Research Testing
Research and experimental fire testing plays a critical role in shaping fire safety strategies, improving building resilience, and informing regulatory and insurance practices. The Fire Protection Association has been conducting fire research since 1946 and we offer one of the most versatile and comprehensive fire testing facilities in the UK at our Fire Testing and Research Laboratory based in Gloucestershire.
In addition to conducting tests to a wide range of British Standards, we have a dedicated purpose-built Research Testing Facility for R&D and demonstration purposes which is used by governmental and regulatory bodies, manufacturers, insurers, academics, trade associations, the fire and rescue service, and the fire safety engineering community, to address emerging risks and enhance industry standards.
Our Fire Research Engineers design unique fire tests to evaluate the ability of non-standard systems and applications to perform as intended, and create reconstructions and simulations to investigate real-life or potential scenarios. As one of few truly independent fire testing laboratories, we provide objective data and comprehensive reporting, giving you a clear idea of how your product or system may perform in a fire situation.
We can design, build, and conduct fire safety research testing for multiple scenarios on complex, previously untested system designs so you can assess whether materials and systems are fire-safe under specific end-use conditions and applications. Possible scenarios include Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS), variations of suppression systems, firefighting techniques, modern construction methods, full scale fire compartments, living walls/roofs, high pressure pipework, hydraulic systems, and fuel leaks to name a few.
Research testing facilities
We have indoor and outdoor fire testing locations including 4 full size rigs which can be tailored to your individual testing needs. Our dedicated Research Testing Facility is a 10 x 10 x 5 m (L x W x H) airtight compartment with adjustable vents. It is capable of withstanding 8 MW fires, with integrated suppressing fire systems and overpressure vents for handling any fires that become unsafe.
The facility is connected to a smoke extraction system that removes harmful gases, filtering and cleaning them to protect the environment. A drainage system surrounds the floor, connected to an oil separator for removing any wastewater, oil, aqueous film forming foam (AFFF) etc. that might also harm the environment. These features enable the facility to be used for applications where high intensity fires demand a sterile and easily controlled environment.
We also have a large onsite clean water storage tank that provides a consistent and regulated water supply, a firefighting foam premix and collection system to mix on site firefighting foam concentrate to customer specifications (which is then collected and disposed of in an environmentally friendly manner), and a climate controlled conditioning chamber for the conditioning of fuel packages and test samples to give a more consistent and accurate result.
Research testing expertise
Our Fire Research Engineers are experienced in working with a variety of:
Fires
- Solid fuel fires
- Liquid fuel fires
- Gas fuel fires
- Electric fires
- Lithium-ion battery fires
- Thermite reactions
Equipment
- Radiant heat panels
- Suppression systems
- High pressure pipework
- High voltage systems
Instrumentation for measuring:
- Temperature
- Thermal radiation
- Heatflux
- Gas concentration
- Smoke density and toxicity
- Microscale combustion calorimetry
- Large scale calorimetry
- Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR)
- Nozzle k-factor
- Nozzle response time index
- Nozzle operating temperature
- Droplet size and velocity
- Pressure
- Flowrate
- Mass flowrate
- Weight
- Force
- Deflection
- Current
- Voltage
Construction methods
- Welding and fabrication
- Scaffolding
- Stud walls
- Mass timber
- Cladding systems
- Living walls and roofs
Milestone FPA research projects and publications
Client research testing case studies
Why use the FPA for research testing?
- Dedicated Research Testing Facility and team of Fire Research Engineers
- 4 full size cladding test rigs
- Extensive facilities and technical capabilities
- UK-based laboratory
- Independent and impartial test results
- Excellent reporting turnaround times
- Not for profit organisation
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