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Factors influencing the fire dynamics in open-plan compartments with an exposed timber ceiling

Nothard, S; Lange, D; Hidalgo, JP; Gupta, V; McLaggan, MS; Wiesner, F; Torero, JL; (2022) Factors influencing the fire dynamics in open-plan compartments with an exposed timber ceiling. Fire Safety Journal , 129 , Article 103564. 10.1016/j.firesaf.2022.103564. Green open access

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Abstract

Fires in open plan compartments have been the subject of much research over the past decade. This article presents results from an experimental study conducted to explore factors that influence fire dynamics in open-plan compartments with an exposed timber ceiling. A reduced scale testing methodology is proposed and supported by contrasting observed fire behaviour at small scale with large-scale experiments reported in the literature. The reduced-scale experiments highlight the complexity of the fire dynamics. Factors which govern the behaviour include the ignition and self-extinction of the timber; the role that the timber plays in accelerating the transition from Mode 3 (travelling) to Mode 1 (fully developed) behaviour; the ignition and self-extinction of timber which is in a downward facing orientation; the thermal inertia of the ceiling material. Results demonstrate that: different fire modes observed in large scale compartments occur in large scale compartments with combustible timber ceilings; ceiling intrusions influence the fire; and factors that influence the response of timber in open plan compartment fires can, to a large extent, be explained by existing knowledge extracted from bench scale testing and compartment fires with non-combustible linings.

Type: Article
Title: Factors influencing the fire dynamics in open-plan compartments with an exposed timber ceiling
Open access status: An open access version is available from UCL Discovery
DOI: 10.1016/j.firesaf.2022.103564
Publisher version: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.firesaf.2022.103564
Language: English
Additional information: This version is the author accepted manuscript. For information on re-use, please refer to the publisher’s terms and conditions.
Keywords: Timber, open plan compartments, compartment fire dynamics, CLT
UCL classification: UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL BEAMS > Faculty of Engineering Science
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL BEAMS > Faculty of Engineering Science > Dept of Civil, Environ and Geomatic Eng
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL BEAMS
UCL
URI: https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10146057
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