New requirements for fire resistance of road tunnels in France

The paper describes a thorough reflection carried out in France to develop requirements to be imposed for fire resistance of road tunnels. A survey of existing regulations for buildings and tunnels in France and abroad, and an analysis of data from real fire tests in tunnels have been the basis for the choice of representative temperature-time curves. Working groups involving all interested parties, including fire brigades, have discussed the time during which each kind of structure should resist fire to ensure safe evacuation of road users and operation of rescue teams. The resulting requirements, which are still provisional, distinguish between tunnels open to passenger cars only, heavy goods vehicles or dangerous goods. According to the kind of traffic and the role of each structural part, they specify the temperature-time curves which should be used and the corresponding required resistance times.