Characterization of qualified fire proof composites

Composite materials offer many advantages (corrosion resistance, weight reduction, reduced total ownership cost, etc.) relative to traditional metals for marine structure primary load bearing applications. However, the use of composite materials has been slow for marine components that have fire safety requirements. Fire, Smoke and Toxicity (FST) along with strength retention after fire induced elevated temperatures requirements present a major challenge to implementation of composites. Specifications such as MIL-STD-2031{1}, applicable to composites inside submarines, define the FST requirements for all structural materials. Recently, a composite material, which meets the MIL-STD-2031 requirements, was developed by Van Dine{2}. In this paper, the successful fire test results of Van Dine's material are reviewed and a summary of the MIL-STD-2031 qualified material's mechanical properties are presented. The encouraging mechanical and FST test results indicate that properly formulated composite materials are feasible for fire safe marine structure applications.