• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.197-204
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• 2021

This study investigated the smoke risk assessment of woods and plastics for construction materials, focusing on the smoke performance index-V (SPI-V), smoke growth index-V (SGI-V), and smoke risk index-VI (SRI-VI) according to a newly designed methodology. Spruce, Lauan, polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA), and polycarbonate (PC) were used for test pieces. Smoke characteristics of the materials were measured using a cone calorimeter (ISO 5660-1) equipment. The smoke performance index-V calculated after the combustion reaction was found to be 1.0 to 3.4 based on PMMA. Smoke risk by smoke performance index-V was increased in the order of PC, Spruce, Lauan and PMMA. Lauan and PMMA showed similar values. The smoke growth index-V was found to be 1.0 to 9.2 based on PMMA. Smoke risk by smoke growth index-V increased in the order of PMMA, PC, Spruce, and Lauan. COpeak production rates of all specimens were measured between 0.0021 to 0.0067 g/s. In conclusion, materials with a low smoke performance index-V and a high smoke growth index-V cause a high smoke risk from fire. Therefore, it is understood that the smoke risk from fire is high. It is collectively summarized by the smoke risk index-VI.

• Fire Science and Engineering
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.9-19
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• 2019

Experiments on the combustion characteristics of untreated wood specimens and those treated with four types of silicone compounds were carried out using a cone calorimeter according to the ISO 5660-1 standard. 3-Aminopropyltrimethoxysilane (APTMS), 3-(2-aminoethylamino) propylmethyldimethoxysilane (AEAPMDMS), and 3-(2-aminoethylamino) propyltrimethoxysilane (AEAPTMS) were used as the silane compounds. The flame retardants were synthesized with sodium silicate and amino silane compounds. The measured time to ignition after combustion at an external heat flux of $50kW/m^2$ was 9 s to 11 s. Time to ignition was marked with a delayed value in the 3 s to 5 s range. The peak heat release rate ($HRR_{peak}$) was reduced by 5 to 20% compared with the uncoated specimen, and AEAPMDMS showed the highest initial fire risk. The total heat release (THR) was decreased by 1 to 22%. Compared to the untreated specimen, the fire performance index (FPI) of the specimens coated with silicone sol compounds increased by 1.5 to 2.2 fold. The fire growth index (FGI) of the AEAPMDMS specimen was increased by 30% and the others were decreased by 93 to 94%. Therefore, the fire risk of wood coated with silicone compounds was improved in terms of the heat risk properties.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.29 no.6
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• pp.670-676
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• 2018

Experiments on combustion gases generation of untreated cypress specimens or treated with boric acid, ammonium pentaborate, and boric acid/ammonium pentaborate additive were carried out. Test specimens were painted three times with 15 wt% boron compound aqueous solutions. After drying, the generation of combustion gas was analyzed using a cone calorimeter (ISO 5660-1). As a result, comparing to untreated specimen, the smoke performance index (SPI) of the specimens treated with the boron compound increased by 1.37 to 2.68 times and the smoke growth index (SGI) decreased by 29.4 to 52.9%. The smoke intensity (SI) of the specimens treated with boron compounds is expected to be 1.16 to 3.92 times lower than that of untreated specimens, resulting in lower smoke and fire hazards. Also, the maximum carbon monoxide ($CO_{peak}$) concentration of specimens treated with boron compounds was 12.7 to 30.9% lower than that of untreated specimens. However, it was measured to produce fatal toxicities from 1.52 to 1.92 times higher than that of permissible exposure limits (PEL) by Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). The boron compounds played a role in reducing carbon monoxide, but it did not meet the expectation of reduction effect because of the high concentration of carbon monoxide in cypress itself.

• Fire Science and Engineering
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.76-84
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• 2019

Experimental studies using an open cone calorimeter were conducted to provide information on the CO and soot yields of wood combustibles required for a kitchen fire simulation of PBD. A total of eight specimens were examined for medium density fiberboard (MDF) and particle board (PB), which are used widely in kitchen furniture production, depending on the water content, surface processing method, and surface color. The thermal penetration time related to the fire spread rate in the depth direction differed significantly according to the surface processing treatment method, even for a specimen of identical thickness. The CO yield ($y_{CO}$) of the MDF and PB series did not change significantly according to the combustion mode and surface treatment process in flaming mode. On the other hand, $y_{CO}$ was approximately 10 times higher in smoldering mode than in flaming mode. The soot yield ($y_{soot}$), however, varied considerably depending on the combustion mode and surface treatment process. In particular, a higher $y_{soot}$ was found in flaming mode and in the surface-treated specimens. Finally, the $y_{CO}$ and $y_{soot}$ of MDF and PB measured for the kitchen fire simulation of PBD were applied.

