Fire Resistance of Thermally Modified Spruce Wood

Abstract

The risk of possible ignition and burning is one of the greatest disadvantages of using wood as a construction material. An environmentally appropriate method of improving the fire-resistant properties of wood is available via thermal treatment. In this study, spruce wood (Picea abies L.) was thermally modified at 160 °C, 180 °C, and 210 °C. The effect of thermal modification on the fire performance of the wood, including weight loss and burn rate, was evaluated. A new testing method was designed to be sufficiently sensitive to monitor fire performance. The results showed that the thermally modified spruce wood had a lower weight loss than untreated wood. The burn rate of wood that was thermally modified at 160 °C was similar to that of untreated wood. Higher thermal treatment temperatures caused a higher burn rate. After the flame was removed, the burning process was rapidly stopped in thermally treated wood.