BFRL ICON Firebrand Attack on Ceramic Tile Roofing Assemblies.


pdf icon Firebrand Attack on Ceramic Tile Roofing Assemblies. (1935 K)
Manzello, S. L.; Hayashi, Y.; Yoneki, T.; Yamamoto, Y.

Fire and Materials 2009. 11th International Conference. Conference Papers. Proceedings. Organised by Interscience Communications Limited. January 26-28, 2009, San Francisco, CA, Interscience Communications Limited, London, England, 267-276 pp, 2009.

Keywords:

fire brands; roofs; ceramics; ignition; roofing (finishes); standards; wildland/urban interface; wind tunnels; experiments; tar paper; air flow; ASTM E108

Abstract:

The present study is concerned with investigating the ignition of ceramic tile roofing assembles (Spanish tile roofing) to a controlled firebrand attack using the Firebrand Generator. Current standards exist to test ignition of roofing decks to firebrands by placing a burning wood crib on top of a section of a roof assembly under an air flow. The dynamic process of multiple firebrands landing under ceramic tiles/gaps as a function of time is not taken into account. The results of a parametric study on the ignition propensity of ceramic tile roofing assemblies under a firebrand attack using the Firebrand Generator installed inside the Fire Research Wind Tunnel Facility (FRWTF) at BRI is presented and discussed.



Building and Fire Research Laboratory
National Institute of Standards and Technology
Gaithersburg, MD 20899