Investigation into the Influence of Impregnation on Pine Timber Combustion Using a Cone Calorimeter and Large Scale Tests

Fire safety is one of the main requirements with respect to the regulations on the buildings involved into the category of human hazards. Human safety measures are applied equally to inhabitants, users, customers, spectators, etc., as well as to fire brigades taking part in the activities connected with rescue actions. Methods for emission research were applied to estimate thermo-kinetic parameters related to smoke and toxic gases. The methods fall into two types: full scale methods reflect fire conditions and small laboratory scale methods having a significantly lower degree of reflection. This paper presents the results of studies on the influence of BAK-1 and Flamasepas-2 fire retardants produced in Lithuania and applied for timber on the selected parameters of the fire environment. Experimental studies were conducted using a cone calorimeter (small scale) in the closed compartment equipped with measuring devices (full scale). The undertaken studies have demonstrated that considering some parameters, such as heat release rate (HRR), a positive effect of the lower amount of the released heat can be obtained. Unfortunately, in case of the major part of the studied parameters, including time to ignition, CO concentration and extinction parameter reflecting smokiness, worse results (shorter time, higher CO values and higher extinction coefficient) have been observed for the treated timber rather than for the non-impregnated one. The obtained results have showed combustion with piloted ignition. In case of no piloted ignition, the results were slightly different. For all studied specimens treated with fire retardants, no ignition was observed and tests were terminated following 15 minutes. CO concentration and extinction parameter (smokiness) were higher for non-impregnated timber. Full scale experiments have confirmed the above provided information; moreover, it has been found that the application of fire retardant has no significant impact on temperatures in the compartment.