The Optimal Impregnation Amounts of Flame-Retardant for Korean Larch and Japanese Cedar Building Materials

Abstract

In accordance with regulations set forth by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport in Korea regarding the "Flame Retardant Performance of Building Finishing Materials and Fire Spread Prevention Structure," it is mandated that semi-noncombustible materials have a total heat emission less than 8 MJ/m2. Consequently, our study aimed to determine the ideal quantity of flame-retardant treatment required to meet the fire safety standards for Korean larch and Japanese cedar, commonly used exterior materials in Korean construction. To this end, we investigated using a cone calorimeter to observe changes in the THR (Total Heat Released) based on the AFI (Amount of Flame-retardant Impregnation) in Korean larch and Japanese cedar. Our findings indicated that the AFI needed to satisfy the prescribed flame-retardant standard of 8 MJ/m2 was THR 299 MJ/m2 for Korean larch and THR 526 MJ/m2 for Japanese cedar. As a result, we established optimal impregnation levels of flame retardant for both species.