures. Additionally, solutions were discussed to ensure the implementation of QCVN 06:2022/BXD - National Technical Regulation on Fire Safety for Buildings and Constructions, as well as issues related to fire-resistant material testing. There were also presentations on experiments and the fire resistance of structures in laboratory conditions. The information from the seminar will aid in design, acceptance, and construction practices.
At the seminar, Dr. Cao Duy Khôi, Deputy Director of the Institute of Construction Science and Technology (Ministry of Construction), analyzed the current situation and solutions to enhance fire safety for existing buildings. Citing practical examples from fires in mini-apartments in Khương Hạ (Hanoi) on September 13, 2023, which claimed 56 lives, and fires in individual houses combined with business premises, Dr. Cao Duy Khôi stated: Existing houses vary in form and present significant fire risks, particularly those combining living and business spaces. Fire prevention deficiencies are often serious and difficult to remedy (e.g., escape routes, fire spread prevention). The golden escape time is typically 5 minutes; however, nighttime fires are particularly dangerous for sleeping individuals. Additionally, smoke is the leading cause of death.
Regarding current legal regulations: Buildings must comply with fire prevention and control standards (QCVN, TCVN). Buildings that violate fire safety regulations will be temporarily suspended, with requirements to rectify the situation according to the standards. For buildings constructed before the 2001 Fire Prevention Law, actions are taken according to the resolutions of the Provincial or Municipal People's Councils. However, in practice, many buildings do not or cannot meet these standards. Infrastructure in many places is inadequate (e.g., roads, firefighting water supply). Suspension of operations would significantly impact society.
The draft Fire Prevention Law for existing buildings assigns Provincial or Municipal People's Committees the responsibility for rectification and handling. The Ministry of Construction is primarily responsible for developing guidelines to enhance fire safety for existing buildings.
Regarding solutions, specific handling regulations are needed, based on the principle of accepting certain risks, reducing safety requirements, and limiting operations. Clarifications on renovation and repair issues are required, along with policies to gradually change the model of combining living and business spaces. From a technical perspective, the focus should be on escape solutions, fire and smoke spread prevention, and early fire warnings.
In a presentation on "Designing Steel Structures to Ensure Fire Resistance," Assoc. Prof. Dr. Chu Thị Bình from Hanoi Architectural University noted: The Vietnamese system of standards lacks specific guidelines for calculating and selecting fire-resistant protective layers for steel structures, though some tables are available for steel columns and beams protected with fire-resistant mortar, concrete, or specialized fireproof panels. However, the available tables and materials are limited. Fire-resistant mortar and paint lack usage guidelines. Countries have defined methods for determining fire resistance limits, such as testing, standard-compliant calculations, and certified designs by organizations or agreements between associations. We can apply fire-resistant steel structure designs following European, American, or Russian standards, but testing is still needed to determine the thermal-physical properties of protective materials for accurate structural calculations.
In a presentation on "Designing Fire-resistant Reinforced Concrete Structures under Vietnamese Conditions," Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyễn Trường Thắng from Hanoi University of Civil Engineering discussed the technical standards for fire-resistant reinforced concrete structures and the draft of Vietnamese standards (TCVN) for designing fire-resistant concrete structures. During the discussion, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyễn Trường Thắng emphasized that fire-resistant structural design is a passive measure and the last line of defense to prevent building collapse during a fire when other active measures, such as planning, architecture, and electromechanics, have failed. Along with QCVN 06, there is an urgent need to establish TCVN standards for designing fire-resistant reinforced concrete structures. Developing TCVN standards based on SP 468.1325800.2019 is a short-term solution due to its compatibility with QCVN 06 and TCVN 5574:2018 for normal temperature conditions. In the long term, transitioning to European standards will be favorable as Russian and European standards increasingly share similarities. A fire-resistant reinforced concrete structure design guide should be drafted alongside the TCVN. More experimental studies are needed to verify the standards under Vietnamese conditions.
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The seminar also featured other highly relevant presentations, such as the one on "Regulations in QCVN 06:2022/BXD on Fire-safe Materials and Structures" by Dr. Lê Minh Long, Deputy Director of the Department of Science, Technology, and Environment (Ministry of Construction). ThS Nguyễn Trung Kiên from the Institute of Construction Science and Technology (Ministry of Construction) presented "Fire Resistance Testing for Construction Components According to Standards and Regulations in Vietnam." Additionally, representatives from the Fire Prevention and Fighting Research and Application Center at the University of Fire Prevention and Fighting presented on "Some New Legal Provisions Related to State Management in Fire Prevention and Fighting Equipment Inspection," while representatives from Greenpan JSC presented on "Fire-resistant Insulation Panel Solutions for Constructions."
