Fire testing for BCA compliance

Transcription

1 Fire testing for BCA compliance SFS NSW Chapter December 2010 Vince Dowling Fire Science and Technology Australia

2 Standards and Specifications Type Purpose Examples Test method How to do the test and what parameters to measure Specification Specifies required material properties, and the test methods to use AS AS AS AS AS/NZS 3837 AS AS 3959 (calls up AS/NZS 3837 and AS ) AS 6905 (calls up AS ) AS (calls up AS ) Fire Science and Technology Australia 2

3 BCA Fire Tests Type Purpose BCA reference Reaction to fire Fire resistance Measure how materials burn Measure how structural components perform in a fire Specification C1.10 Specification C1.10a Standard Fire Test Specification A2.3 Assumption: Material flammability is independent of structural performance Fire Science and Technology Australia 3

4 BCA controls on building materials Buildings Class 2 to 9 buildings Parameters that may be controlled Combustibility Heat production Smoke production Application Internal Varies with building class May be different for: a) General areas b) Public corridors c) Fire-isolated exits Class 2 to 9 building Combustibility External facades Varies with building class Class 1 and 10 buildings Combustibility Flame spread Integrity and insulation External; bushfire-prone areas only Fire Science and Technology Australia 4

5 BCA Reaction to Fire Tests Classes 2-9 Designation Name Purpose AS Combustibility test Define non-combustible materials AS ISO 9705 Room corner test Control wall and ceiling linings AS/NZS 3837 Cone calorimeter Control wall and ceiling linings AS ISO Flooring radiant panel Control floors and floor coverings AS Flammability test Control thin flexible materials AS Early fire hazard test Control materials other than walls, ceilings and floors Fire Science and Technology Australia 5

6 Combustibility test AS o C Fire Science and Technology Australia 6

7 Criteria for combustibility Any flaming Furnace temperature rise exceeds 50 C Specimen temperature rise exceeds 50 C Fire Science and Technology Australia 7

8 Materials NON-COMBUSTIBLE masonry concrete, plaster, brickwork most metals aluminium, steel, copper, brass glass plate glass, window glass COMBUSTIBLE cellulosics wood, cotton, paper protein wool, leather plastics GRP, man-made fibres, polymers, elastomers Fire Science and Technology Australia 8

9 Room corner test AS ISO 9705 For wall and ceiling linings. Linings must be attached to three walls and ceiling for classification Fire Science and Technology Australia 9

10 BCA Material Groups Based on time to flashover (1 MW) Group 1 No flashover in 20 minutes (300 kw fire) Group 2 Flashover minutes (300 kw fire) Group 3 Flashover 2-10 minutes (100 kw fire) Group 4 Flashover 0-2 minutes (100 kw fire) Fire Science and Technology Australia 10

11 BCA Specification C1.10 Material Group 1 Anywhere Application in Building Classes Almost anywhere except in fire isolated exits 3 Many places, especially if the building is sprinklered 4 Cannot be used Fire Science and Technology Australia 11

12 Flashover in Room Corner Test Flashover = 1 MW (flames out of door) Gas burner Fire Science and Technology Australia 12

13 Typical Materials Group 1 Masonry, painted metal, plaster Group 2 FR wood products, FR phenolics Group 3 Wood, FR plastics Group 4 Plastics Fire Science and Technology Australia 13

14 BCA Prediction of Material Group Test in Cone Calorimeter Apply mathematical model to predict time to flashover in Room Corner Test No need to perform Room Corner Test Applicable to homogeneous materials only Fire Science and Technology Australia 14

15 Cone calorimeter AS/NZS 3837 Radiator: 50 kw/m 2 Fire Science and Technology Australia 15

16 BCA Controls on Smoke Smoke production controlled also Eliminate worst smoke producing materials only Apply only in unsprinklered areas Room Corner Test limit: SMOGRA < 100 Cone Calorimeter limit: SEA < 250 m²/kg Fire Science and Technology Australia 16

17 AS ISO Flooring Radiant Panel For all flooring materials Gas-fired Radiant Panel Radiation on flooring: 10.9 to 1.1 kw/m 2 Gives radiation level at which fire stopped spreading (CRF) the higher the better Gas pilot flame Fire Science and Technology Australia 17

18 BCA Specification C1.10 Critical Radiant Flux (kw/m 2 ) 4.5 or more Anywhere Application in Building Classes <4.5 Almost anywhere except in most fire-isolated exits 1.2 <2.2 Only in some parts of sprinklered buildings <1.2 Cannot be used Fire Science and Technology Australia 18

19 Flammability apparatus AS Max Flammability Index: 5 Fire Science and Technology Australia 19

20 Fabric flammability Table 5.1 AS Results for curtain and blind fabrics Material Speed factor Spread factor Heat factor Flammability index Polyester voile Wool FR treated Plastics blind fabric _ Cotton FR treated Wool Cotton lining Acetate rayon Holland blind fabric Acrylic Viscose rayon Fire Science and Technology Australia 20

21 Early Fire Hazard Test AS Fire Science and Technology Australia 21

22 BCA Specification C1.10 Application (not walls, ceilings or floors) Spread of Flame Index Smoke Developed Index General 9 8 or 5 - Fire-isolated exits 0 2 Class 9b Fire Science and Technology Australia 22

23 BCA Reaction to Fire Tests Classes 1 (and 10) Bushfire-prone areas Designation Name Purpose AS Combustibility test Define non-combustible materials AS Flammability test Control thin flexible materials AS The BCA requires dwellings and some outbuildings in bushfire-prone areas to meet AS The following fire tests are called up in AS 3959 Radiant heat and small flames Control external building elements AS Large flaming sources Control external building elements AS/NZS 3837 Cone calorimeter Define bushfire-resisting timber Fire Science and Technology Australia 23

24 AS Apparatus Designation Name Apparatus AS Radiant heat and small flames Large radiant panel or AS furnace plus timber crib AS Large flaming sources AS furnace Fire Science and Technology Australia 24

25 AS Test Fire Science and Technology Australia 25

26 AS Test Fire Science and Technology Australia 26

27 Future directions Need for intermediate-scale test candidates: ISO sandwich panel test Factory Mutual (FM) 7.6 m corner test Intermediate-scale calorimeter (ICAL) FM parallel panel test Single Burning Item test (SBI) SAA committee FP-018 reviewing the use of fire test methods cited in the BCA Wherever possible, international methods are adopted Fire Science and Technology Australia 27

28 ISO Fire Science and Technology Australia 28

29 Thank you Fire Science and Technology Australia 29