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BioFacades: Uphigh

Results from a large-scale facade test programme available here are provided for inspiration. The released documentation will be updated until the end of the project. The scope of documentation is limited to the test reports, and no classification reports are provided. The tests are based on, although do not precisely follow, the European Approach to Assess the Fire Performance of Facades large scale fire exposure. This method is not a standardized method at the time when the tests are performed. The product names used in the construction are provided in the test reports.

Terms “flame deflectors” and “flame breakers” both mean separating elements used as a physical obstacle to limit fire spread. These terms are used as synonyms through-out the test reports.

The failure times for horizontal and vertical fire spread are based either on thermocouple measurements or visual observations. When visual observation criteria are used the thermocouple criteria had not been reached during the test time.

Video recordings from two angles were conducted during the tests. However, in some instances, certain camera recordings were interrupted due to technical errors caused by exposure to heat.

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TEST 1: Corner test with 200 mm flame deflectors

Construction of the test specimen:

  1. Pre-fabricated wood framed cassettes with 95 mm mineral wool insulation (Isover 34 Formstykker)
  2. Fibre cement boards 9 mm (Cembrit Windstopper Extreme)
  3. Two layers pressure impregnated formwork (forming 50 mm ventilation cavity)
  4. Vertical orientation 21 mm non-fire treated pine cladding (Moelven ThermoWood profil 581)
  5. 2 mm steel profile flame deflectors, extending 200 mm outside the cladding
  6. Window opening of 1200 × 1200 mm
  7. Construction also on the short wall

Vertical fire spread: 11 min

Horizontal fire spread: 10 min

Burning parts : 12 min

Falling parts(level 0): 12min

Click on the play button in the photo to watch a video from the fire test.

Download test report

TEST 2: One wall test with horizontal and vertical flame deflectors

Construction of the test specimen:

  1. Pre-fabricated wood framed cassettes with mineral wool insulation (Isover Insulsafe Blanket)
  2. Plasterboard (Siniat weather defence) 9.5 mm
  3. Two layers pressure impregnated formwork (forming 50 mm ventilation cavity)
  4. Horizontal and vertical flame deflectors from 2 mm coated steel sheets, extending appox.207 mm outside the cladding
  5. Non-fire treated 21 mm wood cladding, groove and tongue connection (Moelven Finnforest ThermoWood Profile 330)
  6. No window openings

No façade  construction on the short wall

Vertical fire spread: 4 minutes

Horizontal fire spread: No failure during the 46 min

Burning parts : 11 min

Falling parts (level 0): 9 min

Click on the play button in the photo to watch a video from the fire test.

Download test report

TEST 3: Single wall test with large windows and 324 mm flame deflectors

Construction of the test specimen:

  1. Pre-fabricated wood framed cassettes with wood fibre insulation (Hunton Nativo wood fiber board).
  2. 2 layers (24 mm in total) of wood fibre based boards (Hunton windbreaker) and one 9 mm layer of fibre cement board (Cembrit Windstopper Basic)
  3. Impregnated formwork (forming 25 mm ventilation cavity)
  4. 2 mm steel profile flame deflectors, extending 324 mm outside the cladding
  5. Horizontal orientation fire-non treated 21 mm cladding with groove and tongue connection (Frøslev profile 2685)
  6. Window opening of 1765 × 1965 mm
  7. No façade construction on the short wall

Vertical fire spread: No failure during 60 minutes

Horizontal fire spread: 56 min

Burning parts: No failure during 60 minutes

Falling parts (level 0): 18 min

Click on the play button in the photo to watch a video from the fire test.

Download test report

TEST 4: Corner test with large windows and 314 mm flame deflectors

Construction of the test specimen:

  1. Pre-fabricated wood framed cassettes with wood fibre insulation (Hunton Nativo wood fiber board).
  2. 2 layers (24 mm in total) of wood fibre based boards (Hunton windbreaker) and one 9 mm layer of fibre cement board (Cembrit Windstopper Basic)
  3. Impregnated formwork (forming 25 mm ventilation cavity)
  4. 2 mm steel profile flame deflectors, extending approx.314 mm outside the cladding
  5. Horizontal orientation fire-non treated 21 mm cladding with groove and tongue connection (Frøslev profile 2685)
  6. Window opening of 1765 × 1965 mm
  7. Construction also on the short wall

Vertical fire spread: No failure during 60 minutes

Horizontal fire spread: 4 min

Burning particles: 25 min

Falling parts (level 0): 20 min

Click on the play button in the photo to watch a video from the fire test.

