FireInTimber

The FireInTimber project has been running between November 2007 and March 2010 in close cooperation between fourteen partners in nine countries Austria, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland and UK. It has resulted in new knowledge especially for modelling of the load-bearing capacity of new types of timber structures. The results are presented in several scientific publications and presentations.

The main result for a greater audience is the technical guideline Fire safety in timber buildings. It is the very first European wide guideline on the fire safe use of wood in buildings. The guideline presents information for architects, engineers, educators, authorities and building industries on the fire safe use of timber structures and wood products in buildings. It aims at providing the highest scientific knowledge with regard to fire safety on the European level. The guideline covers the extended use of design codes (such as Eurocode 5), European standards, practical guidance and examples for fire safe design and principles of performance based design. The guideline also includes information on reaction to the fire performance of wood products according to the new European classification system. The importance of proper detailing in building design is stressed by practical examples. Active measures of fire protection and quality of construction workmanship and inspection are presented as important means for fulfilling the fire safety objectives.

Moisture buffering effects of interior linings made from wood or wood based products

A uniform indoor climate with minor variations in temperature and relative humidity to establish a healthy and comfortable environment for the occupants. It is a well-known fact that the thermal mass of the building envelope counteracts strong changes in temperature. The fact that there is also something like a ”hygric mass”, antagonising strong variations of moisture, is however less common. Here ”hygric mass” means the vapour absorption capacity of the enclosing surfaces which is capable of buffering moisture variations inside a space. This would be beneficial in rooms where the generation of moisture and the extraction of moisture do not coincide.

This report is in paper form at Puutuoteteollisuus ry.