Use of Inorganic Polymer to Improve the Fire Response of Balsa Sandwich Structures
Publication: Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering
Volume 18, Issue 3
Abstract
The study presented in this paper deals with the fire performance of balsa sandwich panels made using inorganic Geopolymer resin and high-strength fiber facings. A thin layer of a fire-resistant paste composed of Geopolymer and hollow glass microspheres was applied to the facings to serve as a protective fire barrier and to improve the fire resistance of the sandwich panels. Using 17 sandwich panel specimens, the primary objective of this program was to establish the minimum amount of fireproofing necessary to satisfy the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) requirements for heat and smoke release. The influence of this fireproofing insulation on the increase in mass of the panels was also evaluated. The system is simple and inexpensive to manufacture, and a -thick layer of fireproofing satisfies the FAA requirements for both heat release and smoke emission.
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Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering
Volume 18 • Issue 3 • June 2006
Pages: 390 - 397
Copyright
© 2006 ASCE.
History
Received: May 11, 2004
Accepted: Feb 10, 2005
Published online: Jun 1, 2006
Published in print: Jun 2006
Notes
Note. Associate Editor: Roberto Lopez-Anido
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