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Moisture content in timber decking exposed to bushfire weather conditions
Author(s) -
Macindoe Lyndon,
Leonard Justin
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
fire and materials
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.482
H-Index - 58
eISSN - 1099-1018
pISSN - 0308-0501
DOI - 10.1002/fam.1085
Subject(s) - environmental science , moisture , water content , forensic engineering , meteorology , engineering , geography , geotechnical engineering
SUMMARY Ignition of the external combustible elements of a building is one of the key factors leading to house loss in bushfires. Timber elements contain moisture that migrates into and out from the timber surface, depending on the surrounding ambient conditions. In extreme hot and dry conditions, such as those associated with severe bushfire weather, the moisture contents (MCs) in building timbers can drop well below the normal levels. In this paper, we not only qualify a methodology to assess the likely MCs of timbers under typical bushfire conditions, but also quantify the low levels of moisture that can be expected for the climatic conditions experienced in Melbourne—one of Australia's bushfire‐prone regions. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.