Fire Tests in Support of Tall Mass Timber Buildings · Fire Tests in Support of Tall Mass Timber Buildings –DES603 7 FIRE TEST PROTOCOLS Fire-exposed wood behavior • Wood chars

3/6/2018

Copyright © 2018 American Wood Council1

Fire Tests in Support of Tall Mass Timber Buildings

DES603

Sam FrancisSenior Director, National ProgramsAmerican Wood Council

Jason Smart, P.E.Manager, Engineering TechnologyAmerican Wood Council

F i r e T e s t s i n S u p p o r t o f T a l l M a s s T i m b e r B u i l d i n g s – D E S 6 0 3 2

Participants may download the presentation here: http://www.awc.org/education/resources

The American Wood Council is a Registered Provider with The American Institute of Architects Continuing Education Systems (AIA/CES), Provider # 50111237.

Credit(s) earned on completion of this course will be reported to AIA CES for AIA members. Certificates of Completion for both AIA members and non-AIA members are available upon request.

This course is registered with AIA CES for continuing professional education. As such, it does not include content that may be deemed or construed to be an approval or endorsement by the AIA of any material of construction or any method or manner of handling, using, distributing, or dealing in any material or product.

Questions related to specific materials, methods, and services will be addressed at the conclusion of this presentation.

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COURSE DESCRIPTION

With a rapidly growing interest in tall buildings constructed of mass timber, it became necessary to quantify the degree to which exposed timber contributes to a “real” compartment fire in order to establish appropriate building code requirements. This presentation will provide an overview of standard and non-standard fire testing including mass timber compartment fire tests. A number of full-scale compartments constructed of mass timber building elements and furnished with real furniture and contents were fire tested. Results of these non-standard tests that were used by the ICC Tall Wood Building (TWB) Ad Hoc Committee in the development of proposed changes to the 2021 International Building Code will be presented.


LEARNING OBJECTIVESUpon completion, participants will be:

Recognize the differences and objectives associated with standard and ad hoc fire testing and distinguish the objectives of recent large scale compartment testing in the U.S.

Fire Test Objectives

Describe the purpose of tests conducted by and findings of the NFPA Fire Protection Research Foundation (FPRF) at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and the tests performed at the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) on behalf of the ICC TWB.

ICC TWB Requested Tests

Evaluate and describe the outcomes of the ATF tests and contrast those to the outcomes of the FPRF tests.

ATF vs FPRF Tests

Understand how testing is used to assess the added fire resistance time associated with non-combustible materials applied to mass timber elements in standardized E119 tests and be able to evaluate the results of those tests.

ASTM E 119 Tests

1 3

2 4

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POLLING QUESTION

1. What is your profession?

a) Architect

b) Engineer

c) Building Code Official

d) Fire Code Official

e) Other


Outline• Fire Tests Protocols

• Mass Timber Fire Tests

• ICC Tall Wood Ad Hoc Fire Research

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FIRE TEST PROTOCOLS

Fire-exposed wood behavior

• Wood chars at a predictable, easily-modeled rate

• Wood and char are good thermal insulators, so they protect the core of the exposed wood member


FIRE TESTS AND MASS TIMBER

Fire Tests related to Mass Timber and Tall Wood Building Ad Hoc Committee code change proposals for 2021 IBC

Standardized Tests

ASTM E84, E119, E814; NFPA 285Compartment Tests (U.S.)

Single Compartment SwRI 2015

Single Compartment FPRF 2017Full-scale building ATF 2017

Multi-Compartment, Multi-Floor

Noncombustible Protection WFC 2017

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ASTM E84

• Steiner Tunnel test - measures flame spread on test specimen surface• Comparative test: Red Oak Flooring and cementitious board used to calibrate

test apparatus

• For mass timber products, flame spread is expected to be about the same as boards of the species used • www.awc.org/codes-standards/publications/dca1

• IBC Section 804 regulates Interior Finish and thus any exposed mass timber surface must comply

F i r e T e s t s i n S u p p o r t o f T a l l M a s s T i m b e r B u i l d i n g s – D E S 6 0 3 1 0

ASTM E119

• Evaluates Fire Resistance and results in Fire Resistance Rating (FRR) measured in hours or minutes

• FRR requirements found in Tables 601 and 602 (and elsewhere in the code)

• Assembly to be tested as it is to be installed in the structure (seam or splice must be in test specimen)

• North American CLT Handbook has E119 values for some CLT panels

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AWC E119 TEST OF 5 PLY CLT

• Covered both sides with 1 layer of 5/8 inch gypsum

• Loaded to the maximum load of the lab equipment which was 87,000 lbs• Standard requires splice so splice exists vertically in the middle of the test

specimen• Failure occurred when flame appeared on the unexposed side• Panel still carrying the full load at failure


