Thermal properties of gypsum plasterboard at high temperatures

Light timber frame wall and floor assemblies typically use gypsum‐based boards as a lining to provide fire resistance. In order to model the thermal behaviour of such assemblies, the thermo‐physical properties of gypsum plasterboard must be determined. The relevant literature and the chemistry of the two consecutive endothermic dehydration reactions that gypsum undergoes when heated are reviewed. The values determined for the thermo‐physical properties are modified to create smooth enthalpy and thermal conductivity curves suitable for input into a finite element heat transfer model. These values are calibrated within a reasonable range and then validated using furnace and fire test data. The type of plasterboard used in these tests is an engineered product similar to the North American type C board. The temperature at which the second dehydration reaction occurs is altered to be consistent with later research with little apparent affect on the comparison with test results. Values for specific heat, mass loss rates and thermal conductivity for gypsum plasterboard that are suitable for use in finite element heat transfer modelling of light timber frame wall and floor assemblies are recommended. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A numerical study of gypsum plasterboard behaviour under standard and natural fire conditions

Gypsum plasterboards are the most widely used passive fire protection for timber structures, especially in the case of light timber frame construction. Understanding the complex thermo‐physical behaviour of plasterboard at elevated temperature is vital in the performance‐based design of any structure adopting gypsum as passive fire protection (PFP). Numerous heat transfer studies have been conducted over the years where attempts have been made to simulate the fire performance of gypsum‐protected assemblies, subject to standard fire exposure. However, contradictory thermal properties for gypsum plasterboard are apparent throughout. As a result, it is unclear from a practitioner's perspective as to which studies represent reasonable properties for design purposes. In recognition of this the authors present a numerical study highlighting the consequences of adopting many of the differing property sets available in the literature, the sensitivity of temperature development resulting from deviations from the assumptions that underpin such properties, and the consequences of adopting plasterboard properties derived from standard fire tests, in natural fire situations. The study presents heat transfer simulations conducted using the finite element software TNO DIANA coupled with both laboratory and natural fire tests conducted on Structural Insulated Panels (SIPs) and Engineered Floor Joists (EFJs). It is found from this study that plasterboard properties are highly sensitive to the assumed free and chemically bound moisture contents. Minor percentage changes are shown to have a significant influence on the temperature development of SIPs exposed to standard furnace fires, while some of the most accepted plasterboard properties available in the literature are found, in some cases, to be non‐conservative when adopted in simulations of SIPs. More interestingly, it is also found that the properties of plasterboard available in the literature, largely derived from standard fire tests, are not independent of the heating rate. As a result, when such properties are applied to natural fire problems significant inaccuracies can occur. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Thermal modelling of gypsum plasterboard assemblies exposed to standard fire tests

Gypsum plasterboards are widely used for compartmentation and for retarding the spread of fire in buildings. Although numerous heat transfer studies have been conducted, literature indicates there are extensive differences in the thermal properties used in these studies. Comprehensive experimental and numerical analyses have been conducted to elucidate the leading factor in the ablation of a gypsum board system when it is exposed to the standard fire resistance test. A methodology based on both simultaneous thermal analysis and computational modelling is proposed to understand the behaviour of a gypsum plasterboard when the boundary temperature increases quickly as one side of the wall is subjected to the standard ISO 834. Finally, four different wall assemblies made of a commercial fireproof plasterboard system are exposed to the standard test. The temperature on the unexposed face is examined to validate the computational model of the plasterboard. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Experimental studies of gypsum plasterboards and composite panels under fire conditions

Gypsum plasterboards are commonly used to protect the light gauge steel‐framed walls in buildings from fires. Single or multiple plasterboards can be used for this purpose, whereas recent research has proposed a composite panel with a layer of external insulation between two plasterboards. However, a good understanding of the thermal behaviour of these plasterboard panels under fire conditions is not known. Therefore, 15 small‐scale fire tests were conducted on plasterboard panels made of 13 and 16 mm plasterboards and four different types of insulations with varying thickness and density subject to standard fire conditions in AS 1530.4. Fire performance of single and multiple layers of gypsum plasterboards was assessed including the effects of interfaces between adjacent plasterboards. Effects of using external insulations such as glass fibre, rockwool and cellulose fibre were also determined. The thermal performance of composite panels developed from different insulating materials of varying densities and thicknesses was examined and compared. This paper presents the details of the fire tests conducted in this study and their valuable time–temperature data for the tested plasterboard panels. These data can be used for the purpose of developing and validating accurate thermal numerical models of these panels. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Predicting the thermal response of timber structures in natural fires using computational ‘heat of hydration’ principles

