TY - CONF A1 - Hofmann-Böllinghaus, Anja A1 - Kaudelka, Sven T1 - Fire safety of façades with polystyrene foam insulation N2 - Several fires involving ETIC (external thermal insulation composite) systems with polystyrene foam insulation in Germany led to an extensive discussion about fire safety of such systems. A collection initiated by the Frankfurt fire service of façade fires which include polystyrene insulation foam shows that especially fires which started in front of the buildings led to more severe fires of the façade than fires that started inside the buildings. In several fires the ignition source were burning waste containers. Three large scale tests which were initiated by German building ministries showed weaknesses of the existing systems when challenged by a bigger fire source in front of the façade. Since then measures have been introduced to enhance these systems and an additional test with a 200 kg wood crib in front of a large test rig has been used for approval of ETICS. However, the recently introduced German draft standard DIN E 4102-20 does not take these changes into account although real cases and the large scale tests showed that fire scenarios with a bigger ignition source as a waste container are not covered by the DIN E 4102-20. Numerical investigations show that regarding the heat flux to the area above the opening (e.g. a window) also only a fraction of real fires is covered. Additionally damaged systems have been investigated using the Single Burning Item (SBI) test with higher heat release rates of the burner. The damage significantly influenced the fire development of the specimen. Collapse of a damaged coating of an ETIC system occurred during the test and had a sudden fire growth as a result as the whole specimen was suddenly on fire. Several effects which could be seen in the intermediate scale tests correspond to observations which were made in the real cases. In Germany insulation of existing buildings is often enhanced with application of ETICS. In most cases the buildings are in use at the time when the construction takes place. At several stages of the construction process large amounts of unprotected polystyrene are stored in immediate proximity of the building and unprotected polystyrene can be in place on the façade for several weeks. As a consequence of the investigations challenges and possible measures to enhance fire safety of ETIC systems are discussed. T2 - Interflam Konferenz 2016 CY - Royal Holloway College, London, UK DA - 4.7.2016 KW - ETICS KW - Polystyrene KW - Insulation KW - Fire safety PY - 2016 AN - OPUS4-37011 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER -