A model for the behaviour of thick composite laminates in hydrocarbon fires

摘要

A model for the fire behaviour of thick composite laminates in hydrocarbon fires has been developed and experimentally validated by furnace fire testing. The integrity of certain composite materials in the form of thick laminates under severe fire conditions is demonstrated to be surprisingly good. Heat transfer through the laminate is slow in comparison to metallic materials which leads to long survival times and containment of the fire. The endothermic decomposition of the matrix provides thebasic mechanism for slowing down the heat transfer through composite laminates, whilst the overall integrity of the structure is maintained for considerable time due to the non-combustible reinforcement.