The Symposium on Structural Fire Engineering is traditionally held on the day preceding the Braunschweig Fire Protection Days and serves as a scientific platform for presenting and discussing current research in structural fire engineering. It is aimed at researchers, particularly early-career scientists, as well as practicing engineers, fire safety consultants, and structural designers.
The symposium focuses on recent advances in experimental and numerical research and their application to structural fire design. It provides a forum for exchanging ideas on innovative design approaches, material models, and fire safety concepts, thereby bridging the gap between fundamental research and engineering practice. As such, it complements the Braunschweig Fire Protection Days with an in-depth scientific perspective.
Programme 2026
The 2026 symposium is structured into four thematic sessions:
- Joint Session A – Fire Performance of Concrete Structures and Fire Testing
- High-temperature behaviour of concrete containing recycled aggregates
- Textile-reinforced concrete at elevated temperatures
- Simulation methods for fire protection product development
- Session B – Timber Structures, Fire Protection Systems and Thermo-Mechanical Material Behaviour
- Timber-concrete composite floors
- Fire protection performance of clay-rendered clay boards
- Structural stability of fire protection systems after thermal pre-loading
- Session C – Pyrolysis Models and Fire Spread
- Gas transport and pyrolysis modelling in FDS
- Transport limitations during char oxidation in wood fibre insulation
- Experimental assessment of fire protection systems to prevent vertical fire spread on existing flat roofs with photovoltaic installations
- Joint Session D – Structural Fire Engineering
- Experimental and numerical investigations of restrained reinforced concrete columns exposed to fire
- Lateral fire exposure of composite beams
- Structural fire design of open multi-storey car parks using natural fire scenarios
- Full-scale fire test on the compensation of timber staircases using sprinkler systems
The programme features twelve technical presentations, complemented by discussion sessions, and concludes with the closing remarks by Prof. Dr.-Ing. Jochen Zehfuß.
Scientific Board
The scientific quality of the symposium is ensured by an international Scientific Board comprising experts from academia and industry:
- Prof. Dr. Andrea Frangi (ETH Zurich)
- Prof. Emeritus Dr.-Ing. Dietmar Hosser (TU Braunschweig)
- Dr.-Ing. Sascha Hothan (BAM Berlin)
- Prof. Dr.-Ing. Björn Kampmeier (Magdeburg-Stendal University of Applied Sciences)
- Dr.-Ing. Christoph Klinzmann (hhpberlin)
- Prof. Dr.-Ing. Markus Knobloch (University of Stuttgart)
- Prof. Dr.-Ing. Fabian Brännström (University of Wuppertal)
- Prof. Dr.-Ing. Martin Mensinger (Technical University of Munich)
- Prof. Dr.-Ing. Peter Schaumann (Leibniz University Hannover)
- Prof. Dr.-Ing. Jochen Zehfuß (TU Braunschweig)
