Handbook of Building Materials for Fire Protection

November/December 2004

Fire protection safety is a vitally important area of research especially with many new materials being introduced into building structures and electrical equipment. The flammability characteristics of such materials are an important area of safety concern. This handbook explores the flammability properties and behavior of materials in fires. With increasing awareness and requirements on material flammability, not only do designers of building materials but also designers of electrical and electronic devices need to be aware of the flame properties of materials. Polymers and other materials used in wiring, electrical devices, and electrical components can be potentially flammable, smoke hazards, and combustible. This book covers the flammability properties of building materials as well as polymers used in the electrical industry and helps a designer specify and choose the best material and additive system for reducing material hazards in a fire.

It begins by explaining the fundamentals of material fire hazards including flammability and smoke dangers. Since many of our readers may not be familiar with flammability of materials, this background is very informative and gives the reader essential technical knowledge of how fires can start from various materials, what gases can be present, fire energy, ignition points for gases, liquids, and dusts and much more. The book continues with essential information on testing and standards. Along with the excellent background chapter, our readers would be most interested in the chapters on the flammability of various polymers and choices of flame-retardants to minimize their fire hazard potential. There are also chapters detailing fire protective clothing, building construction materials, liquid and chemicals, and military systems.

The book is filled with lots of data for a wide variety of polymers and common building materials and would be of interest to those who must meet flammability requirements in materials used in buildings or homes including cable, wire, power distribution engineers.Harper, Charles A. is the author of 'Handbook of Building Materials for Fire Protection' with ISBN 9780071388917 and ISBN 0071388915.