The thermo‐physical response of timber structures in fire is complex. For this reason, debate still exists today as to the best approaches for simulating thermal response in fire using tools such as finite element analysis (FEA) modelling. Much of the debate is concerned with the thermal properties of timber, for example, conductivity, specific heat and density, at elevated temperature and how such properties should be implemented or interpreted in numerical calculations. For practitioners intending to use modelling as a fire design tool for timber buildings, guidance exists on the thermal properties of softwood in Annex B of EN 1995‐1‐2. These properties are limited for use under standard fire exposure conditions because of the way in which they were derived from calibration against focussed test data. As a result, they cannot be applied to non‐standard fires, which are more representative of real fires due to a combination of varying heating rates and the decay phase of fire development. The limitations of the standard fire test (and associated curve) are widely understood. As a result, much recent structures in fire research has focussed on the ‘performance based design’ of buildings subject to increasingly realistic fire conditions. Such an approach allows engineers to quantify the level of safety that can be achieved in a building should a fire occur. In addition, the design of buildings to withstand fires proportionate to the risks foreseen and also the geometry present results in better value buildings that are inherently more robust. For the same approaches and associated benefits to be realised for timber buildings, then a number of barriers must be overcome. The most obvious of these is engineers' ability to determine timber structure temperatures as a result of fires other than the standard fire curve. This however presents a number of challenges. Upon heating, the moisture bound within begins to evaporate, volatiles begin to flow from the heated surface and char forms. The rate of which these behaviours occur and the nature of the char that forms depends on a number of factors, but most notably the rate of heating. Upon cooling, the timber member continues to generate heat energy as the surface oxidises. As a result, any models intended to simulate temperature development must consider the relationship not only between temperature and thermo‐physical characteristics but also between heating rate and the process of heat generation. Many models have been developed for this purpose; however, they are extremely complex and are some way from being ready for implementation as design tools. This paper proposes implementing ‘heat of hydration’ routines, intended for the curing of concrete structures, to simulate the heating and cooling process in timber structures. Such routines are available in many commercial FEA software packages. The adoption of the hydration routines allows the heat generation process, as a result of oxidation, to be considered in parallel with solid phase heat transfer using apparent thermal properties. The approach is shown to be very effective in simulating temperature development in timber members subject to parametric design fires. The models developed are benchmarked against experiments conducted in the 1990s by SP Trätek. Predictably, a number of the heat generation parameters adopted are shown to depend on the fire dynamics considered. However, recommended parameters are given that provide an acceptable level of accuracy for most design purposes. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Fire performance of gusset connections in glue-laminated timber

This paper describes a comprehensive experimental investigation of the fire performance of nailed gusset connections between large glue-laminated timber members. Both plywood and steel gusset plates were investigated with a range of loaded and unloaded test methods. The principal conclusions are that unprotected gussets have poor fire performance, but that a layer of solid wood or gypsum plasterboard will provide at least one hour of fire protection to typical joints.     

Computational stochastic heat transfer with model uncertainties in a plasterboard submitted to fire load and experimental validation

The paper deals with probabilistic modeling of heat transfer throughout plasterboard plates when exposed to an equivalent ISO thermal load. The proposed model takes into account data and model uncertainties. This research addresses a general need to perform robust modeling of plasterboard‐lined partition submitted to fire load. The first step of this work concerns the development of an experimental thermo physical identification data base for plasterboard. These experimental tests are carried out by the use of a bench test specially designed within the framework of this research. A computational heat transfer model is constructed using data from the literature and also the identified plasterboard thermophysical properties. The developed mean model constitutes the basis of the computational stochastic heat transfer model that has been constructed employing the nonparametric probabilistic approach. Numerical results are compared to the experimental ones. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Thermal conductivity of gypsum boards beyond dehydration temperature

