(162a) Standardized Testing Vs. Installation Methods: Full Scale LNG Fire Tests for 3- and 4-Side Fireproofed Beams

Blue Engineering and Consulting and Texas A&M University were recently awarded a DOT PHMSA research project titled “Validation of Passive Mitigation Systems for Fires”, with the objective to develop experimental data to validate the appropriateness and effectiveness of selected passive fire mitigation (PFM) systems subject to fire impingement from a Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) pool fire. Physical testing was conducted in October of 2024 and utilized a new, 10-ft by 10-ft by 4-ft deep concrete pit at the Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service (TEEX) fire training facility.

The testing consisted of two, one-hour long LNG burns which engulfed sets of three I-beams, each coated with a different fireproofing material: 1) a phenolic foam, 2) an epoxy intumescent coating, and 3) a cementitious coating; additionally, an uncoated beam was included in each test to provide a control beam. In the first trial, the fireproofed beams were coated on all four sides – as typically done for standardized testing (e.g., UL 1709); in the second trial, the beams were coated on three of the four sides, leaving the top flange uncoated – as typically done for actual beam installations. Thermocouples were used to record the thermal response of each beam and calorimeter cubes were placed between the beams to record the heat flux from the LNG fire.

This paper will detail the setup and results from the trials, show videos from part of the trials and before/after photos fo the fireproofed beams, discuss safety implications of 3-sided beams, and identify needs for further studies.