Fire Safety Challenges of Tall Wood Buildings : Large-scale Cross-laminated Timber Compartment Fire Tests

This study investigates the contribution of cross laminated timber (CLT) building elements to compartment fires. Six compartments (9.1 m long × 4.6 m wide × 2.7 m high) were constructed using 175 mm thick 5‑ply CLT structural panels and fire tested using residential contents and furnishings to provide a fuel load density of 550 MJ/m2. The results show that gypsum board can delay or prevent the involvement of the CLT in the fire, and that the ventilation conditions and exposed surface area of the CLT play a decisive role in the outcome of the test. The results highlight the need to use heat-resistant adhesives in cross laminated timber to minimize delamination. Ej belagd 180910