ABSTRACT
This chapter examines the effects of fire on building materials. Of the principal hazards to buildings that exist, fire presents the greatest threat to life. It is an extreme cause of failure. The chapter reviews the principles of burning or combustion, to give an idea of the conditions faced by building materials in a fire. The chapter explores the thermal properties of materials and outlines their application to fire situations. It considers the various classes of building materials and their response to fire. It explains the simple calculation method that can be used to estimate the fire endurance of timber and concrete. The chapter considers the effects of fire in more detail on building materials in three groupings: metals, non-metals ceramic-type materials and non-metals hydrocarbons and organic materials. The metals commonly used in construction include steel, copper, lead, aluminium and zinc. Metals and alloys have well-defined melting temperatures or temperature ranges.
