Three Dimensional Modeling of Intumescent Behavior in Fires

Published

March 3, 1997

Author(s)

Kathryn M. Butler, Howard R. Baum, Takashi Kashiwagi

Abstract

A method of studying the swelling and thermal behavior of intumescent materials using understanding of the basic physical and chemical processes is described. The material is treated as a highly viscous fluid with properties dependent on temperature. the growth rate, migration, and thermal effects of a large number of bubbles are individually calculated using approximate analytical solutions to mass, momentum, and energy equations, and the collective behavior is obtained as a summation of the individual velocity and temperature fields. The approach and implementation of this model are described and demonstrted.

Proceedings Title

International Association for Fire Safety Science. Fire Safety Science. Proceedings of the Fifth (5th) International Symposium

Conference Dates

March 3-7, 1997

Conference Location

Melbourne,

Pub Type

Conferences

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Keywords

fire research, fire safety, fire science, fire behavior, intumescence, fire retardants, thermoplastics, mathematical models, numberical analysis, flame retardants, intumescent coatings, heat transfer, numerical models

Citation

Butler, K. , Baum, H. and Kashiwagi, T. (1997), Three Dimensional Modeling of Intumescent Behavior in Fires, International Association for Fire Safety Science. Fire Safety Science. Proceedings of the Fifth (5th) International Symposium, Melbourne, , [online], https://tsapps.nist.gov/publication/get_pdf.cfm?pub_id=911934 (Accessed October 24, 2025)