Download test report

TEST 5: Single wall test with large windows and 264 mm flame deflectors

Construction of the test specimen:

  1. Pre-fabricated wood framed cassettes with mineral fibre insulation (Isover Insulsafe loose wool L 34 and Isover Insulsafe Blanket)
  2. One layer of 9.5 mm plasterboard (Siniat weather defence plasterboard)
  3. Pressure impregnated formwork (forming 25 mm ventilation cavity)
  4. Horizontal and vertical flame deflectors from 2 mm coated steel sheets. Horizontal flame deflectors extended appox.264 - mm outside the cladding
  5. Horizontal and vertical orientation fire-non treated 21 mm cladding with groove and tongue connection (Moelven Finnforest ThermoWood Profile 3301)
  6. Window opening of 1500 × 2300 mm

No façade construction on the short wall

Vertical fire spread: 21 min (based on visual observations)

Horizontal fire spread: 10 min

Burning particles: 6 min

Falling parts (level 0): 6 min

Click on the play button in the photo to watch a video from the fire test.

Download test report

TEST 6: Single wall test with 305 mm painted flame deflectors

Construction of the test specimen:

  1. Pre-fabricated wood framed cassettes with paper in-blow insulation (Isocell paper insulation)
  2. 0.5 mm protection membrane (Trickle) and one layer of 9.5 mm gypsum plasterboard (Knauf weatherboard 365)
  3. Two layers of impregnated formwork (forming 50 mm ventilation cavity)
  4. Vertical orientation fire-non treated 21 mm cladding with groove and tongue connection (Finnforest Thermowood profile 330)
  5. 2 mm painted steel profile flame deflectors, extending 305 mm outside the cladding
  6. Window opening of 1200 × 1200 mm

No façade construction on the short wall

Vertical fire spread: 49 min (based on the visual observations)

Horizontal fire spread: 19 min

Burning particles: 16 min

Falling parts (level 0): 15 min

Click on the play button in the photo to watch a video from the fire test.

Download test report

TEST 7: Single wall test with 305 mm non-painted flame deflectors

Construction of the test specimen:

  1. Pre-fabricated wood framed cassettes with paper in-blow insulation (Isocell paper insulation)
  2. 0.5 mm protection membrane (Trickle) and one layer of 9.5 mm gypsum plasterboard (Knauf weatherboard 365)
  3. Two layers of impregnated formwork (forming 50 mm ventilation cavity)
  4. Vertical orientation fire-non treated 21 mm cladding with groove and tongue connection (Frøslev Finnforest Thermowood profile 330)
  5. 2 mm steel profile flame deflectors, extending 305 mm outside the cladding
  6. Window opening of 1200 × 1200 mm

No façade construction on the short wall

Vertical fire spread: No failure during 60 minutes

Horizontal fire spread: 12 min

Burning particles: 21 min

Falling parts (level 0): 21 min

Click on the play button in the photo to watch a video from the fire test.

Download test report

TEST 8: Single wall test with 305 mm painted (paint 2) flame deflectors

Construction of the test specimen:

  1. Pre-fabricated wood framed cassettes with paper in-blow insulation (Isocell paper insulation)
  2. 0.5 mm protection membrane (Trickle) and one layer of 9.5 mm gypsum plasterboard (Knauf weatherboard 365)
  3. Two layers of impregnated formwork (forming 50 mm ventilation cavity)
  4. Vertical orientation fire-non treated 21 mm cladding with groove and tongue connection (Frøslev Finnforest Thermowood profile 330)
  5. 2 mm steel profile flame deflectors, extending 305 mm outside the cladding
  6. Window opening of 1200 × 1200 mm

No façade construction on the short wall

Vertical fire spread: No failure during 61 minutes

Horizontal fire spread: 36 min

Burning particles: 21 min

Falling parts (level 0): 21 min

Click on the play button in the photo to watch a video from the fire test.

Download test report

TEST 9: Single wall test with 207 mm flame deflectors

Construction of the test specimen:

  1. Pre-fabricated wood framed cassettes with mineral fibre insulation (Rockwool Flexibatts 37)
  2. Fibre cement boards 9 mm (Swisspearl windstopper extreme)
  3. Two layers of impregnated formwork (forming 44 mm ventilation cavity)
  4. Vertical orientation fire-non treated 21 mm cladding planks with groove and tongue connection forming a flat surface (Frøslev Thermowood fer & not)
  5. 2 mm steel profile flame deflectors, extending 207 mm outside the cladding
  6. Window opening of 1200 × 1200 mm

No façade construction on the short wall

Vertical fire spread: No failure during 60 minutes

Horizontal fire spread: 44 min

Burning parts: 23 min

Falling parts (level 0): 23 min

Click on the play button in the photo to watch a video from the fire test.


Download test report

TEST 10: RESULTS WILL BE AVAILABLE END OF JANUARY

Contact

Mia Fossing Frederiksen Project leader
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