The thermal conductivity of gypsum plasterboard at temperatures beyond its dehydration/calcination temperature is, besides the effective heat capacity, the main parameter defining the increase in heat transfer when the board is submitted on one side to a strongly transient temperature boundary condition. The present study investigates the significant rise in thermal conductivity of dehydrated gypsum plaster board between 200 and 800 °C, reaching the initial hydrated value of 0.3 W/(m·K). It is shown that the main reason for this increase is independent of radiative and convective heat transfers and only due to an enhancement of the conduction between the single crystals induced by an effect similar to sintering. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Elevated temperature thermal properties of advanced materials used in LSF systems

Lightweight cold-formed steel (CFS) construction solutions are increasingly adopted in low and mid-rise buildings. Many different materials are used to construct CFS wall systems, without a full understanding of their thermal properties. For many of these materials, only ambient temperature thermal properties are available from their manufacturers. This creates difficulty in classifying the materials for use at elevated temperatures. In this study, a series of elevated temperature thermal property tests to measure specific heat, thermal conductivity, and mass loss was conducted for a range building materials from wallboards, insulation, and phase-change materials (PCMs), used in Australia and several other countries. Simultaneous Thermal Analyser and Laser Flash Apparatus were used to determine the elevated temperature thermal properties of the selected materials, gypsum plasterboard, PCM incorporated gypsum plasterboard, magnesium sulphate board, fibre cement board, cellulose insulation, vacuum insulation panel, microencapsulated paraffin PCM, and bio-based PCM. Their elevated temperature thermal properties are presented in this article, which also includes analyses of their chemical composition and associated chemical reactions at elevated temperatures. These results can be used in the selection of suitable energy-efficient and fire-resistive materials, and in heat transfer modeling to identify wall configurations with increased fire resistance and energy efficiency.     

Effect of insulation on the fire behaviour of steel floor trusses

This paper describes a study into the fire behaviour of open‐web steel trusses supporting concrete floor slabs, exposed to a range of realistic design fires. This study is intended to give some insight into the possible structural behaviour of the floor trusses in the World Trade Center (WTC) towers. The analysis was carried out using a non‐linear finite element program SAFIR. The trusses were analysed with and without protective insulation for several different fires, each with three types of connections; pinned at both ends, simply supported, and simply supported with an axial spring. This paper shows that the likely failure mode of the floor truss depends on the connection strength, and emphasizes the importance of ensuring that the insulation remains intact. Unlike the actual event in the WTC with multiple floors exposed to fire, this analysis only considers a single floor, hence the results from this analysis do not confirm the actual behaviour of the buildings while they collapsed. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Calculation of thermal conductivity of gypsum plasterboards at ambient and elevated temperature

Plasterboard often protects steel structures of buildings because it conducts heat slowly and absorbs the heat of the fire by its volumetric enthalpy. The most important property governing the heat transfer is the thermal diffusion. This property depends on the density, specific heat and thermal conductivity. The first two can be calculated based on the mass composition of the board. The thermal conductivity is more difficult to derive since it is a directional property. This paper will focus on the calculation of the thermal conductivity at ambient and elevated temperatures. It is shown that the thermal conductivity of gypsum plasterboard (i.e. a porous medium) can be assumed to be a three‐phase system. Plasterboard consists of a solid phase and a water/air mix in the voids. The differences between different theoretical equations for both dry and moistured plasterboards are presented. The equation proposed by Zehner and Schlunder (Chem. Ing.‐Tech. 1972; 44 (23):1303–1308) with shape‐factor C of 5 gave good agreement with experimental data of the different boards. Furthermore, the influence of the composition of the boards on the thermal conductivity is investigated. This has an influence, especially since the composition is also related to its moisture content. Regression analysis points out that the moisture content depends only on the gypsum content. A value of 2.8% absorbed water on the mass of gypsum is found, and this water plays an important role in the thermal conductivity of plasterboard at ambient temperature. Finally, the thermal conductivity of board at elevated temperature is computed. A close fit between computed and experimental values derived from literature is found. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

