Comparison of Fire Resistance Testing Methods for Structures with Timber Elements

Abstract

Wood is a natural anisotropic material that is used in building construction because of the advantageous properties of wood. Speed of construction and the final price of the building represent the main advantages of timber houses. On the other hand, the main disadvantage of these buildings can be the low fire resistance due to the flammable properties of natural wood. There are many limitations for designing these kinds of buildings in the Czech Republic. The limitations are presented in the standards and laws of the CR. This article focuses on the comparison of the methods for testing structures using timber construction elements. The paper presents and compares experimental testing results of a timber structure’s fire resistance in a combustion chamber.