- Author
- Dowling, V. P. | Blackmore, J. M.
- Title
- Fire Performance of Wall and Ceiling Linings. Final Report.
- Coporate
- Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization, Melbourne, Australia
- Report
- Project 2; Stage A, July 1998, 137 p.
- Keywords
- wall linings | ceiling linings | fire codes | smoke generation | geometry | ignition source | enclosures | occupants | fire growth | time | test methods | ventilation | fire safety | egress | fire tests | fire spread | large scale fire tests | small scale fire tests
- Identifiers
- building categories; quantitative test performance levels; material groups
- Abstract
- Fire Code Reform Project 2 is one of a series of projects aimed at developing a cost-effective, fully engineered approach to fire safety regulation. Project 2 was originally conceived as Australian Building Regulations Co-ordinating Committee (AUBRCC) Project AP 73. Project AP 73 was a response by AUBRCC to industry concerns about the use of the Early Fire Hazard Test to control materials in buildings in the new Australian Model Uniform Building Code (Martin & Dowling, 1979; Gardner & Thomson, 1990). AUBRCC has since been replaced by the Australian Building Codes Board (ABCB), who produce the Building Code of Australia (BCA). With the advent of the FCRC program, ABCB requested that, due to continuing industry discontent with the Early Fire Hazard Test and its application in the BCA, the scope of Project AP 73 be included in the FCRC research program. The purpose of Project 2 is to investigate the need to control fire properties of lining materials in buildings of Classes 2-9, and to make recommendations for appropriate test methods and criteria of acceptance. Control of linings can be considered as one of a number of fire safety systems that together help to ensure that building occupants have adeqbate time to use safe paths of egress in the event of a fire. The central strategy of the project is to produce a logical structure for any such controls. The Project is divided into two stages. Stage A concentrates on wall and ceiling linings, whiie Stage B studies floor linings and other building elements. This report covers Stage A. During the Project, the suitability of the latest technologies to provide satisfactory and robust outcomes in line with the project objectives was assessed. The assessment showed that some technologies, such as room fire models and egress models, are not yet able to provide the quantitative data needed. As a result a more qualitative approach than originally envisaged has been adopted. This has generated minor changes to the Project's objectives and outputs. The original project objectives and outputs were formulated prior to the development of the Performance BCA. The Project objectives have been updated to reflect the performance structure of BCA96.