Experimental and Numerical Investigations for the Development and Validation of Thermo-Chemistry Models and Property Databases for Selected Wall Lining Materials Under Fire Exposure, United States, 2024-2025 (ICPSR 39812)
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Shijin P. Kozhumal, Eastern Kentucky University
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Gypsum plasterboards (drywalls) are commonly used in building construction due to their fire-resistant properties. When exposed to fire, gypsum undergoes calcination, which leaves fire patterns on the gypsum board that can be used by fire investigators to determine the origin and cause of fires. Numerical prediction of gypsum calcination under fire exposure requires reliable gypsum thermochemistry models and material and thermophysical property data. While previous studies resulted in simplified correlations between the depth of calcination and incident heat flux for regular gypsum boards, these correlations were limited. Different types of wall lining materials (e.g., moisture-resistant, mold and mildew-resistant, fire-resistant, and sound-absorbing drywalls) contain various additives like glass fibers, cellulose fiber, mineral wool, and copper-based compounds that significantly change their behavior when exposed to fire.
This project analyzed different types of gypsum boards both macroscopically and microscopically. Variable heating rate thermo-chemistry models for different wall lining materials were developed. Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA), Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC), and Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) were used to characterize the calcination of gypsum boards. The developed models were validated by comparing temperature predictions with experimental measurements of internal temperatures during dehydration. Controlled experiments were conducted to investigate the effect of uniform heat fluxes, as well as paint layers, on gypsum calcination. A three-dimensional (3D) computational model was developed and validated to analyze the effect of non-uniform heat flux, and the sensitivity of modeling parameters was assessed. Detailed microscopic analyses were performed to understand the behavior of different types of gypsum boards exposed to fire. Ultimately, the project created a user-friendly executable to help fire investigators estimate the depth of calcination based on fire spread history, alongside a comprehensive database of material, thermo-physical, and thermo-chemical properties.