Computer fire modelling is an important high-tech tool in fire safety engineering and fire science. The transition to objective-based building codes means that these models will find application in performance-based fire-safety design of wood structures. Accordingly for more than a decade, fire researchers at Forintek strove to develop heat-transfer models for wood-frame assemblies exposed to fire. Dubbed WALL2D, the model developed by Forintek’s researchers predicts heat transfer through simple non-bearing wood-stud walls filled with thermal/acoustical insulation in the stud cavities and gypsum board on the two faces. Then, in 2001 Forintek elected to outsource all future development of these models. This project provides funding, direction and oversight for the outside development of these design tools.
A paper by H. Takeda and L.R. Richardson entitled A Heat Transfer Model to Simulate Japan's 1+3 Fire Endurance Test for Wood-Framed Wall Assemblies was presented at the IAWPS 2005 Conference organized by the Japan Wood Research Society (JWRS) and the International Association of Wood Products Societies (IAWPS).
A paper by H. Takeda and L.R. Richardson entitled A Model to Simulate Japan’s ‘1 + 3’ Fire Endurance Test was submitted for presentation at the 31st International Symposium on Combustion (2006) in Heidelberg, Germany on August 6-11, 2006.
A Japanese-language paper by H. Takeda roughly translated as Wood-Frame Wall Fire Resistance Simulation Model was published in Wood Industry 60(3)134-137. The Journal is published by the Wood Technological Association of Japan.
Through the efforts of researchers and students at Carleton University, and with funding assistance from the Ontario Centres of Excellence, development of computer models to predict the response of wood-frame floor assemblies to fire attack, including both the thermal and the structural response of such assemblies, and models to predict the probability of failure of wood-frame building elements during fire continued.
As part of his PhD studies, S. Craft undertook a directed studies project which investigated the behaviour of gypsum board and wood at elevated temperatures. His goal was the development of sub-models which better address the kinetics of calcination of gypsum board and the pyrolysis of wood. To more effectively model heat transfer though wood and gypsum board, Forintek established a collaborative contract with the material testing division of the National Research Council Canada (NRC) to provide additional thermal analysis test data (differential thermal analysis {DTA}; thermal-gravimetric and analysis {TGA}; and differential scanning calorimetry {DSC}) for gypsum board and spruce wood. Based upon his analysis of the data, Craft submitted a Directed Studies Report to Carleton University entitled Modelling the Thermal Degradation of Gypsum Board and Wood Using TGA. A poster presentation by J.R. Mehaffey, S. Craft, G. Hadjisophocleous and B. Isgor entitled Fire Response of Gypsum Board and Wood Framing was given at the 8th International Symposium sponsored by the International Association of Fire Safety Science. Finally, a paper by S. Craft, G. Hadjisophocleous, B. Isgor and J. Mehaffey entitled Predicting the Fire Resistance of Light-Frame Wood Floor Assemblies was submitted and has been accepted for presentation at the 4th International Workshop on Structures in Fire (SiF’06) on May 10-12, 2006 at the University of Aveiro in Portugal.
In August 2005, Forintek established an agreement with SwRI whereby researchers at SwRI would assess the feasibility of utilizing commercially available finite element analysis (FEA) programs to model wood members (e.g. heavy-timber beams and columns) exposed to fire conditions. The fire resistance of a glulam beam was modeled in two-dimensions using five different FEA programs commonly used to predict the response of structures exposed to elevated temperature. The output of each model was compared with experimental data for wood beams from tests conducted in 1997 at SwRI. Following the completion of this research, a paper by B. Badders (SwRI) and J.R. Mehaffey and L.R. Richardson (Forintek) entitled Using Commercial FEA Software Packages to Model the Fire Performance of Exposed GLULAM Beams was submitted and has been accepted for presentation at the 4th International Workshop on Structures in Fire (SiF’06) on May 10-12, 2006 at the University of Aveiro in Portugal.
While this project officially ended on March 31, 2006, many of the activities underway at that time will continue as components of other Forintek research projects or through the activities of the Carleton University Industrial Research Chair in Fire Safety Engineering.