Gypsum Board in Fire — Modeling and Experimental Validation

The thermal behavior of a commercially widespread gypsum board (810 kg/m ³ ) under fire condition has been investigated. For this purpose two 12 mm thick gypsum boards are subjected to the standard fire ISO 834 and the temperature distribution within them is measured by means of thermocouples placed at different depths in the samples. The results hereof are used to validate a numerical model based on the density, thermal conductivity, and effective heat capacity of the gypsum board as functions of temperature. The effects of dehydration/calcination and decomposition on these properties are determined by using thermogravimetric analysis, conductivity measurements after different heat treatments, and differential scanning calorimetry under air flow, respectively.