[GSBN] Heat flux for bushfire rating

[Bohdan Dorniak]

Andrew
The bush fire testing model works on an accelerated fire attack on a house.
So during the CSIRO tests the model was a rendered strawbale(cement,lime and
earth rendered bales) and it was brought closer (on a rail system) to the
heat source over a period of time (a mathematical model time of 10 minutes).
This mathematical model simulates an approaching bushfire.
The German tests do not simulate a bushfire but a constant heat source - so
I believe are not applicable - but good for a fire rating.
What Australian strawbale parishioners need to do is to organise another
test with CSIRO to go whole hog say 36kw/sqm testing. Our  original costs
were in the order of $20,000 -  these reports are still sold to pay for the
testing (extra costing were borne by me personally and which is still in the
red by a couple of thousand dollars.) There were a number of "good" people
in Oz that sponsored the tests including a $9.5K grant from a South
Australian government department. If the person asking for this info is
"Harald" I've given him the low down.
Hope this all helps.
Cheers
Bohdan

-----Original Message-----
From: GSBN-bounces at greenbuilder.com [mailto:GSBN-bounces at greenbuilder.com]
On Behalf Of Andrew Webb
Sent: Tuesday, 17 February 2009 11:06 AM
To: (private, with public archives) Global Straw Building Network
Subject: [GSBN] Heat flux for bushfire rating

Hi all,

A member of Ausbale has asked me the following question, which I can't
answer, as I too don't know how to translate the German or ASTM tests into
heat flux rating.  Can anyone advise?
"i am trying to build sb in blue mountains and wondered wether you had any
data that would support a rating of 35kw of heatflux.
i am aware of the german test but can not figure out how to make their data
relevant for my application.
rfs needs an 'expert opinion' since the csiro test validates sb with clay
render only to 29 kw."

Thanks,
Andrew Webb

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