MASS TIMBER FIRE TESTING

ASTM E119 Test on CLT Wall Assembly

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ASTM E814

• Through-penetration firestop system required for items penetrating a fire resistance rated assembly

• Regulated by IBC 714.4 and 714.5

• CLT assemblies tested as part of SwRIcompartment testing

• E814 report available at • www.awc.org/tallmasstimber


NFPA 285

• Measures flame transmission over outside of a building• Nonbearing walls on noncombustible construction

• Mass timber construction will involve both bearing and nonbearing walls of combustible or noncombustible construction

• Labs have indicated a willingness to test mass timber to the requirement and write reports reflecting test meets IBC requirements

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FIRE TESTING: COMPARTMENT TEST VS. ASTM E119

Compartment Fires• Temperatures peak more quickly

and remain higher than standard fire during fully-developed phase

• Temps start to decrease once fuel is mostly consumed (decay phase)

Standard Fire• Temperatures gradually increase

throughout exposure

• Takes >4 hours for temps to reach same level as typical peak temp in a compartment fire


POLLING QUESTION

2. Which of the following is generally true regarding

typical time‐temperature curves of compartment

fire tests versus ASTM E119 fire tests?a.Compartment fire temperature peaks quickly

b.Compartment fire temperature decreases after fuel is

consumed

c.ASTM E119 fire temperature gradually increases

throughout exposure

d.Items a. and c. only

e.Items a. b. and c.

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MASS TIMBER FIRE TESTS

Southwest Research Institute (SWRI) 2015

• 5-ply CLT compartment 12 ft x 16 ft

• Splices are lap joints in wall panels with sealant• One opening in front to facilitate observation

and data collection• Ceiling tested as CLT panel and NLT panel• The Test Report and a video report of testing is

available at: www.awc.org/tallmasstimber

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SWRI COMPARTMENT TESTING

Residential Fire Load Demonstration - 2015



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Residential Fire Load Demonstration - 2015



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NFPA FPRF COMPARTMENT TESTS

NFPA Fire Protection Research Foundation (FPRF) • Tests done for NFPA’s Property Insurance Research Group (PIRG)• Purpose: Evaluate contribution of CLT elements to compartment fires to

collect data for insurance modeling• Tests performed by NRC Canada• Tests performed at NIST facilities• 5 compartment tests

• 2 with all CLT protected• 4 with various surfaces exposed

• Report available at FPRF website• https://www.nfpa.org/News-and-Research


NFPA FPRF COMPARTMENT TESTS

• No significant contribution of CLT when all surfaces protected with Type X gypsum wallboard

• Where surfaces were exposed, CLT contribution increased with increasing exposed CLT surface area

Graph courtesy of Joseph Su, NRC Canada

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NONCOMBUSTIBLE PROTECTION CONTRIBUTION

• Tests of CLT floor/ceiling assemblies with varying amounts of noncombustible protection

• One unprotected control test to establish baseline fire resistance of CLT alone

• Assemblies subjected to standard ASTM E119 time-temperature exposure

• Objective: Validate and Quantify contribution of noncombustible protection to overall fire-resistance-rating of mass timber assemblies

Validation of values for noncombustible protection on mass timber




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Unprotected CLT(control test)

Single-Layer Protection Triple-Layer Protection

CLT type/grade 5-Layer, Grade V4CLT panel size 14’x18’ (67/8” thick)

Loading 60 pounds per square footSpan 17’-10”

Load Ratio 75% of ASD moment

Noncombustible protection None 1 layer of 5/8” Type X gypsum wallboard

3 layers of 5/8” Type X gypsum wallboard

Time to failure(12” deflection) ~149 minutes ~190 minutes ~277 minutes

Noncombustible protection contribution -- ~41 minutes ~127 minutes

Time attributed to each layer of 5/8” Type X -- ~41 min/layer ~42 min/layer

• Each layer of 5/8” Type X gypsum wallboard contributes at least 40 minutes to the fire-resistance of a mass timber element or assembly.



POLLING QUESTION

3. ASTM E119 mass timber fire tests have shown that each layer of 5/8” Type-X gypsum wallboard, applied to a mass timber assembly, increases assembly overall fire resistance by at least:

a. 20 minutesb. 25 minutesc. 30 minutesd. 40 minutese. 60 minutes

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ICC TALL WOOD AD HOC COMMITTEE

Project ScopeDecember 2015 – ICC Board established ICC Ad Hoc Committee on Tall Wood Buildings noting purpose

1. Explore building science of tall wood buildings

2. Investigate feasibility

3. Take action on developing code changes for tall wood buildings

This scope will require further refinement by the committee

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MembershipICC Board determined that the effort is to be undertaken by newly formed Ad Hoc Committee on Tall Wood Buildings (AH-TWB). In making Committee appointments, the Board recognized the need to have a consensus committee comprised of necessary balance of stakeholders including:

