Bushfire resilient building cladding assessment: a review based on the Australian context

The cladding system can play a critical role in fire spread, acting as a conduit for flames to reach vulnerable parts of a structure during bushfires. External cladding faces threats such as intense heat, direct flames, and ember attacks, posing substantial risks to building safety. As the largest surface area of homes, cladding significantly influence a building’s resilience to bushfires. This review provides a comprehensive examination of bushfire-resilient building cladding in an Australian context, followed by an exploration of global provisions and guidelines related to bushfires, with a specific focus on cladding materials. The review is structured into three parts. Firstly, it discusses various bushfire mechanisms affecting cladding. Secondly, it examines existing standards and regulations. Finally, it reviews the cladding systems under different bushfire mechanisms. The study aims to achieve several objectives: (i) Understanding the behaviour of cladding systems under different bushfire mechanisms; (ii) Disseminating codes and guidelines to foster scientific discourse and enhance fire safety standards forbushfires; (iii) Highlighting gaps in current codes, existing cladding materials, and assessment processes to stimulate dialogue among future researchers, policymakers, and industry professionals seeking to address the complex challenges posed by bushfire threats in built environment.