A new test method to determine the fire behavior of façades with etic system

Abstract

SummaryNew building high‐energy efficiency requirements have introduced a significant utilization of combustible materials as thermal insulation in building envelopes and especially in façades. The damage occurring in case of fire can thus become considerable, due to greater fire spread. Risks for building occupants and unsafety for rescue team are added to social, economic, and environmental consequences. Despite the fire behavior of the single thermal insulation materials is known, the fire performance of the finished façade system is not yet predictable.This paper describes a proposal of a new medium‐scale test method to evaluate the fire behavior for façades with external thermal insulation composite system (ETICS). The project aimed to identify a test protocol conceived to be repeatable, versatile, and able to provide the relevant evaluation fire hazard quantities required for performing a fire risk assessment. Furthermore, the fire hazardous quantities collected during the test could also be useful for a fire performance‐based design using fire safety engineering to define building fire safety requirements, occupant evacuation systems, the safety of rescue teams intervention and for estimating residual damage on the building and the adjacent ones after the outbreak of a fire.