磷石膏在墙体材料及石膏模盒领域的应用

阐述我国磷石膏的产排量与特点,以及磷石膏在石膏条板、纸面石膏板、水泥缓凝剂、石膏砌块、石膏砖、装饰材料、储能材料等方面的应用;介绍了石膏模盒技术及工业副产石膏在石膏模盒生产中的应用情况;对提高磷石膏综合利用率提出了应用建议。     

石膏矿渣水泥混凝土抗硫酸钠侵蚀性能研究

石膏矿渣水泥具有低水化热、良好抗化学侵蚀性能等优点,是一种低碳绿色胶凝材料。为了明确原材料对石膏矿渣水泥混凝土抗硫酸盐侵蚀性能的影响,对比研究了不同化学组成及活性矿粉制备的石膏矿渣水泥混凝土的强度发展及抗硫酸钠侵蚀性能。结果表明:提高矿粉中Al₂O₃含量可以有效提高石膏矿渣水泥混凝土早期3 d强度;石膏矿渣水泥混凝土在硫酸钠环境下表现出强度软化型劣化;提高水泥用量、降低水灰比可以有效提高低活性矿粉制备的石膏矿渣水泥混凝土的抗硫酸钠侵蚀性能,但不利于高活性矿粉制备的石膏矿渣水泥混凝土的抗硫酸钠侵蚀性能。研究为低活性矿粉制备石膏矿渣水泥混凝土及其寿命预测提供试验数据支撑。     

The gypsum reduction process and its validation using the Mintek Pyrosim model

Waste gypsum is produced as a by-product from the fertilizer, mining industries, and acid mine water neutralization using calcium carbonate and/or lime and desalination processes using reverse osmosis and ion-exchange processes, resulting in environmental and storage problems. The purpose of the study was to establish optimum operating conditions for the recovery of valuable products, e.g., sulfur and precipitated calcium carbonate, from waste gypsum, hence, offer an attractive solution to the gypsum waste problem. The paper presents results on thermal studies of waste gypsum in a tube furnace and its validation using the Mintek Pyrosim model. Gypsum was homogeneously mixed with coal and the reduction experiments conducted. The following findings were made: (i) reduction of waste gypsum is an endothermic reaction since, ΔH values were greater than 0 (ΔH?>?0) when the reduction temperature was increased from 25 to 1200°C, (ii) energy requirement is dependent on temperature and gypsum to coal ratio. Gypsum to calcium sulfide conversion of 83.5 and 83.8% was obtained at the optimum temperature range of 1100–1200°C and gypsum to calcium sulfide conversion of 85.4% was obtained at the optimum coal to gypsum mole ratio of 2.1:1, (iii) excess coal gave a lower conversion, and (iv) the predicted data using Mintek Pyrosim were found to be similar to the experimental data.     

Advances in modelling heat transfer through wood framed walls in fire

Described in this paper are advances made in modelling heat transfer through wood framed walls in fire. Previously unpublished experimental results are also given. This type of modelling is used for the determination of the performance of fire safety systems, such as wood framed wall barriers, in accordance with new performance‐based building regulations being introduced around the world. Advances include a discrete modelling method for radiative heat transfer in cavities with re‐entrant corners and gaps formed by the shrinkage of stud cross‐sections. It has been shown that the formation of the gaps can prevent temperatures rising in the fire side of studs by as much as 100–200°C. A simple means of modelling heat transfer by the movement of moisture and vapour, involving the modification of conductivity values has been developed. Sloughing of gypsum board sheets has been satisfactorily modelled assuming that a sheet sloughs when the temperature on the surface opposite the fire reaches the melting point of glass fibres in the gypsum board; that is, approximately 700°C. Recommendations on thermal properties obtained independently by other researchers are presented. Overall, the advances improve temperature predictions and broaden the range of walls that can be modelled including staggered stud walls as well as ordinary cavity walls. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Fire performance of closed‐cell charring insulation materials in plasterboard‐insulation assemblies

