http://www.firesciencereviews.com The latest research articles published by Fire Science Reviews 2013-05-21T00:00:00Z In recent years, large-scale structural fire testing has experienced something of a renaissance. After about a century with the standard fire resistance test being the predominant means to characterize the response of structural elements in fires, both research and regulatory communities are confronting the many inherent problems associated with using simplified single element tests, on isolated structural members subjected to unrealistic temperature-time curves, to demonstrate adequate structural performance in fires. As a consequence, a shift in testing philosophy to large-scale non-standard fire testing, using real rather than standard fires, is growing in momentum. A number of custom made, non-standard testing facilities have recently been constructed or are nearing completion. Non-standard fire tests performed around the world during the past three decades have identified numerous shortcomings in our understanding of real building behavior during real fires; in most cases these shortcomings could not have been observed through standard furnace tests. Supported by a grant from the Fire Protection Research Foundation, this paper presents a review of relevant non-standard structural fire engineering research done at the large-scale around the world during the past few decades. It identifies gaps and research needs based both on the conclusions of previous researchers and also on the authors' own assessment of the information presented. A review of similar research needs assessments carried out or presented during the past ten years is included. The overarching objective is to highlight gaps in knowledge and to help steer future research in structural fire engineering, particularly experimental research at the large-scale. http://www.firesciencereviews.com/content/2/1/1 Luke Bisby John Gales Cristián Maluk Fire Science Reviews 2013, null:1 2013-05-21T00:00:00Z doi:10.1186/2193-0414-2-1 /content/figures/2193-0414-2-1-toc.gif Fire Science Reviews 2193-0414 ${item.volume} 1 2013-05-21T00:00:00Z PDF This review analyses and summarises the previous investigations on the oxidation of linseed oil and the self-heating of cotton and other materials impregnated with the oil. It discusses the composition and chemical structure of linseed oil, including its drying properties. The review describes several experimental methods used to test the propensity of the oil to induce spontaneous heating and ignition of lignocellulosic materials soaked with the oil. It covers the thermal ignition of the lignocellulosic substrates impregnated with the oil and it critically evaluates the analytical methods applied to investigate the oxidation reactions of linseed oil.Initiation of radical chains by singlet oxygen (1Δg), and their propagation underpin the mechanism of oxidation of linseed oil, leading to the self-heating and formation of volatile organic species and higher molecular weight compounds. The review also discusses the role of metal complexes of cobalt, iron and manganese in catalysing the oxidative drying of linseed oil, summarising some kinetic parameters such as the rate constants of the peroxidation reactions.With respect to fire safety, the classical theory of self-ignition does not account for radical and catalytic reactions and appears to offer limited insights into the autoignition of lignocellulosic materials soaked with linseed oil. New theoretical and numerical treatments of oxidation of such materials need to be developed. The self-ignition induced by linseed oil is predicated on the presence of both a metal catalyst and a lignocellulosic substrate, and the absence of any prior thermal treatment of the oil, which destroys both peroxy radicals and singlet O2 sensitisers. An overview of peroxyl chemistry included in the article will be useful to those working in areas of fire science, paint drying, indoor air quality, biofuels and lipid oxidation. http://www.firesciencereviews.com/content/1/1/3 ¿ Juita Bogdan Dlugogorski Eric Kennedy John Mackie Fire Science Reviews 2012, null:3 2012-09-19T00:00:00Z doi:10.1186/2193-0414-1-3 /content/figures/2193-0414-1-3-toc.gif Fire Science Reviews 2193-0414 ${item.volume} 3 2012-09-19T00:00:00Z XML An in-depth analysis of U.S. residential fire statistics shows that although the total number of fires and deaths due to mattress fires has dropped as a result of several regulatory approaches, the mattress/bedding fires continue to account for one of the largest shares of residential fire deaths and injuries. To address the increasing number of deaths per 1000 mattress/bedding fires, the open flame mattress flammability regulation (16 CFR 1633) was introduced in 2007. The 16 CFR 1633 prescribes performance standards rather than design standards; this allows manufacturers the flexibility to meet the needs of the consumer without sacrificing fire safety. This flammability regulation for residential mattress has generated much interest in understanding the burning behavior of mattresses as well as in developing new materials for mattress construction. To comply with this regulation, it is essential to understand mattress construction, fire performance testing, factors affecting mattress flammability, and compliance solutions.This report reviews the impact of current mattress flammability standards, examines factors affecting mattress flammability, and reviews full-scale and bench-scale test methods that are being developed for mattresses. The construction type, geometry, and size of a mattress are major factors in determining the fire threat of a mattress. The soft materials used in the mattress set, including cushioning materials, fire blocking materials, and tickings, act both individually and collectively to affect the fire performance. The performance of fire barrier materials designed to protect the inner cushioning material from heat and flame is largely dependent on the choice of cushioning material and ticking. When used with an incompatible combination of filling material and ticking, a fire barrier may fail to protect thermal degradation and subsequent burning of filling material. Some of the challenges in designing mattresses have been identified and reported here. http://www.firesciencereviews.com/content/1/1/2 Shonali Nazare Rick Davis Kathryn Butler Fire Science Reviews 2012, null:2 2012-08-21T00:00:00Z doi:10.1186/2193-0414-1-2 /content/figures/2193-0414-1-2-toc.gif Fire Science Reviews 2193-0414 ${item.volume} 2 2012-08-21T00:00:00Z XML Fire barrier fabrics are expected to play an increasingly important role in complying with existing and proposed soft furnishing flammability regulations in the US. The number of commercial fire blocking technologies is large in order to accommodate the vast requirements of the consumers, manufacturers, and regulatory agencies. Generally, highloft, nonwoven fiber battings are used in residential mattress applications, whereas coated or laminated textiles are more common in institutional and upholstered furnishing applications. Successfully achieving the desired level of fire protection requires appropriate matching of the barrier fabric to the desired characteristics of the soft furnishing. Barrier material selection for soft furnishings is generally a process of trial and error due to significant measurement science gaps.In 2009, the National Institute of Science and Technology and American Fiber Manufacturers Association held a workshop on fire blocking barrier fabrics for soft furnishings to discuss the past, present, and future state of the barrier materials in the US. This manuscript is based on knowledge obtained from the workshop and the subsequent knowledge gathered from literature and stakeholders. Several fire blocking technologies have been explored to reduce the flammability of soft furnishings by preventing or delaying direct flame impingement and heat transfer from the flames or molten polymer to the core components. While previous studies reported on use of fire barriers to comply with full-scale testing of soft furnishing items, they failed to report on assessment of barrier materials as isolated components. In addition to a few examples that demonstrate the complexity that makes a priori selection of fire barrier materials difficult, various fire blocking technologies are discussed in this report with respect to material type, fiber content, and fire blocking mechanisms. Potential test methods for characterizing barrier performance are reviewed. Future trends in fire blocking materials are also briefly described. http://www.firesciencereviews.com/content/1/1/1 Shonali Nazaré Rick Davis Fire Science Reviews 2012, null:1 2012-04-23T00:00:00Z doi:10.1186/2193-0414-1-1 /content/figures/2193-0414-1-1-toc.gif Fire Science Reviews 2193-0414 ${item.volume} 1 2012-04-23T00:00:00Z XML