• Representatives from building construction material industries

• Building and Fire Officials

• Architects and engineers

• Fire protection experts

• Other construction related stakeholders



Meetings and Structure5 Face-to-Face Meetings of Full Committee• July 6-8, 2016 - Chicago

• November 14 -16, 2016 - Seattle

• May 1-3, 2017 - Chicago

• August 21 -23, 2017 - Chicago

• November 29 – 30, 2017 - Phoenix

Working Group Conference Calls• Definitions and Standards

• Fire

• Structural

• Codes

82 major issues identified and addressed

Presentations, reports, studies on the topic were reviewed: ICC Website

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ATF FULL-SCALE BUILDING TESTS

• Test plan developed by the Fire Work Group of the Tall Wood Building Ad Hoc Committee of ICC (TWB) and ratified by the full TWB

• Testing conducted at ATF and supervised by USDA FPL scientists• More to follow in this program• Results are available at

• www.awc.org/tallmasstimber



• Purpose: Perform tests of realistic fire scenarios applicable to tall wood construction to evaluate occupant and firefighter tenability for egress and suppression efforts, and provide data necessary to guide further development of relevant code and standard provisions

• Conducted at U.S. government facilities

• Supervised by U.S. Forest Products Laboratory staff

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Fire Work Group created fire test scenarios• 2-story condo configuration

• 30 ft x 30 ft interior dimensions

• Corridor and stair included

• Fire WG specified a target fuel load of 550 MJ/m2; actual fuel load: 570 MJ/m2; UL “modern furnishings” fuel load utilized

• Fuel load was approximately Mean plus 1 Standard Deviation of Group R fuel loads from survey of Group R’s

• Tests 1 through 3: unlikely scenario in which automatic sprinklers fail to activate and fire service unable to respond

• Test 4: normal sprinkler activation

• Test 5: automatic sprinklers fail to activate, but are later manually charged by fire service


ATF FIRE TEST SCENARIOS

Test Description Date Duration

Test 1All mass timber surfaces protected with 2 layers of 5/8”

Type X GWB5/23/17 3 hours

Test 230% of CLT ceiling area in living room and bedroom

exposed5/31/17 4 hours

Test 3Two opposing CLT walls exposed – one in bedroom and

one in living room (there is a partition wall)6/20/17 4 hours

Test 4All mass timber surfaces fully exposed in bedroom and

living room. Sprinklered – normal activation6/27/17

6

minutes

Test 5

All mass timber surfaces fully exposed in bedroom and

living room (except bathroom). Sprinklered – 20 min

delayed activation

6/29/1730

minutes

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ATF TWO-STORY STRUCTURE

• 2-stories – one apartment per level

• Each apartment: 30 ft x 30 ft

• Ceiling height: 9 ft

• 5-ply CLT

- Douglas-fir Larch species group

- Lamination thickness: 13/8 inches

- CLT thickness: 67/8 inches

- Polyurethane Adhesive

• Corridor around each apartment and a stairwell


ATF FIRE TESTS – APARTMENT LAYOUT

• Partitions used unrated ½” gypsum wallboard• Kitchen & Living Room: 15 ft x 30 ft• Bedroom & Bath: 15 ft x 30 ft• 20-min rated door between compartment and corridor• 90-min rated door between corridor and stairwell• Fuel load ~570 MJ/m2

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APARTMENT FURNISHINGS – BEDROOM & BATH

Photos provided by U.S. Forest Products Laboratory, USDA


APARTMENT FURNISHINGS – KITCHEN & LIVING ROOM


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TEST #1 - ALL MASS TIMBER PROTECTED

All mass timber surfaces protected with 2 layers of 5/8” Type X GWB


Fire Test 1 Video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ztUJVhvPh58&index=1&list=PL_sDiz8JiMIwby77vfpPSPucEhBuEK22P&t=0s

.


BShowalt

Rectangle

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• Flashover is the point at which all exposed combustible surfaces within a given compartment (e.g.,furnishings, contents, etc.) suddenly become involved in the fire or when ceiling gas temperatures reach 6000 C six feet above compartment floor.


Comparison of Model Predictions and Measured Data Modeling Performed by Research Institute of Sweden (RISE)


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TEST #2 – 30% CLT CEILINGS EXPOSED

• 30% of CLT ceiling area in living room and bedroom exposed

• Live load applied using water barrels


Fire Test 2 Video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Ji2eljkchA&list=PL_sDiz8JiMIwby77vfpPSPucEhBuEK22P&index=2

.


