- Author
-
Collier, P. C. R.
- Title
- Post-Earthquake Performance of Passive Fire Protection Systems.
- Coporate
- Building Research Association of New Zealand, Judgeford
- Report
-
Study Report No. 147; BRANZ Study Report SR 147
2005
96 p.
- Keywords
-
earthquakes
|
fire protection
|
fire resistance
|
plasterboard
|
linings
|
damage
|
timber
|
walls
|
steels
|
failure
|
insulation
|
fire resistance tests
|
fire tests
- Identifiers
- drift ratio; plasterboard lining; passive fire protection; earthquake racking testing
- Abstract
- The damage caused to passive fire protection systems by earthquake is highly variable and as a consequence the reduction in the fire resistance is similarly uncertain. This project endeavoured to quantify the resultant reduction in the fire resistance of a series of plasterboard lined lightweight timber and steel-framed walls after being subjected to simulated earthquake racking to a range of drift ratios extending above and below (+/-) the code limit. The resultant earthquake damage was shown to be a primary cause of the reduction in fire resistance when the walls were subjected to a fire resistance test. The predominant cause of the reduced fire resistance was due to flaming from gaps due to detachment of the wall linings in isolated locations resulting Integrity failures rather than Insulation failure as a result of more general failure of the exposed lining. The Integrity failures in general occurred around the perimeter of the wall specimens where the majority of the damage occurred and the detachment of the lining was directly attributable to the security of the edge detail in the simulated earthquake racking. The Insulation fire resistance was also shown to be adversely affected by the racking damage, but not to the same extent as the Integrity fire resistance, and as a consequence was not the initial failure recorded in the trials conducted. A subjective judgement of the likely reduction in fire resistance is possible by assessing the damage resulting from the racking process. The amount of reduction in fire resistance of a 60 minute plasterboard lined wall can be as high as 50% in a design level displacement cycle.