Bench-scale H-TRIS

The novel test method uses an array of high-performance radiant panels and it is used for testing the behaviour of materials at elevated temperature and simulating thermal conditions during a fire or a fire resistance test.

The test setup is widely known as Heat-Transfer Rate Inducing System (H-TRIS) and it can reproduce a medium range of thermal exposures (up to 70 kW/m2). It is denoted as “Bench-Scale H-TRIS”.

The system is composed of a single high-performance radiant heater mounted on a frame, creating a 355 x 355 mm2 radiant source of heat.

The test setup allows for the direct and independent control of the thermal boundary conditions imposed on the target surface of test samples. This is possible by controlling the relative position between the exposed surface of the test sample and the array of high-performance radiant heaters coupled with a computer-controlled mechanical linear motion system. Moreover, the test method enables the visual inspection of the test samples during fire testing.

This test method has been used for testing different materials, such as structural insulating panels and structural steel protected by intumescent coatings.