Impact resistance
An extremely vital point for any building is its ability to provide a strong and stable structure. This is particularly crucial for public spaces or environments with high traffic areas such as hotels, schools, hospitals and offices.
Meeting the demand for systems which are able to withstand various degrees of impact, our Gyproc systems have been tested and assessed in accordance to BS 5234: Part 2.
The table below shows the manner in which partition walls are sorted into four duty categories.
| Grade | Category of Duty | Examples |
| Light Duty (LD) | Adjacent spaces that are only accessible to individuals with high incentive to exercise care. Minimal occurrence of accident or misuse. | Domestic accommodation |
| Medium Duty (MD) | Adjacent space moderately used by individuals with some incentive to exercise care. Minimal occurrence of accident or misuse. | Office accommodation |
| Heavy Duty (HD) | Adjacent space frequently used by the public with little incentive to exercise care. Higher occurrences of accident or misuse. | Public circulation areas and industrial areas |
| Severe Duty (SD) | Adjacent space intensively used by the public and others with little incentive to exercise care. Prone to vandalism and abnormally rough use. | Major circulation areas and heavy industrial areas |
The test methods conducted on our partition walls include:
- Partition Stiffness - a point load is applied to the partition and the maximum deflection together with any residual damage recorded.
- Hard body Impacts - two levels of impact are applied - firstly to assess the resistance of damage of the partition lining and secondly to assess the resistance to perforation.
- Soft Body Impact - two levels of impact are applied - firstly to assess the resistance to aesthetic damage and secondly to assess the resistance to structural damage.
- Door Slamming - a door built within the partition system is mechanically slammed and the deformation and damage on the partition system is then assessed.
The standard also includes optional test methods, which are not included in the duty grading system. These are:
- Crowd pressure - a line load is applied to the partition and the partitions ability to resist the load is then assessed
- Heavyweight anchorages - wall cupboard and wash basin
- Lightweight anchorages - pull out and pull down
Market sectors
This performance is particulary helpful in the following sectors.
Case studies
Discover some projects selected for this sector.
