Furnace Exposure of Insulated Sandwich Panel Systems

Ten lightweight sandwich panel systems with cores of cellular plastics have been subjected to a 10-minute furnace test modelled on AS 1530, Part 4 [1], and their behaviour studied in relation to fire performance requirements for materials in the Australian Model Uniform Building Code. It was found that none of the lightweight sandwich panel systems assessed performed well in the furnace test. Difficulties were experienced with the test procedure and inter pretation of results. Amendments to the code requirements are proposed.