Fire Behavior of 3D Printed Wooden PLA Materials

The reaction of building materials to fire drastically changes the type of response firefighters enact on an emergency scene.The National Fire Protection Association has standards for traditional constructions that dictate the safest methods of attack, extrication, and scene set up; however, with the advent of 3D printed homes made of wood reinforced polylactic acid (PLA), departments are not prepared for the unique challenges it may present.With the binder being a thermoplastic, concerns arise about the material melting when exposed to heat and releasing more toxins than traditional building materials.This paper aims to study the fire behavior of 3D printed wood reinforced PLA coupons and compare it to the reaction of standard PLA and modern construction materials.The two main areas of concern are fire spread and structural integrity, which both play a major part in determining the correct emergency response.These will be evaluated with a fire propagation test and a qualitative observation of the materials' response to heat.Following the ASTM D635 standard, the rate of burning in a horizontal position will be able to be determined with standardized test coupons of plain PLA and wood reinforced PLA.For each material, 10 tests will be conducted.From this, a UL94 rating should be determined.This procedure serves to show how the materials will contribute to the fire load in a structure fire.For this test the behavior of the burned and melted plastics will be observed.This research is currently in progress, but the findings will be used to evaluate the potential hazards of homes using wood reinforced PLA.Understanding the potential differences the material contributes to the ferocity of the fire is vital.