Fire Performance of Sustainable Materials Made from Renewable Sources

*Sameer Hamoush, Ahmed Cherif Megri, Rasul Pasha and Sajjad Sayyar Roudsari* 

#### **Abstract**

 This paper presents the results of a fire test on newly developed green materials made from renewable sources. It is known that fire resistance rating of a new material is an important factor for material selection in buildings. The fire resistance rating of structures, building components, or assemblies needs to be predicted experimentally in agreement with the ASME E119 or UL 263 test procedures. The material tested is a drywall partition system composed of 9 mm-thick MgO board as the first layer on both sides and 9 mm-thick patented bamboo plyboard as the finishes. The internal steel frame is comprised of steel stud C channel fixed to the RSJ steel frame. The first layer of 9 mm-thick MgO board was laid horizontally over the wall frame on both sides and fastened to the studs with screws. The test was stopped after a duration of 120 minutes. The purpose of the test is to determine the fire resistance of non-load-bearing drywall panel partition system when tested. This paper describes the outstanding results related to the specimen performance under the fire conditions. The results exceed the specified requirements of Clause 5 of BS 476: Part 22, for non-bearing wall, in terms of integrity and insulation.

**Keywords:** safety, fire protection, fire resistance, test process, insulation, integrity

#### **1. Introduction**

Building components need to have resistance to prevent excessive heat transfer, noise, as well as the fire spread and smoke dispersion for a period of time to allow the inhabitant to leave the building without casualty. Fire resistance is a component characteristic that evaluates the building unit's performance to survive and preserve its structure and operation and/or its aptitude to bound fire in a definite space [1–3].

 In general, fire resistance helps to prevent a fire from spreading throughout a building or jumping between structures. In this paper, an experimental study was performed for a system, data analysis, and test monitoring, based on a standard for evaluating fire performance. This performance is assessed by the fire durability time for the fire resistance test, to protect the building from the multiple risks and losses caused by fire [2, 3]. To control the spread of fire, fire protection methods are divided into active ones, such as sprinklers and passive ones, such as fire resistance, both of which are incorporated into building codes. The building codes include a variety of prescriptions as well as alternative solutions. Code tendencies generally

 emphasize sprinkler installations or alternatively by providing trade-offs that encourage their use. These active systems provide valuable protection, but they also include trade-offs such as more fire separation zones and other modifications that reduce the required wall and floor performance. There are two primary fire test methods that are used to establish the fire ratings of components, at neutral pressure and at positive pressure. The variance between the two test methods is related to the location of a neutral axis plane in the test furnace. In the late 1990s, the test method required in building codes was modified to be a positive pressure test method. Later, this amendment has been adopted in Building Code Standardization (UBC) and the International Building Code (IBC). The non-load-bearing drywall board partition system is planned to be used in housing construction which is an innovative and advanced patented structural panel that is composed of either bamboo or the perennial grass, *Arundo donax*. Both raw materials are sustainable and ecological and share similar mechanical characteristics. The importance of the use of such materials "bamboo" and *Arundo donax* is coming from the fact that both these materials are non-wood-based materials, which helps protect and safeguard the forests. To demonstrate the importance and the quality of this new materials, a certified test result comparison between this new material developed by the company Centric Infinity Board ™ and other traditionally used materials in buildings, plywood, and OSB panels has been performed [4, 5].

Centric Infinity Board™ (the non-load-bearing drywall panel partition) evaluation shows [4] that the new material is:


Prior to 2000, US codes were developed by three organizations: the Building Officials and Code Administrators, the International Conference of Building Officials, and the Southern Building Code Congress International.

Later, the three organizations formed the International Code Council [6] to publish 14 codes at that time, including the International Building Code (IBC).

Current US practice in the design of fire resistance structures relies primarily on the requirements of current approved codes, which are generally based on the original building codes, which are developed by a known organization. The codes specify the required minimum fire endurance times (or fire resistance ratings) for the construction components and recognized methods for predicting their fire resistance ratings. Allowable methods for predicting fire endurance values comprise [7]:


#### *Fire Performance of Sustainable Materials Made from Renewable Sources DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.87836*

 In this article, a new construction was developed, and a fire resistance test was performed for a firewall. On the basis of the experimental test, the data investigation and surveillance, associated with the corresponding standard, make it possible to assess the fire resistance performance of this non-load bearing drywall board partition.