BShowalt

Rectangle

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• Flashover is the point at which all exposed combustible surfaces within a given compartment (e.g.,furnishings, contents, etc.) suddenly become involved in the fire or when ceiling gas temperatures reach 6000 C six feet above compartment floor.



Post-Fire Condition of CLT After Gypsum Removal

• Fire intensity decreased subsequent to consumption of furnishings and contents (known as decay phase)

• Exposed mass timber surfaces self-extinguished in the decay phase

• Mass timber surfaces protected with 2 layers of 5/8” Type X GWB remained mostly uncharred


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Post-Fire Condition of GlulamAfter Gypsum Removal

• Fire intensity decreased subsequent to consumption of furnishings and contents (known as decay phase)

• Exposed mass timber surfaces self-extinguished in the decay phase

• Mass timber surfaces protected with 2 layers of 5/8” Type X GWB remained mostly uncharred



SECTION OF EXPOSED CEILING TEST 2 (OBTUSE ANGLE)

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SECTION OF EXPOSED CEILING TEST 2 (RIGHT ANGLE)




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TEST #3 – EXPOSED WALLS

Two opposing CLT walls exposed

one in bedroom and one in living room


Fire Test 3 Video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RXOiL18vgSA&index=3&list=PL_sDiz8JiMIwby77vfpPSPucEhBuEK22P

.


BShowalt

Rectangle

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TEST #4 – SPRINKLER PROTECTION

All mass timber surfaces fully exposed in bedroom and living roomSprinkler –normal activation

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Fire Test 4 Video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pZ6xGPpiQ_8&index=4&list=PL_sDiz8JiMIwby77vfpPSPucEhBuEK22P

.

TEST #4 – SPRINKLER PROTECTION

All mass timber surfaces fully exposed in living room & bedroom


All mass timber surfaces fully exposed in bedroom and living room.

Sprinkler – water delayed for 20 minutes after sprinkler activation within the test compartment…approximately 23 minutes from ignition

Flashover conditions were reached in the kitchen, and the bedroom was very near reaching flashover

The sprinkler system effectively suppressed the fire

TEST #5 – DELAYED SPRINKLERS

BShowalt

Rectangle

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Fire Test 5 Video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B4NQz3YF2o0&list=PL_sDiz8JiMIwby77vfpPSPucEhBuEK22P&ind

ex=5

.

TEST #5 – DELAYED SPRINKLERS

All mass timber surfaces fully exposed in living room & bedroom


POLLING QUESTION

4. In a simulated unlikely scenario where a sprinkler system fails automatic activation, but fire service charges it manually on arrival, ATF Test 5 showed:

a. Sprinklers did not control the compartment fire due to fully exposed mass timber

b. Sprinklers did not prevent fire intensity due to flashoverc. Sprinklers effectively suppressed the fire despite 100%

mass timber exposure in both roomsd. Items a. and b.

BShowalt

Rectangle

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ATF TEST RESULTS – EVENT LOG

Test No.

Time After Ignition (mm:ss)

Flashover (600°C)

Living Room

Flashover (600°C)

BedroomFlames in Hallway Compartment door Fails Sprinkler Activation

1

1st floor13:27 17:20 26:51 57:46 N/A

2

2nd floor11:42 17:20 30:38 63:59 N/A

3

2nd floor12:37 17:00

13:06(door frame

installation error)

29:42(door frame

installation error)

N/A

4

1st floor‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ 2:37

5

1st floor‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ 23:00


ATF TEST RESULTS – OTHER FINDINGS

• Analysis shows that exposed CLT had no measureable impacton fire severity, duration, or clean-up

• ASTM E814-compliant penetration firestops within CLT assemblies prevented spread of fire beyond compartment of origin

• Properly installed entry doors maintained tenable conditions in exit corridor and stairs for a more-than-ample amount of time to allow safe egress of occupants

• Properly installed entry door maintained tenable conditions for fire fighters in both adjacent corridor and exit stair throughout test duration

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T h i s p r e s e n t a t i o n i s p r o t e c t e d b y U S a n d I n t e r n a t i o n a l C o p y r i g h t l a w s . R e p r o d u c t i o n , d i s t r i b u t i o n , d i s p l a y a n d u s e o f t h e p r e s e n t a t i o n w i t h o u t

w r i t t e n p e r m i s s i o n o f A m e r i c a n Wo o d C o u n c i l ( A W C ) i s p r o h i b i t e d . © A m e r i c a n Wo o d C o u n c i l 2 0 1 7

in [email protected] | www.awc.org

This concludes the American Institute of Architects Continuing Education Systems Course

Documents

Fire Tests in Support of Tall Mass Timber Buildings · Fire Tests in Support of Tall Mass Timber Buildings –DES603 7 FIRE TEST PROTOCOLS Fire-exposed wood behavior • Wood chars