Fire-protective fabrics

Fire-protective fabrics coated with an intumescent material are used to wrap electrical cables and services to improve their reaction-to-fire performance and/or to impede the breakout and spread of a fire along the cables and services.

Regulatory framework

The execution of assemblies of electrical cables and services wrapped with fire-protective fabrics is considered to be a non-regulated construction technique. DIBt grants general construction technique permits (aBG) for this, providing application specifications for assemblies of electrical cables or services wrapped in fire-protective fabrics coated with an intumescent material, in combination with a national technical approval (abZ) for non-regulated components, where needed.

The national technical approval/general construction technique permits serves to verify that the electrical cables and services wrapped in the fire-protective fabric

  • meet the requirements for building materials classified as not easily flammable ('schwerentflammbar') and, where required, contribute little to smoke production and/or
  • prevent the breakout or spread of a fire along the electrical cables and services.

In addition to the provisions set out in the national technical approval/general construction technique permit, the requirements set out in the Building Code of the relevant federal state (Landesbauordnung), the Guideline on fire protection requirements for services (cf. MLAR linked below) as well as the installation manual drawn up by the holder of the national technical approval/general construction technique permit apply.

For the relevant Technical Building Rules, compare:

  • MVV TB, Part A 2
  • MVV TB, Section A 2.2, no. A 2.2.1.2 (referring to Annex 4) 'Regulatory requirements, assignment of classes, use of construction products, application of construction techniques'
  • Guideline on fire protection requirements for services (MLAR)

Muster-Richtlinie über brandschutztechnische Anforderungen an Leitungsanlagen (Muster-Leitungsanlagen-Richtlinie - MLAR) (8 pages ) Fassung: 10.2.2015 (Redaktionsstand 5.4.2016); Amtliche Mitteilungen 2016/2 (Ausgabe: 11. Oktober 2016); Fachkommission Bauaufsicht der Bauministerkonferenz; DIBt (Hrsg.)

National verification is carried out based on specifications developed by DIBt after consultation with the competent expert committees 'Fire behaviour of building materials' and 'Fire behaviour of building components – special components'. Applicants will receive all details in the course of the procedure.

National procedure

To prepare an abZ/aBG for your construction product, we need an application from you. We recommend that you contact us prior to doing so. Feel free to send us your enquiry informally via email to dibt(at)dibt(.)de or to the competent technical contact listed in the top right.

For a first assessment, please send us the following information:

  • Description of the construction product and its intended field of use
    • e.g. material, configuration, number of sizes, variants, dimensions
    • e.g. use in walls, ceilings, interior construction, building services
  • Description of the construction technique and its field of application
    • e.g. design of walls, ceilings, elements, etc., and interaction of components
    • e.g. application in foundation engineering, reinforced concrete construction, building insulation; as load-bearing or non-load-bearing component; under static and quasi-static loading; fire exposure; other environmental exposures
  • Information regarding impact on regulatory concerns
    • in particular structural integrity, fire protection, health and environment protection, sound insulation as well as thermal performance
  • Explanation of need for an abZ/aBG
  • Contact details
    • preferably email address and/or telephone number, as well as name, organisation/company, and postal address

We will then contact you to clarify the next steps.

If you already hold a DIBt approval and/or construction technique permit and wish to apply for an amendment, supplement, or renewal, please use the form provided below.