Full-Scale Test Evaluation of Aircraft Fuel Fire Burnthrough Resistance Improvements
Abstract
This report summarizes the research and full-scale tests undertaken by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to evaluate the fuselage burnthrough resistance of transport category aircraft that are exposed to large postcrash fuel fires. Twenty-eight full-scale tests were conducted in a reusable fuselage test rig to determine the effectiveness of thermal-acoustical insulation improvements in preventing or delaying fuselage burnthrough. The testing showed that the method of attaching the insulation to the fuselage structure had a critical effect on the effectiveness of the insulation material. In addition, the composition of the insulation bagging material, normally a thermoplastic film, was also shown to be an important factor. A number of fiberglass insulation modifications and new insulation materials were shown to be effective in varying degrees. For example, a heat-treated, oxidized polyacrylonitrile fiber (OPF) encased in a polyimide bagging material prevented burnthrough for over 8 minutes. When contrasted with current insulation materials, which were shown to fail in as little as 2 minutes, effective fire barriers such as the OPF insulation offer the potential of saving lives during a postcrash fire accident in which the fuselage remains intact.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 01, 1999
- Accession Number
- ADA360550
Entities
People
- Timothy R. Marker