Full-scale natural fire tests on gypsum lined structural insulated panel (SIP) and engineered floor joist assemblies

SIPS are formed from the lamination of two oriented strand board (OSB) facing plates and a highly insulating polymer-based foam such as expanded polystyrene (EPS) or polyurethane (PUR). The resulting lightweight panels are typically used as primary load-bearing compression elements for buildings such as domestic dwellings, apartment blocks, schools and hotels.The regulatory fire performance of SIPS, like many systems, is assessed via a standard fire test. However, it is widely accepted that this is merely a comparative method for determining the relative performance of one product when compared to another; hence, it gives little indication of a component's likely behaviour in a real fire. With this in mind BRE Global, with support from the UK Department for Communities and Local Government (CLG), have undertaken a research programme to determine the performance of SIPS subject to realistic fire conditions.The research programme exposed four two storey SIP buildings to natural fire scenarios using timber cribs. Two buildings were constructed with EPS core SIPS. The other two were constructed with PUR core SIPS. Each material set was subdivided by passive fire protection specification (PFP). These were specified on the basis of 30 and 60-min fire resistance.The experiments highlighted a number of weaknesses in the system performance of SIP structures with engineered floors. Firstly, where PFP is under specified or poorly installed, collapses of the engineered floor plate are very likely. Mechanisms for fire spread were also identified where fitting details were not appropriately sealed. In addition, there appeared to be little appreciable difference in the behaviour of buildings formed with EPS or PUR core SIPS. Finally, a number of system redundancies and alternative load paths were identified, which prevented total collapse of any of the test buildings.     

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.     

Man-machine interface problems in designing air traffic controlsystems

The author notes that workspace design requirements for air traffic control man-machine interfaces (MMIs) are generally orthodox, although the MMI must remain efficient throughout gross changes in staffing levels. Decisions during the MMI design largely determine how it can be used and what the controller must know about it. It is emphasized that human factor consequences should be considered when traffic-handling capacity is increased by cutting the time spent by the controller on each aircraft. It is concluded that MMI designs must be flexible enough to benefit from technological advances, yet continue to satisfy human needs     

Effects of metal-contaminated soils on the growth, sexual development, and early cocoon production of the earthworm Eisenia fetida, with particular reference to zinc

Juvenile Eisenia fetida (Savigny) were exposed for 20 weeks to an uncontaminated soil and to soils contaminated with cadmium, copper, lead, and zinc collected from seven sites at different distances from a smelting works at Avonmouth, southwest England. The survival, growth (= weight after 5 weeks exposure), time to sexual maturation (= percentages of adults present after 8 weeks), and reproduction (= number of cocoons produced by the worms) were compared with soil metal concentrations. Of the parameters measured, growth and sexual maturation time had the lowest EC50 values. The effects of metal-contaminated soils could be attributed both to the direct toxicity of the metals and to changes in the "scope for growth" of the exposed worms. A comparison of the results with those of an earlier toxicity test conducted with adult worms indicated that juveniles are more sensitive to metals than adults. Significant toxic effects on the growth and sexual maturation times of juveniles were detected in soils from sites for which no significant effects on the cocoon production of adults could be detected. The greater sensitivity of juvenile worms indicates the importance of considering effects on a variety of life history stages when conducting a risk assessment of the effects of pollutants in soils. Although E. fetida does not occur naturally in soils at Avonmouth, the present study provides evidence to support the suggestion that pollution from the smelter is responsible for the absence of worms within 2 km of the factory. Results presented in this paper, and from previous studies, suggest the observed absence is due to the effects of zinc on the growth and maturation of juveniles and the cocoon production rate of adult worms.     

An effective thermal property framework for softwood in parametric design fires: Comparison of the Eurocode 5 parametric charring approach and advanced calculation models

Timber, like other structural materials such as concrete and steel, has its own Eurocode (Eurocode 5 part 1.2) for the structural fire design of buildings. However unlike other fire parts of the Eurocodes it is not widely adopted due to its inherent limitations. With the exception of a single Annex, the timber Eurocode (EN 1995-1-2) is only applicable to standard fire exposure. Annex A gives guidance on the charring rates of initially un-protected timber members in parametric fires, however in the UK the use of the Annex is prohibited by the national Annex to the code.The concrete and steel industries have undoubtedly benefited from performance based design whereby the structural fire design strategy is centred on a design fire (typically a parametric fire), which is more credible than the standard fire curve. Such an approach has resulted in more flexible, innovative buildings which have been designed based upon fundamental structural mechanics at elevated temperature, using advanced numerical models. At present however the same principals cannot be applied to the advanced fire design of timber buildings due to current limitations in the timber Eurocode. Where advanced calculation procedures are considered by the code (Annex B), much like many of the methods contained therein, the procedures are only applicable to standard fire exposure.The scope of applicability of the code stems from a fundamental problem regarding a lack of understanding of the heat transfer characteristics of timber in natural fires. The thermo-physical properties contained in the code are ‘effective’ properties. This essentially means that they are calibrated against test results to account for a lack of understanding regarding mass transfer, cracking and ablation both within the timber and char layer. Such calibrations have only been performed on timber members exposed to standard furnace conditions.To attempt to overcome this barrier and extend the scope of thermo-physical properties in the code a study has been undertaken to establish how the conductivity properties of the char layer influence the depth of char in parametric fires. Through calibration of an effective conductivity of the char layer against the parametric charring method contained in Annex A of EN 1995-1-2, it has been possible to establish a relationship between ‘heating rate’ and the effective conductivity of the char layer, in the heating phase of parametric fires. The modified conductivity model is shown to be applicable to a range of densities and moisture contents of timber and also variations in heating rate and fire load density. The latter is a direct result of the method used in the adaptation of the properties. The modified model is objectively critiqued and proposed further work is discussed in detail. The applicability of the modified model in the cooling phase of fires is also discussed.     

Large scale natural fire tests on protected engineered timber floor systems

As part of an ongoing research project to investigate the performance in fire of specific types of innovative construction products and techniques (ICPT), BRE Global have carried out large-scale fire tests to determine the response of different floor systems to a realistic fire scenario. The principal objective was to determine the mode of failure of different floor systems to provide information to key stakeholders (particularly the Fire and Rescue Service), which can be taken into account in the dynamic risk assessments that underpin fire fighting operations. This paper presents the results and observations from those fire tests for three floor systems: (i) solid timber floor joists, (ii) I-section floor beams with solid timber top and bottom flanges and an oriented strand board (OSB) web, and (iii) a timber truss incorporating solid timber upper and lower chord members and a pressed steel web member. These reflect the two most common types of engineered floor systems used in the UK and allow for direct comparison with a more “traditional” form of construction.     

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.