S.G. Weisberg

Power plant fires tests conducted on small fabric-covered aircraft proved the futility of providing engine fire protection in an aircraft covered with fabric, which would be destroyed by fire within a few seconds.

Fabrics treated with cellulose nitrate dope were destroyed by fire within two seconds. Fabrics treated with cellulose acetate butyrate dope were destroyed by fire within six seconds.

Fire- retardant coating have been developed which, when applied over fabrics treated with cellulose acetate butyrate dope, markedly increase the resistance to fire of the doped fabrics.

James Boyd

Due to the practical limitations imposed by the empirical nature of the test, a complete answer to the multitudinous problems connected with toxicity of the gaseous decomposition products of molded and laminated thermosetting materials, resulting from fires aboard ship, cannot be given. It is considered, however that the tests were sufficiently broad in scope to provide information of value as a guide o the relative toxic hazard of these materials in connection with the choice of materials for shipboard applications. It is emphasized that all materials tested produced toxic gases in some amount, and therefore none of the materials may be considered as presenting no toxic hazard if burned or thermally decomposed in an enclosed space.

Test Criteria

Committee E-5

Committee E-5 on Fire Tests of Material and Construction held one meeting since last reporting to the Society at Lake Placid, New York.

William Davis

A computer program LAVET, is now available which computes the heating of fusible links due to the presence of a ceiling jet imbedded in an upper layer. An important new feature in this program is that the two dimensional structure of the ceiling jet is taken into account such that the location of the link beneath the ceiling lays a role in the response of the link. The links can be used to activate ceiling vents such that the effect of venting the upper layer on the ceiling jet may be studied. Additional applications would include the study of upper layer containment through the use of a combination by the program is that of a large compartment enclosed by a combination of walls and draft curtains.