Numerical study of flame-retardant timber wall in compartment fires

Engineered wood products (EWPs) have garnered significant attention in the construction industry as sustainable and environmentally friendly materials, leading to an increase in market share. However, fire safety is the primary constraint hindering their widespread adoption in tall buildings. Existing fire regulations typically assume non-combustible enclosures, necessitating a comprehensive understanding of timber fire behaviour and addressing compatibility issues with building codes. Despite advancements in Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD)-based fire modelling, several knowledge gaps and limitations persist, particularly the assumption of material homogeneity and constant properties throughout the solid domain. Furthermore, there is a lack of simulation studies that consider layered materials, especially those incorporating flame retardant (FR) coatings. This study investigates the fire behaviour and flame retardancy of pinewood and fire-retardant-treated pinewood through a combination of experimental and numerical approaches. The numerical study focuses on pyrolysis behaviour, charring effects, and thermal dynamics of flame-retarded layered materials. Validation against experimental data from cone calorimeter tests demonstrates strong agreement in fire behaviour predictions. Additionally, the model is applied to larger-scale compartment fire scenarios, highlighting the effectiveness of flame-retardant coatings in enhancing fire safety while revealing the complexities of real-world fire dynamics. The findings contribute to the understanding of fire performance in engineered wood products and provide valuable insights for developing improved fire protection strategies in construction applications.