Comparative study on fire behaviour of solid aluminium sheets coated with intumescent materials

Cladding panels used on the envelope of tall structures must be non-combustible to prevent the spread of the fire on the exterior of the building. Nonetheless, studies reveal certain drawbacks of the product claddings e.g. melting, deformation, and significant heat transfer during fires. These issues amplify fire hazards in high-rise buildings, posing challenges to maintaining adequate fire safety measures. To address these challenges, this study aims to evaluate the efficacy of coatings applied to the outer surfaces of aluminium composite panels (ACPs). The study used 0.5 mm thick solid aluminium sheets, both with and without coatings, under controlled fire exposure using a butane torch. Two distinct types of coatings, denoted as Coating A and B, are employed for comparative analysis. The result findings reveal that incorporating intumescent coatings can change the fire behaviour significantly, and all intumescent coatings are not effective in minimising the fire hazard observed in the solid aluminium outer skin of non-combustible aluminium composite panels.