• Journal of the Korean Recycled Construction Resources Institute
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.330-337
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• 2021

3D printing is not only at the fundamental study and small-scale level, but has recently been producing buildings that can be inhabited by people. Buildings require a lot of cost and labor to work on the form work, but if 3D printing is applied to the building, the construction industry is received attention from technologies using 3D printing as it can reduce the construction period and cost. 3D printing technology for buildings can be divided into structural and non-structural materials, of which 3D printing is applied to non-structural materials. Because 3D printing needs to be additive manufacturing, control such as curing speed and workability is needed. Since cement mortar has a large shrinkage due to evaporation of water, cement polymer dispersion is used to improve the hardening speed, workability, and adhesion strength. The addition of polymer dispersion to cement mortar improves the tensile strength and brittleness between the cement hydrate and the polymer film. Cement mortar using polymer materials can be additive manufacturing but it has limited height that can be additive manufacturing due to its high density. When light-weight materials are mixed with polymer cement mortar, the density of polymer cement mortar is lowered and the height of additive manufacturing, so it is essential to use light-weight materials. However, the use of EVA redispersible polymer powder and light-weight materials, additional damage such as cracks in cement mortar can occur at high temperatures such as fires. This study produced a test specimen incorporating light-weight materials and EVA redispersible polymer powder to produce exterior building materials using 3D printing, and examined flame resistance performance through water absorption rate, length change rate, and cone calorimeter test and non-flammable test. From the test result, the test specimen using silica sand and light-weight aggregate showed good flame resistance performance, and if the EVA redispersible polymer powder is applied below 5%, it shows good flame resistance performance.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.423-430
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• 2021

In order to evaluate the fire risk and fire risk rating of wood for construction materials, this study focused on fire performance index-III (FPI-III), fire growth index-III (FGI-III), and fire risk index-IV (FRI-IV) according to Chung's equations-III and -IV. Western red cedar, needle fir, ash, and maple were used as the specimens. The fire characteristics were investigated using a cone calorimeter (ISO 5660-1) equipment on the specimen. The FPI-III measured after the combustion reaction was 0.86 to 12.77 based on polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA). The FGI-III was found to be 0.63 to 5.26 based on PMMA. The fire rating according to the FRI-IV, which is the fire rating index, was 0.05 to 6.12, and the western red cedar was 122.4 times higher than that of the maple. The fire risk rating according to the FRI-IV increased in the order of maple, ash, needle fir, PMMA and western red cedar. The CO peak concentration of all specimens was measured as 103 to 162 ppm, and it was 2.1 to 3.2 times higher than 50 ppm, the permissible exposure limits of the US occupational safety and health administration. Materials such as western red cedar, which have a low bulk density and contain a large amount of volatile organic substances, have a low FPI-III and a high FGI-III, so they have a high fire risk rating.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.75-82
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• 2021

This study investigated the fire risk assessment of woods and plastics for construction materials, focusing on the fire performance index-III (FPI-III), fire growth index-III (FGI-III), and fire risk index-IV (FRI-IV) by a newly designed method. Japanese cedar, red pine, polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA), and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) were used as test pieces. Fire characteristics of the materials were investigated using a cone calorimeter (ISO 5660-1) equipment. The fire performance index-III measured after the combustion reaction was found to be 1.0 to 15.0 with respect to PMMA. Fire risk by fire performance index-III increased in the order of PVC, red pine, Japanese cedar, and PMMA. The fire growth index-III was found to be 0.5 to 3.3 based on PMMA. Fire risk by fire growth index-III increased in the order of PVC, PMMA, red pine, and Japanese cedar. COpeak concentrations of all specimens were measured between 106 and 570 ppm. In conclusion, it is understood that Japanese cedar with a low bulk density and PMMA containing a large amount of volatile organic substances have a low fire performance index-III and high fire growth index-III, and thus have high fire risk due to fire. This was consistent with the fire risk index-IV.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.388-396
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• 2023

The evaluation of fire risk for combustible materials was carried out using Chung's equations-X, Chung's equations-XI, and Chung's equation-XII, which were newly established. The fire risk index-XII (FRI-XII) and fire risk rating (FRR) were calculated for specimens including camphor tree, cherry, rubber tree, and elm. The combustion characteristics were determined using a cone calorimeter according to ISO 5660-1. Chung's equations caculated the fire performance index-X (FPI-X) and fire growth index-X (FGI-X) values ranged from 89.34 to 1696.75 s² /kW and from 0.0006 to 0.0107 kW/s² , respectively. In addition, the fire performance index-XI (FPI-XI) and fire growth index-XI (FGI-XI) varied from 0.08 to 1.48 and from 0.67 to 11.89, respectively. The fire risk index-XII (FRI-XII), which is an indicator of fire risk, showed that camphor tree had a value of 148.63 (fire risk rating: G), indicating a very high fire risk. This suggests that combustible materials with a high concentration of volatile organic compounds have lower FPI-X and FPI-XI values, higher FGI-X and FGI-XI values, and consequently higher FRI-XII values, indicating an increased fire risk.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.144-152
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• 2023

To evaluate the fire risk of combustible materials, Chung's equations VII, VIII, and IX were newly established. The fire risk index-IX (FRI-IX) and fire risk rating (FRR) were calculated. Ginkgo, dawn redwood, toona, lime, walnut, and polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) were selected as test specimens. The combustion characteristics were evaluated using a cone calorimeter according to ISO 5660-1. After combustion, the fire performance index-VII (FPI-VII) of the specimens, varied between 15.15 and 182.53 s²/kW, as determined by Chung's equations, and the fire growth index-VII (FGI-VII) varied between 0.0023 and 0.0165 kW/s². The fire performance index-VIII (FPI-VIII) based on PMMA varied between 0.29 and 3.45, and the fire growth index-VIII (FGI-VIII) varied between 2.88 and 20.63. The FRI-IX, which is the fire risk rating, showed dawn redwood has a very high fire risk, with FRI-IX values of 71.14 (fire risk rating: G). Therefore, wood with a large amount of volatile organic compounds and a low bulk density showed a high value of FRI-IX by lowering FPI-VII and FPI-VIII and increasing FGI-VII and FGI-VIII.