Upward flame spread on composite materials

Three existing models of upward flame spread were tested against intermedia te-scale experiments on a vinyl ester/glass composite, Characterization of rate of heat release per unit area, needed as input to the models, was obta ined at external radiant fluxes below the minimum for ignition by adaptatio n of a method due to Kulkarni. There are several limitations on the accurac y of the material characterization when applied to composites. Each of the flame spread models has definite limitations as well. Nevertheless, all thr ee models produced predictions of spread behavior in sufficiently quantitat ive agreement with the experiments that they should prove useful for engine ering analyses of flame spread potential, Published by Elsevier Science Ltd .