Experimental Fire-Simulator for Post-Flashover Compartment Fires

The number of talltimber buildings around the world is rapidly increasing as a result of changes inregulations and the development of new engineered timber products. However, dueto the combustibility of timber, the fire safety of tall timber buildings hasbeen questioned. Building regulations for structural elements are based onfixed periods for which specimens shall resist exposure to a ‘standard fire’ ina fire resistance furnace. Because no distinction is made between the exposure in fire resistancetests of combustible and non-combustible specimens, less conventional testingmethods have been used for research of timber structures. Thisstudy aims to identify aspects that are important to simulate realistic fireconditions relevant to assess the structural performance of timber inpost-flashover fires. A test method is developed to replicate conditions incompartment fire tests using a furnace, that results in similar damage typesand rates of damage in the timber specimen. Based on conclusions drawn fromthese tests and test results obtained using other testing methods, theapplicability of fire resistance tests and other non-conventional tests arediscussed.Ej belagd 180910