Fire Reaction of Carbon Epoxy Composite Laminates at Small and Large Scales

To study the antiflammability of composite material panels, assemblies, or components, certification standards require significant [Formula: see text] samples to withstand a kerosene flame for 15-min tests. To better analyze thermophysical phenomena involved in a flame exposition of composite-based samples, a laboratory test bench composed of a small-scale air–kerosene burner has been developed. The current work presents the development of a representative kerosene burner in terms of aerothermal stress generated by determining the right settings for the flame parameters and by comparing the fire-induced degradation process of several four-ply epoxy-composite samples. Two laboratory-scale tests are made and compared to a large-scale one made on a standardized fire test bench.