Experimental and Numerical Study of Fire Spread on a Wooden Facade

ABSTRACT Wooden facades have become increasingly popular in modern architectural design due to their aesthetic appeal and durability. However, their combustible nature presents unique fire safety challenges. This article investigates wood facade fires through a comprehensive experimental and numerical study. A series of detailed medium‐scale experiments were carried out. The experimental results provided crucial information on several key parameters, including the Heat Release Rate (HRR), calculated from oxygen consumption and mass loss, as well as total and radiative heat fluxes. In‐depth temperature profiles were also obtained using thin embedded wire thermocouples. The evolution of the char front was tracked following the 300°C isotherm. A direct post‐experiment measurement revealed an average char thickness of around 8.5 mm, which was close to measurements derived from the temperature data, slightly exceeding 10 mm. Complete simulations were conducted with FireFOAM, involving an original pyrolysis model for wood. Comparison between measured quantities and preliminary predictions showed satisfactory agreement for the mass loss rate and other parameters, demonstrating FireFOAM's ability to simulate facade fires.