Fibre Reinforced Facade Encyclopedia: Testing and standards
AS 5113 is the Australian Standard for classifying external wall systems by their behaviour in a large-scale fire test. A full-height section of the actual facade system, at least 8 metres tall, is built on a test rig and exposed to a fire representing flames issuing from a window. Systems that meet the criteria receive an EW (external wall) classification, which is the evidence base for a Performance Solution where the cladding is not non-combustible.
AS 5113 adopts the BS 8414 test rig and fire source and adds its own criteria on burning debris and on damage to the system after the test. A system that passes AS 5113 has also, in practice, been tested to BS 8414; the reverse is not guaranteed.
At a glance
| Property | Typical value | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Standard | AS 5113:2016 (with amendments) Classification of external walls of buildings based on reaction-to-fire performance | |
| Test rigs | BS 8414-1 (masonry substrate) or BS 8414-2 (framed substrate) | At least 8 m main wall plus a return wing |
| Fire source | Timber crib in a combustion chamber at the base, about 3 MW peak | 30 minutes |
| Classification | EW (external wall) | Pass or fail against all criteria |
| Criteria | Limits on flame spread and temperature at set heights, on burning debris, and on damage after the test | Adds debris and damage limits to the BR 135 criteria |
| NCC role | Verification Method C1V3 for external walls | Together with other conditions, supports a Performance Solution |
| Comparable tests | BS 8414 with BR 135 (UK), NFPA 285 (US), CAN/ULC S134 (Canada) |
How the test runs
The external wall system is installed on the rig exactly as it would be on a building: cladding, cavity, insulation, sarking, cavity barriers and fixings, on either a masonry or a framed substrate. A timber crib in a chamber at the base of the wall is lit and burns for 30 minutes, producing flames that emerge from the chamber opening and play on the wall above. Thermocouples at 2.5 and 5 metres above the opening record temperatures on the face and inside the cavity; observers record flame spread, falling debris and the state of the wall afterwards.
What a pass requires
AS 5113 takes the BR 135 criteria, which limit temperature rise at 5 metres above the opening to 600 °C for no more than 30 seconds within 15 minutes of the start and prohibit flame spread to the top of the rig, and adds Australian criteria. Burning debris falling from the wall is limited by mass, the fire must not spread horizontally beyond set limits, and the system is inspected for damage after the test with limits on how far the cladding, insulation and cavity are compromised. A system that meets every criterion receives the EW classification.
Role in the NCC
The Deemed-to-Satisfy route for external walls of Type A and B buildings is non-combustible materials to AS 1530.1. Where a designer wants a combustible cladding such as FRP or a composite panel, the NCC offers Verification Method C1V3: an AS 5113 EW classification for the specific system, together with conditions including sprinklers, cavity barriers, limits on the extent of combustible elements and compliance of other components. A fire engineer then prepares the Performance Solution for the building. AS 5113 is the necessary evidence; it is not sufficient on its own.
ShapeShell-RT and AS 5113
ShapeShell-RT has been tested to BS 8414 and AS 5113 at BRE Global and passed all AS 5113 criteria, with no flame spread, no flaming debris and no breach of panel integrity recorded. Combined with its AS 5637 Group 1 classification and EN 13501-1 B-s2,d0 class, that is the evidence set a fire engineer uses to design a C1V3 Performance Solution for an FRP facade in Australia.
Standards and references
- AS 5113:2016 Classification of external walls of buildings based on reaction-to-fire performance
- BS 8414-1 and BS 8414-2 Fire performance of external cladding systems (test methods)
- BR 135 Fire performance of external thermal insulation for walls of multistorey buildings (BRE classification criteria)
- NCC 2022 Volume One C1V3 (verification method for fire spread via external walls), C2D10 (check the edition adopted in your jurisdiction)
- AS 1530.1 (the Deemed-to-Satisfy alternative)
Related terms
Questions specifiers ask
What is an EW classification?
The pass classification under AS 5113 for an external wall system that meets all the flame spread, temperature, debris and damage criteria in the full-scale test.
Does an AS 5113 pass make a cladding Deemed-to-Satisfy?
No. Deemed-to-Satisfy for Type A and B external walls is non-combustibility to AS 1530.1. An AS 5113 result supports a Performance Solution under Verification Method C1V3 together with other conditions and a fire engineer’s assessment.
Is AS 5113 the same as BS 8414?
AS 5113 uses the BS 8414 rig and fire source and the BR 135 temperature and flame spread criteria, then adds Australian criteria on debris and post-test damage. A system tested for AS 5113 has effectively been tested to BS 8414; a BS 8414 result does not automatically give an AS 5113 classification.
Has ShapeShell-RT been tested to AS 5113?
Yes. ShapeShell-RT passed all AS 5113 criteria in a BS 8414 and AS 5113 test at BRE Global. Details are on the ShapeShift fire rating page.
Does the test cover any wall build-up?
It covers the system as tested. Changes to insulation, cavity, substrate or cladding thickness need to be checked against the field of application in the test report.
ShapeShell-RT passed all AS 5113 criteria at BRE Global. Ask for the test report and the tested configuration for your project. See ShapeShell fire test data
Reviewed by Richard Halvorsen, General Manager, ShapeShift Technologies. Last updated September 2026.