Fire/Flammability Test of Polyurethane Foams and Protective Coatings.

Foamed plastics offer a number of advantages in Theater of Operations TO construction. They can be shipped to a site in low-volume, high-density forms and converted to low-density, high-volume construction materials. The low-density forms thus made possess high strength and good stability and are typically excellent thermal insulators. They can be used either as primary structural materials foam domes or as secondary structural materials contributing to the rigidity and load-bearing capability of wood or metal framework panelized buildings. The greatest drawback to use of foamed plastics is flammability generally, such materials burn when subjected to fire, even with the best commercially available flame retardants incorporated. Protection of a structure and its inhabitants in which a foamed plastic has been used requires the development and evaluation of a protective coating to reduce flammability of the foamed plastic. The objective of this investigation was to develop a protective coating medium which will allow and encourage the use of foamed plastics in TO construction. Polyurethane foams were identified as the most probable candidates for TO construction and because using available materials without adding new ones to the inventory stock list is desirable, a coating composed of portland cement, lime, sand, and water was developed.