Tata Steel has developed a BIS-certified fire-resistant E350 structural steel that can retain two-thirds of its room-temperature yield strength at 600°C for up to three hours, a performance aimed at slowing the loss of load-bearing capacity in buildings and industrial structures during fires.
The hot-rolled steel has been certified by the Bureau of Indian Standards under IS 15103, the Indian standard for fire-resistant structural steel. Tata Steel said the certification supports the use of the material in structural applications where performance at elevated temperatures is a critical safety requirement.
Steel structures can lose strength rapidly as temperatures rise during a fire. By retaining a greater proportion of its strength for longer, the new grade is intended to give occupants additional time to evacuate and emergency responders more time to operate before a structure’s performance is significantly compromised.
The company said the product was developed through an alloy design that combines microalloying elements with microstructural engineering. According to Tata Steel, the approach improves strength retention under elevated-temperature conditions without compromising the performance requirements expected from structural steel.
Subodh Pandey, vice-president — technology, R&D, new material business and graphene at Tata Steel, said material innovation had become important as fire safety assumed greater significance in modern infrastructure design. “We are leveraging our expertise in advanced materials and engineering to address such evolving needs. This BIS-certified fire-resistant steel is one such innovation, designed to enhance structural safety while meeting the performance demands of modern construction,” he said.
The development comes as steel-intensive construction expands across pre-engineered buildings, industrial facilities, warehouses, commercial projects and infrastructure. Structural steel is widely used in these applications because it allows strength, fabrication and construction speed to be combined in large-span and rapidly assembled buildings.
The fire performance of such structures remains closely linked to material selection and design. Structural hollow tubes and sections used in pre-engineered buildings are among the components for which Tata Steel said the new E350 grade is suitable. These elements are commonly deployed in industrial and warehouse buildings, where large floor areas and long spans can make structural performance during a fire a significant consideration.
The BIS certification places the product within India’s established standard for fire-resistant structural steel, while its stated applications extend the discussion beyond conventional fire-protection systems. Fire safety in a building also depends on design, construction quality, detection systems, evacuation planning and firefighting access; the new steel addresses the material’s ability to retain structural strength under high heat.
Tata Steel said the product adds to its portfolio of value-added and specialised steel products for construction, infrastructure and engineering. The company did not disclose in the supplied announcement details on pricing, commercial availability, production capacity or projects where the grade has already been deployed.
