The current focus on mass timber structures has provided significant interest in material performance.  Paul Grimwood provides a reminder of “some firefighting concerns”

Engineered Timber CLT and GLULAM – Some Firefighting Concerns.

The timber industry has been enjoying significant growth in the last decade, primarily due to the increase in mass timber products such as cross-laminated timber, glulam and laminated veneer lumber, as well as many board products such as OSB that make use of smaller offcuts. There has been much research into the fire resistance of engineered timber from a design perspective, although there are two conflicting trains of thought that the research to date is either proof enough, or incomplete, in demonstrating that a compartment predominantly consisting of exposed timber surfaces can survive a ‘burnout’.

Paul Grimwood PhD; FIFireE – Principal Fire Safety Engineer at Kent Fire & Rescue SHQ

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