FPL Facility for Evaluating Strength-Performance of Walls Exposed to Fire.

Abstract

To simulate the design loads on wall panels of homes when one surface is exposed to fire, the Forest Products Laboratory facility used for 40 years to evaluate 10- by 10-foot panels was modified so that: (1) It would support a conventional 8-foot-high by 10-foot-wide wall panel of a home; (2) it would apply compressive, edgewise, vertical loads along the 10-foot edge; (3) the applied loads would be uniformly distributed by a hydraulic system of jacks; (4) the loads could be monitored by electronic load cells; and (5) the system would have a load capacity of 40,000 pounds. It was estimated that design loads on such a panel in a first-story wall of a two-story home would be 1,250 pounds per linear foot. The capacity of this facility exceeds the minimum requirements because it is intended to accommodate future considerations. (Author)

Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jan 01, 1973
Accession Number
AD0759369

Entities

People

  • K. H. Boller

Organizations

  • Ford Motor Company

Tags

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Buildings And Structures
  • Cells
  • Load Cells
  • Observatories
  • Research Facilities

Readers

  • Electrical Engineering
  • Facility/Structural Engineering.
  • Forest Ecology

Technology Areas

  • Microelectronics
  • Microelectronics - Microelectromechanical Systems