Fire behaviour of composite laminates

The thermal response of laminated glass fibre reinforced panels to severe fire conditions has been investigated by furnace fire testing and thermal modelling. Excellent fire resistance has been demonstrated for several matrix materials and the materials response has been modelled to a high degree of accuracy. The thermal resistance properties are due to a combination of low thermal conductivity, good structural integrity and significantly, the endothermic decomposition of the matrix, which slows down the heat transmission through the laminate. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.