THE USE OF GROUND COVER MATERIALS TO SUPPRESS FUEL SPILL FIRES

Small-scale experiments were conducted to determine the effectiveness of crushed and graded stone aggregate in preventing or retarding the rate of flame propagation from a fixed-ignition source when it was employed as a simulated ground cover material under controlled experimental conditions, for each of three aviation fuels. Tests included the use of loosley packed aggregate and no-fines concrete made with the same material. No significant difference in the rate of flame spread was noted between the loosley packed aggregate and no-fines concrete under equivalent test conditions. The experiments showed that the effectiveness of an aggregate in retarding flame propagation was a function of its size and the flash point of the hydrocarbon fuel and of its depth below the surface of the simulated ground cover. The fire suppression and/or containment effectiveness of the ground cover materials increased as the size of the aggregate decreased and the flash point of the fuel increased and as the depth of the fuel below the surface of the stone increased. (Author)

• Corporate Authors:

  NATIONAL AVIATION FACILITIES EXPERIMENTAL CENTER

  ATLANTIC CITY, NJ  United States 
• Authors:
  • Geyer, G B
  • Neri, L M
  • Urban, C H
• Publication Date: 1973-7

Media Info

• Pagination: 21 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Aggregates; Air transportation crashes; Aircraft; Aviation fuels; Aviation safety; Chemical spills; Concrete; Countermeasures; Fires; Flame propagation
• Identifier Terms: U.S. Federal Aviation Administration
• Old TRIS Terms: Aircraft fires; Faa; Jp-4 fuel
• Subject Areas: Aviation; Geotechnology; Safety and Human Factors; Vehicles and Equipment;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00047853
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: National Technical Information Service
• Report/Paper Numbers: FAA-NA-73-13 Final Rpt
• Files: NTIS
• Created Date: Oct 18 1973 12:00AM