#### **2. Fire resistance test**

#### **2.1 Sample description**

 The test sample consisted of a symmetrical, non-load-bearing drywall panel system constructed onto a test frame. The overall specimen size was 3000 mm × 3000 mm including a vertical gap of 40 mm wide along one edge to avoid subjecting the sample to lateral stresses. The 40 mm vertical gap was filled with ceramic fiber insulation. The drywall partition system was constructed from 9 mm-thick MgO board as the first layer on both sides and 9 mm-thick bamboo plyboard as the finishes. The internal steel frame comprised of steel stud C channel fixed to the RSJ steel frame. The first layer of 9 mm-thick MgO board was laid horizontally over the wall frame on both sides (**Table 1**) and fastened to the studs with screws. This is repeated for the next piece of bamboo plyboard laid vertically fixed to the MgO board and cut to sizes (see **Figure 1**) to accommodate over the wall frame. The board was cut to suit where necessary to allow staggering of joints for the first and second layers of the board. The inner core of the drywall panel between the boards was filled with rock wool of the brand name "ThermalRock S60," with a nominal density of 60 kg/m3 . All exposed joints were plastered flush with joining compound.

#### **2.2 Test process**

The test assembly consisted of a symmetrical, non-load-bearing drywall panel partition system. The drywall was constructed using steel studs as the inner

**Table 1.**  *Details of the MgO board and bamboo plyboard display.* 

#### *ISBS 2019 - 4th International Sustainable Buildings Symposium*

**Figure 1.**  *Actual furnace average temperature/time curve.* 

 framework sandwiched between 9 mm MgO boards and finishes with 9 mm bamboo plyboard on both sides. The cavity between the MgO boards is filled with rock wool of brand name "ThermalRock S60," with a nominal density of 60 kg/m3 . The actual overall dimension of drywall panel partition was 3000 mm length, by 2960 mm width, by 111 mm thickness. A free edge clearance of approximately 40 mm wide filled with ceramic fiber was provided along one vertical side of the constructed wall panel. The method used to determine the fire resistance of nonload bearing structural members is in accordance with Clause 5 of ASME E119. As a fire endurance test process, the system was installed in a vertical opening furnace test frame prior to testing. The test exposes a specimen to a standard fire according to the test procedure to reach the specified temperatures throughout a stated time duration [2, 13–15]. The inspection was done during the construction of the wall to verify its dimension used in the FPL laboratory only. The construction of the wall was organized and carried out by Centric Intl. LLC.

#### *2.2.1 Installation*

 This new system is used in buildings as partition and as a non-load-bearing drywall system, which was placed using typical support, and the test sample was cured under normal conditions and placed in front to be exposed to a flame coming from the furnace prior to testing. The temperature on the other side, not exposed to the fire of this system, was measured using 7 thermocouples Type K *Thermocouple* (*Chromel/Alumel*).

#### *2.2.2 Fire endurance test*

The furnace goal is to provide the thermal exposure. This exposure is made by the flame provided by the furnace burner that uses gaseous fuels for ignition. These standard fire exposure conditions are dictated by the ASME code. The measurement of the temperature is ensured using seven thermocouples evenly distributed in the furnace. During the test period, the temperature control is made possible, by regulating the amount of gas burner. The average temperature provided by the several thermocouples existing in the furnace needs to be in accordance with the time/ temperature curve. One important condition is the necessity of the sample to keep its shape and it not being destroyed by the flame. Also, it is ensured that there are no persistent flames on the unexposed surface or loss of impermeability. For our test, these prerequisites were met for 130 minutes after which the test was interrupted.

#### *2.2.3 Performance criteria*

The fire resistance performance of the specimen is mostly measured considering two factors, integrity and insulation.

*Integrity*: the failure is estimated to occur when:


*Isolation*: Failure is estimated to happen when:


### **3. Test data and analysis**

The experiment was stopped after a duration of 120 minutes at the requests of the applicant, and a hose stream test was performed instantaneously with a duration of 184 seconds. The analysis and evaluation of the fire-resistant performance of this nonload bearing panel partition system are based on the acquisition of experimental data and the results of the investigations added to the national and international standards.

The graph in **Figure 1** shows the actual temperature/time curve of the furnace heating conditions in relation to the standard one.

Photographs of the test are shown in Plate 1 to 6 (**Table 2**). Photographs taken using laboratory's camera facing problem to retrieve data from the memory card.

