Experimental Methods

Recommended Prerequisites

2^nd cycle.

Teaching Methods

In each laboratory work a brief presentation of the tests to perform will be firstly performed. In this presentation beyond tests description, performing method and quantities to be measured, will be taught how to process the obtained results.

In this course students are invited to go to the laboratory and with the aid of teachers responsible for each laboratorial work and laboratory technicians, will have to perform some tests and record the results. These should then be processed by the student and be part of a report to be prepared. In this way students may have contact with the experimental analysis, in several parts of SCIE that will give them training to carry out a PhD thesis at the experimental level.

Learning Outcomes

In this course, attended by students seeking to develop an experimental thesis in the field, fundamental knowledge will be taught in order to carry out several tests in the field of fire safety, including its detection, monitoring of its development, monitoring of the behavior of materials and structures under fire conditions and subjected to explosions. These are key areas of fire safety in buildings (FSB), but at the same time complex ones, requiring the student knowledge based on the experimentation.

The student should get to know the operation of the laboratory equipment necessary to perform the experimental tests as well as the most common methods for their use and how to measure physical and chemical quantities relevant to the fire.

In this way the student will be able to plan and perform the experimental part of their PhD thesis, since that for many is the first time in contact with laboratorial reality.

Work Placement(s)

No

Syllabus

1.    Experimental Analysis
a.    Experimental models and dimensional analysis
b.    Strain gages and transducers
c.    Thermocouples
d.    Data Mining
2.    Fire Reaction Tests
a.    Non-combustibility test (EN ISO 1182)
b.    Calorimeter test (EN ISO 1716)
c.    Single burning item test (EN 13823)
d.    Single-flame source test (EN ISO 11925-2)
e.    Radiant heat source test (EN ISO 9239-1)
3.    Fire Resistance Tests
a.    Loadbearing elements testing (EN 1365)
b.    Compartmentation elements testing (EN 1365-1 part 1)
4.    Combustion and Explosion Tests
a.    Standard Test Method for Assessment of Heat Release Rate by Calorimetric Pump (ASTM D240 and D3286).
b.    Determining using the thermogravimetric analysis and differential scanning calorimetry of the thermal decomposition kinetics / pyrolysis.
c.    Determination of the explosion thresholds of gases, dust clouds and their mixtures (prEN14034).
5.    Sensitivity and Response of Detectors Tests
a.    Sensitivity tests for detectors using fires-type (NP EN 54 -9:1990).

Head Lecturer(s)

João Paulo Correia Rodrigues

Assessment Methods

Assessment
Reporting: 100.0%

Bibliography

Rodrigues, João Paulo C.; “Apontamentos de Análise Experimental”, Universidade de Coimbra, 2004.

CEN – Fire Reaction tests – Ignitability of building products subjected to direct impingement of flame – Part 2: Single-flame source test (EN ISO 11925-2); Building products excluding floorings exposed to the thermal attack by a single burning item (EN 13823); Non-combustibility test (EN ISO 1182); Determination of the heat of combustion (EN ISO 1716) and tests for floorings – Part 1: Determination of the burning behaviour using a radiant heat source (EN ISO 9239-1).

NP EN 26184- Sistemas de Protecção Contra Explosões.

NP EN 54 - Sistemas de Detecção e de Alarme de Incêndio.

EN 1363- Fire Resistante tests – part 1: General Requirements and part 2: Alternative and additional procedures.

EN 1365 Fire Resistance tests for loadbearing elements– part 1: walls; part 2: floors and roofs; part 3: beams and part 4: columns.