Tuesday 15 September 2026
10:00 – 12:10, followed by lunch
The Building Centre, 26 Store Street, London WC1E 7BT and online via webinar
How do we design structures to perform when exposed to fire, and when does a project require more detailed analysis?
Peikko UK is bringing together experts from Jensen Hughes and Peikko Group for a technical session exploring structural fire engineering, performance-based analysis and the research behind the fire resistance of structural solutions.
The hybrid event will combine an external fire engineering perspective from Mikko Salminen Ph.D., Structural Fire Engineering Lead for Europe at Jensen Hughes, with insight into Peikko’s long-term research, testing and product development from Vesa Miettinen, Senior Manager, R&D for DELTABEAM®.
Darren Waller, Managing Director of Peikko UK, will moderate the session, with opportunities for questions and further discussion throughout the morning.
Attendees can join us in person at The Building Centre in London or participate online as part of the global webinar audience.
What will the session cover?
Structural fire engineering provides a more detailed, performance-based approach to understanding how structures respond during a fire.
Rather than considering structural elements only in isolation under standard fire conditions, it can examine the thermal and structural response of individual elements, connections and the wider structural system.
The session will explore:
- what structural fire engineering is and how it differs from traditional prescriptive approaches.
- how performance-based analysis can identify critical areas within a structure.
- the role of structural fire engineering in developing safe and efficient structural solutions.
- how detailed analysis can help optimise passive fire protection and other project resources.
- what nearly four decades of testing have taught Peikko about the structural fire performance of DELTABEAM®.
Programme
10:00–10:10 | Welcome and introduction
Darren Waller, Managing Director, Peikko UK
10:10–11:00 | Holistic Approach to Structural Fire Safety
Mikko Salminen Ph.D., Jensen Hughes
Including presentation and questions
11:00–11:05 | Short break
11:05–11:45 | Structural Fire Engineering of DELTABEAM®: Four Decades of Testing and Innovation
Vesa Miettinen, Peikko Group
Including presentation and questions
11:45–12:00 | Moderated discussion and Q&A
12:00–12:10 | Closing remarks
From 12:15 | Lunch and informal networking for in-person attendees
Holistic Approach to Structural Fire Safety
Fire resistance of structures has historically been assessed using testing or relatively simple calculation methods. These methods typically only consider isolated structural elements in standard fire.
Structural Fire Engineering (SFE) provides a more accurate way to analyse structural performance during fires. Mikko Salminen will provide insight from real structural fire engineering projects and comprehensive analysis of the thermal and structural responses of specific structural elements, components and the entire structural framework.
The presentation will explain what SFE is and highlight how it analyses the behavior of the structure in more detail than just using the traditional prescriptive methods. When executed carefully, SFE can enhance structural fire safety while reducing reliance on passive protection measures.
SFE not only helps in optimising passive fire protection and other resources, but it also contributes to finding the best possible structural solutions by highlighting the critical points of the structure.
The presentation will show examples of how SFE is used in different project types, and the main benefits of using it.
Structural Fire Engineering of DELTABEAM®: Four Decades of Testing and Innovation
Since its introduction in 1989, DELTABEAM® has been developed and validated through an extensive programme of structural and fire testing.
More than 50 test series have examined fire resistance, flexural behaviour, shear capacity, load-transfer mechanisms and connection behaviour. The first DELTABEAM® fire tests took place in 1990, establishing the foundations for the structural fire engineering solutions used today.
Vesa Miettinen will provide an overview of this testing history, key findings from international fire-testing programmes and the latest developments in the structural fire engineering of DELTABEAM®.
Speakers
Mikko Salminen Ph.D.
Structural Fire Engineering Lead for Europe, Jensen Hughes
Mikko has a Ph.D. in Structural Fire Engineering and 20 years of experience in performance-based fire-safety analysis across steel, timber and concrete structures.
His work ranges from the detailed analysis of individual structural elements to the assessment of complete structural systems. He has contributed to major commercial, industrial and residential projects in Finland, the UK, the Middle East and the United States.
Mikko also shares his work through industry conferences, academic papers and lectures, and contributes to the development of structural fire engineering design guidance in Finland.
Vesa Miettinen
Senior Manager, R&D for DELTABEAM®, Peikko Group
Vesa is a civil engineer with nearly 20 years of experience in precast concrete and composite construction.
He joined Peikko in 2009 and spent more than a decade as Technical Manager for Peikko Gulf, supporting major construction projects and managing local product approvals across the Middle East.
Since 2023, Vesa has been based at Peikko’s Head Office in Finland, where he leads research and development activities for DELTABEAM® and contributes to the development of structural solutions for projects around the world.
Darren Waller
Managing Director, Peikko UK
Darren will moderate the morning’s presentations and discussion, bringing together questions from both the in-person and online audiences.
Attendance and registration
The event is free to attend.
In-person attendance at The Building Centre is limited to 30 guests. Places are subject to confirmation and include lunch following the technical session.
Online attendance is available to an international audience, with joining instructions provided before the event.