#### **3.1 Insulation**

Failure is estimated to have occurred in one of the following cases:


 Plate 1. Before the test (during the construction showing Plate 2. Before the test (time taken: 0 minutes) the rock wool infilled and studs)

Plate 3. During the test (time taken: 95 minutes) Plate 4. During the test (time taken: 106

Plate 5. During the test (time taken: 120 minutes) Plate 6. After the test

#### **Table 2.**

*The photos of the non-exposed face of the sample [16].* 

#### **3.2 Integrity**

The new specimen board was exposed to fire, and during the 2-hour test period, there was no collapse of this sample, no persistent flames on the unexposed face of the board, and no loss of impermeability. The integrity of the material is considered as a success. The photos of the non-exposed surface of the sample are illustrated in **Table 2**.

In general, a defect in the integrity of the test structure is estimated to have occurred during a breakdown or prolonged flame for a duration of time that exceeds 10 seconds on the non-exposed surface. According to the impermeability

#### *Fire Performance of Sustainable Materials Made from Renewable Sources DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.87836*

criteria, the failure is estimated to have happened when one of the subsequent conditions was overcome:

	- A hole of more than 6 mm in diameter and 150 mm in length, passing through the furnace, exists or develops in the specimen.
	- A hole in the furnace more than 25 mm in diameter occurs through or develops in the sample.

### **4. Conclusion**

 In summary, the test performed on this new material has good integrity performance (2.00 hours integrity), as well as the insulating material structure, and results in good insulation performance (insulation 112 minutes). It has a decent integrity performance. The specimen meets the requirements of BS 476: Part 22: 1987: for the following duration: Integrity: 2 hours: 112 minutes. The test was stopped after 120 minutes at the request of the applicant.

#### **Author details**

 Sameer Hamoush1 \*, Ahmed Cherif Megri1 , Rasul Pasha2 and Sajjad Sayyar Roudsari1

1 Department of Civil and Architectural Engineering, North Carolina A&T State University, USA

2 Centric LTD Building Green with Fiber, Seattle, USA

\*Address all correspondence to: sameer@ncat.edu

© 2019 The Author(s). Licensee IntechOpen. This chapter is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/ by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

### **References**

[1] BS 476: Part 22 "Method for determination of the fire resistance of non-load bearing elements of construction: Clause 5–Determination of fire resistance wall". 1987

[2] Wu X, Liu JY, Xia Zhao X, Yang Z, Xu R. Study of the fire resistance performance of a kind of steel fire door. Procedia Engineering. 2013;**52**:440-445. DOI: 10.1016/j.proeng.2013.02.166

[3] Megri AC. Building load and energy simulation programs and the design process. International Journal of Ventilation. 2007;**6**(2):177-192

[4] [Internet]. Available from: Ckyibstech.com

[5] Centric Intl. LLC web page [ınternet]. Available from: www. centriccltd.com

[6] The Inter-Jurisdictional Regulatory Collaboration Committee, Guidelines for the Introduction of Performance based Building Regulations (Discussion paper); 1998

[7] Long T, Phan Therese P, McAllister John L, Gross Morgan J Hurley. "Best Practice Guidelines for Structural Fire Resistance Design of Concrete and Steel Buildings", NIST Technical Note 1681. 2010. p. 218

[8] ASTM, Standard Test Methods for Fire Tests of Building Construction and Materials, E119-07a, West Conshohocken, Pa.: American Society for Testing and Materials; 2007

[9] NFPA. Standard Methods of Tests of Fire Endurance of Building Construction and Materials. NFPA 251, Quincy, Mass.: National Fire Protection Association; 2006

[10] ACI. Code Requirements for Determining Fire Resistance of Concrete

 and Masonry Construction Assemblies. ACI/TMS 216.1-07, Farmington Hills, Mich.: American Concrete Institute; 2007

[11] ASCE/SFPE. Standard Calculation Methods for Structural Fire Protection, ASCE/SEI/SFPE 29-05, Reston, VA: American Society of Civil Engineers; 2005

[12] AISC. Steel Construction Manual. 13th ed. Chicago: American Institute of Steel Construction; 2005

 [13] Wu X, Liu J, Zhao X, Yu W, Wu Y. Temperature and pressure controlling analyzing about building elements fire resistance test from GB/T 9978-2008. China Building Materials Science & Technology. 2009;**3**:94-99

[14] GB/T 9978.1-2008. Fire-resistance tests Elements of building construction Part 1: General requirements; 2008

[15] BS 476-20-1987 Fire tests on building materials and structures— Method for determination of the fire resistance of elements of construction (general principles); 1987

[16] Test Report NO: FPL 2017112074. Fire resistance of non-loadbearing elements of construction. Applicant: Ecocentric Intl SDN. BHD., Test No. 2074; 2017. pp. 1-22

#### **Chapter 68**
