Experimental study on different types of non-combustible cladding panels using butane torch

Fire incidents in high-rise buildings have become increasingly common, with the rapid spread of flames primarily attributed to the use of combustible cladding panels. To mitigate this issue, the use of non-combustible cladding panels has been recommended. However, the fire performance of various non-combustible cladding panels differs and is not fully understood. This research study investigates the fire behaviour of four widely used types of non-combustible cladding panels, which include solid aluminium panels, honeycomb core solid aluminium panels, and two types of non-combustible aluminium composite panels (ACPs). The main goal of this research is to evaluate and compare the fire behaviour of these cladding panels. In the experiment, each panel type was subjected to a Butane Torch flame with temperatures reaching approximately 1000°C. Temperature measurements were taken on both the exposed and unexposed sides of the specimens using thermocouples and digital cameras. The results revealed that the fire behaviour of these non-combustible cladding panels is not uniform. During testing, some panels exhibited melting, ignition, and delamination. These findings suggest that, despite being classified as non-combustible, these cladding panels could still pose a fire hazard in high-rise buildings under real fire conditions.