The assessment detailed in ISO 834-11:2014 is designed to cover a range of thicknesses of the fire protection material, a range of steel sections characterized by their section factors, a range of design temperatures, and a range of valid fire resistance classification periods.

ISO 834-11:2014 covers fire protection systems that include both passive (boards, mats, slabs, and spray materials) and reactive materials as defined in this document.

The assessment procedure is used to establish: a) on the basis of the temperature data derived from testing loaded and unloaded specimens, a correction factor and practical constraints on the use of the fire protection system (the physical performance), and b) on the basis of the temperature data derived from testing unloaded short steel specimens, the thermal properties of the fire protection material (the thermal performance).

The limits of applicability of the results of the assessment are defined together with permitted direct application of the results to different steel section sizes and strength grades (but not stainless steels) and to the fire protection system tested. The results of the tests obtained according to ISO 834‑10 and the assessment in this part of ISO 834 are directly applicable to steel sections of "I" and "H" cross-sectional shape and hollow sections. Results from analysis of I or H sections are directly applicable to angles, channels, and T-sections for the same section factor, whether used as individual elements or as part of a fabricated steel truss.

The results of the assessment are applicable to fabricated sections.

ISO 834-11:2014 does not apply to concrete-filled hollow sections, beams, or columns containing holes or openings of any type or solid bar.