From Low-Rise to High-Rise Buildings: Fire Safety of Timber Frame Facades

Timber construction and fire safety are two terms which often lead to discussions, especially if it concerns multi-storey timber buildings. The scientific investigations presented here demonstrate the extent to which the use of a timber facade provides sufficient fire safety for people and the environment. Research work on prefabricated timber frame facade systems is carried out at the Department of Timber Construction at University of Innsbruck. The investigations are performed in three steps. Step 1: Typical fire exposure of buildings, building classes, requirements of high-rise buildings (>22 m fire escape level) and the properties of the materials in question are investigated. Special attention is given to the use of sustainable and ecological materials. Step 2: Performing reaction to fire tests and fire resistance tests with various materials and constructions which are included in classification reports. For this facade system also a connector system and a specific joint design for easy mounting was developed in a PhD thesis. Step 3: This facade element is tested for its suitability for its use in high-rise buildings. In fire tests is shown that the wooden substructure in the facade does not contribute the fire during a certain time. So the ban of inflammable materials in high-rise buildings could be mitigated. The scientific results show that the use of timber in prefabricated facade elements can meet the required criteria.