- Author
- Lee, B. T. | Parker, W. J.
- Title
- Fire Buildup in Shipboard Compartments--Characterization of Some Vulnerable Spaces and the Status of Prediction Analysis. Final Report.
- Coporate
- National Bureau of Standards, Gaithersburg, MD
- Sponsor
- Department of the Navy, Washington, DC
- Report
- NBSIR 79-1714, May 1979, 44 p.
- Distribution
- Available from National Technical Information Service
- Keywords
- fire growth | fire statistics | flame spread | fuel load | heat release | interior finishes | shipboard fires
- Abstract
- A review of shipboard fire incidents in the Navy over the past six years was made to determine the spaces of greatest vulnerability to fire and the most common sources of ignition in these areas. Some of these compartment spaces are characterized with regard to their furnishing and interior finish materials. Their fire loads are specified. The various factors which determine the extent and rate of fire buildup in a compartment are discussed in terms of a simplified prediction model. Although substantial progress has been made in developing a prediction model for room fire development, a satisfactory treatment of flame spread on combustible interior finish materials along with a better understanding of the effect of the fire environment on fire buildup are needed. Meanwhile, criteria for choosing fire safe materials must continue to rely on existing laboratory fire tests. The application of laboratory fire tests on ignition, flame spread, and heat release rate to control the use of interior finish materials aboard ship is explored. Test data on ignition, flame spread, and heat release rate of typical shipboard materials are provided.