Effect of Environmental Conditions on the Dehydration and Performance of Fire-Protective Gels
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Effect of Environmental Conditions on the Dehydration and Performance of Fire-Protective Gels Jacob Kadel, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, NC, USA Faraz Hedayati and Stephen L. Quarles, Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety, Richburg, SC, USA Aixi Zhou *, North Carolina A&T State University, Greensboro, NC, USA Received: 3 February 2020/Accepted: 10 September 2020
Abstract. During wildfire events fire-protective gels can be used as a line of defense to protect structures. The effectiveness of freshly applied gels in delaying ignition and flame growth on structures has been well established. However, in a real-world scenario there is a period between the application of the gel and the arrival of a spot fire or the fire-front. During this period, the gels are often exposed to extreme conditions consisting of high winds and low relative humidity. The effect of these weathering conditions on the performance of fire-protective gels is still poorly understood. This study examined the dehydration and performance of fire-protective gels following a range of weathering conditions. Two commercially available gels were applied to a 100-mm by 100-mm T1-11 plywood sample and then artificially weathered in an environmental chamber, with controlled temperature, relative humidity, and wind. The remaining mass of the gels was measured at selected intervals to determine the relationship between mass loss and dehydration related to weathering. A second series of tests was conducted on weathered T1-11 samples at specific mass loss states as well as on freshly applied gels using a 50 kW/m2 heat flux exposure utilizing a cone calorimeter. Results indicated that they dehydrated to the point where, after 3 h, fire performance was no better than the uncoated wood samples and the gels could facilitate ignition. This timeline suggests that gels should only be applied by first responders and homeowners should focus on evacuation related activities. Keywords: Wildfire, Fire-protective gels, Weathering, Fire protection
1. Introduction Wildfires pose a threat to communities located in or near wildland areas across the nation. This threat has been increasing over the last several decades [1]. The Camp Fire in Northern California resulted in more than 80 fatalities and destroyed more than 18,000 buildings. The Camp Fire followed other recent destructive fires in California (e.g., Valley, Butte, Tubbs and Thomas) and other * Correspondence should be addressed to: Aixi Zhou, E-mail: [email protected]
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Fire Technology 2020 locations in the United States and Canada (e.g., 2016 Chimney Tops 2 in Gatlinburg Tennessee and 2016 fire in Fort McMurray, Alberta, Canada). The 2019– 2020 bushfires in Australia affected 18.6 million hectares. Home and business losses during these fires demonstrate the need for more effective building codes and mitigation strategies to reduce building ignitions during wildfires. Wildfire mitigation strategies for buildings can be divided into two broad categories: passive and active. Passive strategies are the actions t
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