Citation

Zhang J, Shields TJ, Silcock GWH. J. Fire Sci. 1996; 14(1): 67-84.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1996, SAGE Publishing)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

The fire hazards associated with polypropylene wall linings subjected to small ignition sources, were evaluated using large scale experiments and cone calorimetry. A series of seven ignition sources with increasing severity as recommended in BS 5852 were used in the tests. The results obtained indicate that ignition of the polypropylene linings is likely when exposed to ignition sources 5 to 7 as defined in BS 5852. It was observed that the melting behaviour of the polypropylene wall linings significantly affected the burning behaviour. A pool fire, consisting of melted polymer, formed at the base of the wall which then controlled the fire growth processes. The rate of flame spread on the lining surface which depended on the growth of the pool fire was slow because the thin polymer sheet could only supply a limited amount of melted polymer to the pool. The estimated heat release rates from the pool fire were close to the values measured in the cone calorimeter at the heat flux level of 25 kW m(-2).