UNSW Canberra鈥檚 Pyrometric Lab is the first of its kind in Australia and will allow researchers to study how different materials burn.
After entering UNSW Canberra's mechanical engineering workshop and walking past the benches covered in lawnmower engines, you'll find yourself at the entrance to the university's brand new 'fire lab'.
The Pyrometric Laboratory (to give it its proper name) is the first of its kind in Australia. It鈥檚 chock full of brand new, state-of-the-art equipment that will allow researchers and students to set fire to all manner of materials - safely of course.
By observing these objects burn and measuring how they respond to fire, researchers hope to eventually develop a range of materials that are more flame resistant. This includes eco-friendly building materials and more protective uniforms for firefighters.
The lab鈥檚 lead researcher and senior lecturer in engineering, Maryam Ghodrat, said the lab鈥檚 main focus is to help save homes, businesses and, most importantly, lives from fire.
鈥淲e鈥檙e expecting to see bigger and more destructive bushfires as we continue to feel the effects of climate change,鈥 Dr Ghodrat said.
鈥淭hat means more homes and businesses will be impacted by fire and we want to make them as safe and resistant to fire as possible.
鈥淏y testing different materials in the Pyrometric Lab we can see how they respond to fire and which are the safest. Eventually, we hope this research will lead to the development of new materials that are more flame resistant than anything currently available.
鈥淭his research can inform Australian building standards so that homes built in bushfire prone areas are as protected as they possibly can be.鈥
But the lab won鈥檛 only focus on building materials.
Engineering honours students, Jonathan Lu and ADFA Navy Sub Lieutenant (SBLT) Matthew Hordern, are currently undertaking two research projects in the lab that could have far-reaching benefits for firefighters and the automotive industry.
Jonathan鈥檚 research involves him burning a selection of fabrics from firefighter uniforms in the 鈥榖urner box鈥; one of the new pieces of equipment that is the size of a large oven and can expose materials to direct flame.
He is testing fabric from a 2013 NSW Rural Fire Service jacket and also a current Fire and Rescue uniform, one that would be used in metropolitan firefighting.
鈥淚鈥檓 observing how the different materials respond to direct flame, and I鈥檓 interested to see how that might have changed in the years between when these uniforms were manufactured,鈥 Jonathan said.
鈥淚f we can get a better understanding of how quickly the fabric ignites and how fast the flame spreads, it will hopefully lead to being able to produce better, more fire-resistant uniforms.
鈥淔irefighters go into extremely dangerous situations, so if we can do something to help keep them safer and potentially save lives then that鈥檚 an awesome achievement.鈥
Concurrently, SBLT Hordern is setting fire to different plastic car parts he salvages from wrecking yards around Canberra. He鈥檚 looking at an entry-level car (Honda Jazz), a mid-level (Ford Focus) and a high-end car (Range Rover).
鈥淚鈥檓 taking plastic bits from inside the car, such as centre consoles, dashboards and 鈥榩leather鈥 seats, anything that might be in the immediate vicinity of people inside a car in an accident,鈥 SBLT Hordern said.
鈥淚f a car catches fire in an accident, that鈥檚 obviously really dangerous considering the fuel and other chemicals. But I鈥檓 interested in what happens if the plastics catch fire, and what chemicals they emit when they burn that people could be exposed to.鈥
In addition to the 鈥榖urner box鈥, the lab is also stocked with a smouldering test device, an oxygen index analyser and a structural cohesion tester. It is the only lab in Australia to have all of this equipment in one location.
Jacob Ross, the laboratory technician overseeing the lab, said it had been a challenge to get up to speed with the new equipment.
鈥淲e acquired the equipment over the past 18 months and commissioning the different machines was a challenge that required a lot of research,鈥 Mr Ross said.
鈥淲e had to ensure we met the specific requirements of each machine so we can have confidence in the results they produce. And all the relevant safety measures had to be put in place before the students and researchers could work with them.
鈥淚t鈥檚 been a great experience to work with such high-end equipment and support the important research that will be undertaken in this lab.鈥
Read more about the equipment in the Pyrometric Laboratory here:聽
