Current status on the modeling of fire-retardant materials

A critical review of the existing models describing the thermochemical behavior of fire retardant materials upon exposure to intensive heat sources such as fires is performed in this study. The objectives are: (i) to classify the types of models available in the literature, (ii) to evaluate the validity of various models, and (iii) to identify basic research areas in which improvements in the modeling effort are needed. Toward these ends, the existing models on fire retardant materials reported in the open literature are systematically reviewed and classified according to their physical origins. A summary of various types of models on fire retardant materials is presented along with model evaluation in terms of the fundamental aspects of chemical kinetics, mass loss, and heat transfer described in the model. The evaluation is substantiated by experimental evidence obtained under laboratory testing conditions.