Parameters Influencing the Behaviour of Timber Frame Assemblies Exposed to Fire, Development of New Design Criteria for Insulation Materials

Abstract

Insulation materials may give a different contribution to the fire resistance of timber frame assemblies. At present, Eurocode 5 Part 1-2 [1] provides a model for fire design of the load bearing function of timber frame assemblies with cavities completely filled with stone wool. The extension of this model for glass wool for post protection phase has been published in the European technical guideline Fire Safety in Timber Buildings [2]. Very little is known about the protection of other insulation materials. This paper attempts to analyze the most sensitive parameters that describe in a universal way the protection against the charring given by different insulations not included in Eurocode 5 part 1-2. A series of model scale furnace tests of floor specimens for three different insulation materials was carried out. An analysis on the resistance of the residual cross sections was conducted by means of a resistograph device. The study offers some important insights into the concept of a new design model.