Fire Protection Provided by Insulation Materials—A New Design Approach for Timber Frame Assemblies

Abstract

Insulation materials have the potential to alter the fire resistance of timber frame assemblies. At present, Eurocode 5 Part 1-2 provides a model for the fire design of the load-bearing function of timber frame assemblies with cavities that are completely filled with stone wool. An extension of this model for glass wool in a post-protection phase has been published in the European Technical Guideline for Fire Safety in Timber Buildings. However, very little is known about the protection afforded by other insulation materials. This paper provides an overview of a study whereby model scale tests were performed with nine different insulation materials. The results of model scale furnace tests showed that the development of a 300°C isotherm on wood–insulation interfaces could be an indicator of the fire protection given by these insulations. Based on these findings, three different levels of fire protection with batt-type insulation materials are proposed. In this paper the most sensitive parameters that describe the protection against charring given by different insulations are analysed. The study offers some important insights into the concept of a new design model for the fire resistance of timber frame assemblies