Using results from performance-based test methods for material flammability in fire safety engineering design

In order to be able to apply performance design procedures with regard to material flammability in building design, a comprehensive and coherent philosophy on material reaction-to-fire must be developed. This paper gives a general discussion on performance-based design and performance-based test methods for material flammability. A number of end-use scenarios and critical conditions are discussed. The dominant physical mechanisms leading to these critical conditions are described, indicating which material properties must be measured. Examples of how the properties can be used in mathematical modeling to predict critical conditions in full-scale tests are given, showing that these properties are indeed the desired product of the test methods. Finally, recommendations are given for the development of the methods so they can be used in fire safety engineering design.