Comparison of Wall-Fire Behavior With and Without a Ceiling.

Published

November 1, 1993

Author(s)

Henri E. Mitler, Kenneth D. Steckler

Abstract

This paper demonstrates that the effects of the ceiling on the progress of a wall fire are quite significant, and that a project to quantify and model the effects of a ceiling on the progress of a wall fire is indeed justified. Experimental results from the open literature are used for this purpose, as well as previously-unpublished experimental results obtained at NIST. The wall-fire model SPREAD and the room-fire model FIRST are used seriatim to show that part of this effect can be calculated now.

Citation

NIST Interagency/Internal Report (NISTIR) - 5380

Report Number

5380

NIST Pub Series

NIST Interagency/Internal Report (NISTIR)

Pub Type

NIST Pubs

Download Paper

https://doi.org/10.6028/NIST.IR.5380

Keywords

wall fires, ceiling fires, ceiling jets, burning rate, fire research, radiation feedback, spread rates

Citation

Mitler, H. and Steckler, K. (1993), Comparison of Wall-Fire Behavior With and Without a Ceiling., NIST Interagency/Internal Report (NISTIR), National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD, [online], https://doi.org/10.6028/NIST.IR.5380 (Accessed October 10, 2025)