Fire Safety Science Digital Archive

A method for predicting the heat release rate of wood for different thicknesses, moisture contents, and exposure conditions is described. A model has been set up and calculations have been made on a microcomputer. Heat release rates and effective heats of combustion were measured as a function of time and external radiant flux on 12.5 mm thick dry vertical specimens of Douglas fir particle board. The calculated and measured curves are similar in shape and amplitude but differ significantly in time scale. The initial results with the model are promising.