Advanced evaluation of fire resistance in spruce wood (Picea abies spp.) treated with innovative surface coatings

Hasanagić, Redžo (author), Mujanić, Selma (author), Keržič, Eli (author), Fathi, Leila (author), Bahmani, Mohsen (author), Ghalehno, Mohammad Dahmardeh (author), Lesar, Boštjan (author), Humar, Miha (author)

This study investigates innovative surface coatings’ effectiveness in enhancing spruce wood’s fire resistance (Picea abies spp.). Spruce wood samples were treated with various agents, including oils, waxes, boric acid, commercial coatings, and fire-retardant agents. The evaluation was conducted using the small flame method (EN ISO 11925-2:2020), surface roughness analysis, hyperspectral imaging (HSI), and contact angle measurements. The results demonstrated significant improvements in fire resistance for samples treated with specific coatings, particularly the Burn Block spray and Caparol coating, which effectively prevented flame spread. The analysis revealed that the Burn Block spray reduced the average flame height to 6.57 cm, while the Caparol coating achieved a similar effect with an average flame height of 6.95 cm. In contrast, untreated samples exhibited a flame height of 9.34 cm, with boric acid-treated samples reaching up to 12.18 cm. Char depth measurements and the surface roughness analysis revealed a clear correlation between the type of treatment and the thermal stability of the wood. Hyperspectral imaging enabled a detailed visualisation of surface degradation, while contact angle measurements highlighted the impact of hydrophobicity on flammability. This research provides in-depth insights into the fire-retardant mechanisms of spruce wood and offers practical guidelines for developing safer and more sustainable wood materials for the construction industry.

• Language: English
• Keywords: fire resistance, spruce wood, surface roughness, hyperspectral imaging, contact angle, flame spread, fire-retardant treatments
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: BF - Biotechnical Faculty
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Publication date: 01.01.2025
• Year: 2025
• Number of pages: Str. 1-15
• Numbering: Vol. 8, iss. 4, [article no.] 120
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-167976
• UDC: 630*8
• ISSN on article: 2571-6255
• COBISS.SI-ID: 229838339
• Publication date in RUL: 21.03.2025

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Fire
• Shortened title: Fire
• Publisher: MDPI AG
• ISSN: 2571-6255
• COBISS.SI-ID: 4755656

Licences

• License: CC BY 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
• Description: This is the standard Creative Commons license that gives others maximum freedom to do what they want with the work as long as they credit the author.

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Keywords: požarna odpornost, smrekov les, hrapavost površine, hiperspektralno oslikovanje, kontaktni kot, širjenje plamena, protipožarna obdelava