Fire resistance of thick wood-based boards

Thick wood-based boards are used as construction materials for walls and floors in Japan. In this study, fire resistance tests (ISO 834-1.) and cone calorimeter tests (ISO 5660-1) were conducted for thick plywood, particleboard, and medium density fiberboard with sample thicknesses of about 28-30 mm, and their suitabilities for quasi-fireproof or fire-preventive structures were evaluated. In the ISO 834-1 fire resistance test, the heat-shielding performance (insulation criterion) for walls was evaluated and the results showed that the larger the apparent density of a wood-based board, the higher its insulation performance. The insulation performance of thick wood-based boards in the fire resistance test could be forecast from the results of the cone calorimeter test, especially when the second peak of heat release rate appeared. In the cone calorimeter tests, the surface layer density of the plywood, particleboard, and medium density fiberboard was the dominant parameter for the time to ignition and initial heat release rate. These results indicate that thick wood-based board is a suitable fire-preventive construction material.