Fire resistance of gypsum drywall partitions with polyurethane foam filling

Abstract

AbstractGypsum drywall systems have gained their popularity, among other reasons, due to the excellent fire‐resistant properties. The use of different variants of the structures filled with insulating material (most often mineral wool) makes it possible to shape the parameters of fire resistance according to the requirements. The use of polyurethane foam for filling spaces inside drywall systems has become increasingly popular. This is especially applicable to the performance of thermal insulation of wooden roof slopes. The advantages of polyurethane foams over mineral wool include good adhesion to the substrate, lower specific weight, lower thermal conductivity and shorter time to make a tight filling layer. Its undoubted disadvantage is lower fire resistance. The paper presents a research on the fire resistance of gypsum drywall systems with self‐extinguishing polyurethane foam filling. The fire resistance time of the structures was measured in accordance with EN1363‐1 using a standard temperature‐time curve. The tests simulated a fire on the outside of a service shaft with a layer of polyurethane foam on its interior side, and a fire in an attic room with self‐extinguishing polyurethane foam thermal insulation between wooden rafters, and an interior enclosure made of two layers of gypsum board on a steel frame. The tests made it possible to determine the times of meeting the fire resistance criteria of partitions with polyurethane filling.