In October, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) Fire Research Laboratory in Beltsville, Maryland, conducted its third experimental burn to study fire behavior in mass timber structures.
The project, a collaboration between the USDA Forest Service Forest Products Laboratory, Oregon State University, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and engineering firm ARUP, involves four burns in full-scale compartments resembling shipping containers.
This research aims to inform building codes and fire modeling for multistory wood buildings.
The study also seeks to enhance understanding of smoke emissions and char formation.
According to Erica Fischer, an Oregon State University professor involved in the project, testing to failure is critical to designing effective safety measures: “If you don’t know the order in which things fail, you don’t know [what] to design for.”
The large-scale experiments were complemented by smaller-scale tests designed to evaluate emissions and material behavior.
Researchers intend to continue these smaller tests next year at the Forest Products Laboratory to understand how results from scaled-down experiments align with full-scale testing.
Kara Yedinak, a USDA Forest Service Northern Research Station scientist, highlighted the interdisciplinary nature of the project: “Each separate analysis that we’re talking about is then going to be combined into [a bigger picture].”
This integrated approach aims to refine methodologies for scaling fire tests and improve understanding of emissions across different conditions.
The study uniquely explores how different fuel loads influence fire behavior and emissions.
Researchers tested compartments filled with typical household items like furniture, appliances, and chemicals, alongside compartments containing uniformly stacked wood cribs.
This setup allowed the team to analyze the emissions and chemical compounds released in various fire scenarios, providing insights into potential public health implications.
In addition to analyzing smoke and emissions, researchers collected data from burned compartments using resistance drills to measure the remaining thickness of mass timber.
These findings will further enhance the body of knowledge on fire behavior in wood structures.
After the third burn test, researchers prepared for the fourth and final experiment.
The team installed cameras and thermocouples to capture detailed data on temperature changes and fire progression.
Meanwhile, ATF staff worked to dry the test area, setting up fans and inspecting the aftermath of the fire.
Laura Hasburgh, a researcher at the Forest Products Laboratory, expressed enthusiasm for the project’s next steps: “I’m really looking forward to digging through all the data and seeing the full picture.”
The study’s results will contribute to ongoing efforts to optimize mass timber design and fire safety practices.
The USDA Forest Service, in collaboration with Oregon State University, the EPA, and ARUP, is conducting full-scale fire tests to study the behavior of mass timber structures.
These experiments are being held at the ATF Fire Research Laboratory in Maryland.
The study examines emissions, char formation, and fire progression in scenarios with and without fire suppression measures.
Researchers are comparing emissions from various fuel loads, including household items and wood cribs, to assess public health risks.
Data collected from these burns will inform future building codes and fire modeling.
Smaller-scale tests will continue next year to complement the full-scale findings.
Once analyzed, the results are expected to enhance understanding of fire behavior in multistory wood buildings.
