Real fire performance of partition assemblies

A series of real‐scale compartment tests was performed to provide information on the phenomenology of partition response and failure, to guide model development. Two partition assemblies of 2.44 m × 2.44 m were exposed to two intense fires from the time of ignition to beyond flashover. The assemblies were constructed using type X gypsum panels. The stud spacing and stud dimensions were fixed for both assemblies. Heat flux gauges provided time histories of the energy incident on the partitions, while thermocouples provided data on the propagation of heat through the partitions and on the progress toward perforation. Visual and infrared cameras were used to image partition behavior during the fire exposure. The results obtained from these experiments are discussed. Published in 2005 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.