EXPOSING SIDING TREATMENTS AND WALLS FITTED WITH EAVES TO FIREBRAND SHOWERS

Published

February 2, 2011

Author(s)

Samuel L. Manzello, Sayaka S. Suzuki, Yoshihiko Hayashi

Abstract

An experimental campaign was undertaken to determine vulnerabilities of siding treatments and walls fitted with eaves to firebrand bombardment using the NIST Dragon installed in the Building Research Institute’s Fire Research Wind Tunnel Facility (FRWTF). Experiments were conducted using two different siding treatments; vinyl siding and polypropylene siding. The siding treatments were installed in a corner configuration and the moisture content of the sheathing material (oriented strand board – OSB) was varied. A corner configuration was used since it is believed that firebrands may become trapped within the corner post and become trapped under the siding itself. In addition to exposing siding treatments to firebrand showers, a parametric study was also undertaken to determine eave vulnerability to firebrand showers. A very important, long standing question is whether firebrands may become lodged within joints between walls and the eave overhang. Walls fitted with eaves were constructed and exposed to firebrand showers. Since the open eave construction is thought to the worst possible situation, this configuration was used. Experiments were completed by varying the wind speed as well as investigating the influence of vent openings on firebrand accumulation and penetration into an open eave configuration. The results of these experimental findings are presented.

Proceedings Title

Fire and Materials 2011

Conference Dates

January 31-February 2, 2011

Conference Location

San Francisco, CA

Conference Title

12th International Conference

Pub Type

Conferences

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Keywords

firebrands, ignition, Wildland-Urban Interface Fires

Citation

Manzello, S. , Suzuki, S. and Hayashi, Y. (2011), EXPOSING SIDING TREATMENTS AND WALLS FITTED WITH EAVES TO FIREBRAND SHOWERS, Fire and Materials 2011, San Francisco, CA, [online], https://tsapps.nist.gov/publication/get_pdf.cfm?pub_id=907409 (Accessed October 7, 2025)