This paper presents an experimental study on the fire performance of two types of plastic charring insulation materials when covered by a plasterboard lining. The specific insulation materials correspond to rigid closed‐cell plastic foams, a type of polyisocyanurate (foam A) and a type of phenolic foam (foam B), whose thermal decomposition and flammability were characterised in previous studies. The assemblies were instrumented with thermocouples. The plasterboard facing was subjected to constant levels of irradiation of 15, 25, and 65 kW m^?2 using the heat‐transfer rate inducing system. These experiments serve as (1) an assessment of the fire behaviour of these materials studied at the assembly scale and (2) an identification of the fire hazards that these systems pose in building construction. The manifestation of the hazards occurred via initial pyrolysis reactions and release of volatiles followed by various complex behaviours including char oxidation (smouldering), cracking, and expansion of the foam. Gas‐phase conditions may support ignition of the volatiles, sustained burning, and ultimately spread of the flame through the unexposed insulation face. The results presented herein are used to validate the insulation “critical temperature” concept used for a performance‐based methodology focused on the selection of suitable thermal barriers for flammable insulation.     

The early fire behaviour of combustible wall lining materials

The development of the Australian Standard AS 1530 Part 3 ‘Test for Early Fire Hazard Properties of Materials’ from the study of the fire behavior of cellulosic wall linings in simulated room fires has been outlined. Similar studies for assessing a wider range of wall linings are now reported including various plastic facings applied to hardboard. Using similar parameters for ignitability, spread of flame, heat evolved and smoke developed, the behaviors of the linings in the standard test have been compared to the behavior in corner-wall burns. Two methods of ignition were used for the burns; (a) timber cribs; and (b) impressed radiant heat with a pilot flame. The results are discussed in terms of the validity of the standard test as a multi-parameter assessment of materials in a fire hazard situation. The test has been validated for the wider range of wall lining materials.     

Gypsum board failure model based on cardboard behaviour

This study aims to analyse the importance of gypsum plasterboard cardboard for fire resistance. A new hypothesis considering the failure based on the cardboard degradation is defined. This hypothesis comes from the thermal analysis of gypsum and cardboard performed in the simultaneous thermal analysis apparatus. Simultaneous thermal analysis results also allow defining the dehydration process of the gypsum. A numerical model that considers gypsum dehydration and the failure hypothesis has been developed by using Fire Dynamic Simulator. This numerical model is validated against 6 fire resistance tests. Results show that we can appropriately tune the numerical model (for predicting time to failure) based on the thermal properties of cardboard.     

几种化学副产石膏在新型石膏基墙体材料研究中的进展

在倡导建筑节能和开展墙体改革形势下,新型建筑体系和节能环保型墙体材料的使用打造了生态建筑并造福于人类.以石膏为主体的绿色建材原料在建筑行业倍加关注.本文阐述了主要几种化学副产石膏做为新型石膏基墙体材料原料的研究进展,得出石膏作为新型石膏基墙体材料原料是一种首先应该大力发展的绿色建筑材料原料.     

Fire behavior of regular and latent heat storage gypsum boards

This paper investigates the fire behavior of a regular and an energy storage gypsum board with latent heat storage characteristics when exposed to fire temperatures. Gypsum board samples, with and without a microencapsulated paraffin mixture phase change material, are studied at material and board level. At the material level, measurements of the physical properties, that is, mass and effective thermal conductivity, as a function of temperature, as well as differential scanning calorimetry experiments, in inert and oxidized environments, are performed. At the board level, specimens are inserted into a preheated oven, and the temperature evolution at preselected board locations is recorded. Both experimental procedures reveal significant information concerning the evolution of the various thermochemical processes taking place inside the gypsum boards during their heating. Results indicated the different fire behavior of the samples at different temperature ranges. At temperatures up to 300°C, the materials act as a fire retardant because of the dehydration of the free and chemically bound water contained in the gypsum boards. On the other hand, at temperatures higher than 300°C, the temperature rise within the samples is enhanced and accelerated because of the oxidation of the phase change material and their external finishing. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.