![]() ![]() This report compares large-scale test conditions of the main standards. , and it emphasizes that these methods are not harmonized in several aspects, such as the size of the specimens, the reference fire load, the test duration, the reference values for calibration of the test system (facade temperatures, incident heat flux on the facade surface) and which acceptance criteria are required for damage assessment after testing. The main parameters and requirements prescribed test methods for evaluating the fire behaviour of cladding systems in European countries were consolidated by Boström et al. In addition to these conditions, the external damage extension can only be properly observed in large-scale tests. Small-scale (or bench) tests do not have adequate means to reproduce some conditions, such as fire exposure, the interaction between layers, the presence of cavities, thermal elongation, and the installation of fastenings and joints. Therefore, predicting the fire behaviour of fire on facades is essential for improving building resilience. The number of fires on facades has increased seven times in the last 30 years. Fire propagation on facades is one of the fastest ways for a fire to spread and develop in the building. Although concerns about performance have evolved, the facade performance against fires is still lacking. Modern facade walls, especially in high-rise buildings, have become high-performanceĬonstruction systems designed by advanced engineering to improve the building’s thermal insulation and acoustic performance. It is expected that the findings presented in this study will provide insights to the real performance of different façade components as a system and will help in improving the codes and standards in the future. The method used for securement of the façade panels (pressure tape/silicone sealant and screws) was also found to have significant effect on the overall performance of the façade system the failure mechanism of the façade panels was found to be different in both cases. MDF was found to perform better in the full-scale experiments. In terms of the two combustible panels, ACP and MDF, it was found that there were differences in their performance in a bench-scale experiment (cone calorimeter) and the full-scale experiments. Further, one of the firestop installation methods was found to be more robust to address site tolerances and installation uncertainties arising due to workmanship as it allowed significantly less ingress of hot gases and toxic fumes to the upper floors. ![]() It was found that once the flames leap out of the fire compartment due to the failure of the façade panels, the spandrel area was subjected to 31 kW/m2 of additional heat flux, which indicated the need to consider fire protection of the spandrel area from the outside, especially for combustible façade systems. The fire scenarios were developed at all floor levels (fire loads as well as initial ventilation conditions) as per realistic residential/office type dwellings. Combustible façade panels of aluminum composite panels (ACP) and medium density fiberboard (MDF) and non-combustible glass panels of single glazed units and double-glazed units were utilized whereas two different methods of edge of the slab firestop and spandrel insulation were employed. The current study highlights these gaps and provides inferences from six full-scale real fire experiments conducted in a three-storey structure with different façade (curtain wall) and firestop configurations. ![]() The test conditions are also quite different from those encountered in real fire scenarios. While many standardized testing methods exist for quantifying their fire performance, most of them consider the behavior of individual components in isolation. These systems comprise of multiple components-cladding frame (typically of aluminum), façade panels (glass, aluminum composite panels, etc.), perimeter firestop (to seal the gap between floor and façade) and spandrel fire protection (typically provided from the inside of a compartment). Facade systems used in modern buildings have received much attention in recent times due to their involvement in the propagation of fires in various incidents. ![]()
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