Temperature variation of gypsum and gypsum plasterboard physical properties

Abstract

The characteristics of fire spreading in a compartment fire may be strongly affected by the thermophysical properties of the employed construction materials and products. To increase the accuracy of relevant fire safety engineering design calculations and numerical simulations, the use of temperature-dependent thermophysical properties is required. This chapter analyzes the physical and chemical phenomena that occur when gypsum-derived construction products, such as gypsum plasterboards (GPs), are exposed to a fire environment. The high-temperature effects on gypsum-based construction products are discussed in terms of solid-phase reactions, macroscopic effects, and cracking and how those should be incorporated to simulate gypsum and GPs fire behavior effectively. The impact of these phenomena on a range of physical properties. i.e., density, thermal conductivity, specific heat capacity, and thermal expansion, is described by using a range of temperature-dependent correlations. Currently available numerical models for GP assemblies exposed to fire are analyzed. The fire safety aspects of GPs enhanced with phase change materials (PCMs) and their potential adverse effect on the fire behavior of a building in case of encapsulation failure are analyzed.