The Study On Fire Performance Of EPDM Rubber Waterproof Sheet

Among all kinds of construction works, the area of waterproofing makes up 32 percent of total construction area. With the vigorous development of the construction industry, more and more new houses are used, which makes the demand of waterproof materials increasing substantially. New materials develop from nothing, and the proportion of consumption is higher year by year. EPDM rubber sheet is taken for the best vulcanized rubber waterproof. It's not only the focus development direction in Europe and America, but also the major support from the state to promote projects. The structures are heavily waterproofed by using this material, which also increases the fire hazard at the same time. Once breaking out of fire, the flame may spread from the outside to the inside, causing the whole building on fire.The pyrolysis behaviors and kinetic parameters of EPDM rubber waterproof sheet are studied by TG-DTA technique. The effects of different heating rates and atmospheres on the pyrolysis behavior are also analyzed. The kinetic parameters of EPDM samples in air and N2 are obtained by multiple rates method, Flynn-Wall-Ozawa, and single rate method, Coats-Redfern. The results of experimental analysis can be used for designing the outside roofing fire extinguishing systems as basic data, which is important to minimize casualties and property damage.To study the effects of sample width(w) and orientation(α) on upward flame spread, full-scale experiments have been carried out in the ISO 9705 Standard Room. Samples used are 0.2cm thick EPDM rubber waterproof sheet with height of 120cm. Parameters associated with fire behaviors, such as heat release rate(HRR), heat flux and flame height are measured as a function of time. Data shows that HRR increases with both the width and the sample orientation.By analyzing fire spread rates under different widths, 25cm can be taken as the critical width. And the relationships between HRR, heat flux and flame height are studied respectively. The experimental data are in reasonable agreements with previous formulas. Based on the study of combustion characteristics under different angles, the combustion seems more incomplete whenα=60°. We have found that the flame behavior over the solid surface may go through such states as accelerated burning, steady burning and extinguishment whenα=40°and 50°. The angle between the main stream of plume and the inclined surface increases steadily with the surface inclination angle.