This ACP (aluminium composite panel) test was conducted because many buildings in today’s day and time are using that material to clad the exteriors of their houses or commercial buildings.
The reason for ACP’s popularity is because –
1) It is the best solution to old houses getting a modern look with the added benefit of not having to paint its exteriors every few years and simply cleaning it.
2) ACP comes is various colours, shades, textures and sizes. Also being light weight in nature, it has become the architects’ and contractors’ best friend for exterior applications.
3) ACP being able to withstand weather conditions and UV rays, it does not require frequent maintenance.
4) Lastly and most importantly, it is perceived as cost effective in the long run.
Having mentioned the above reasons, the test was conducted to check how ACP actually benefits the building and its users as an exterior cladding material.
In the experiment conducted, you can see that two Aluminium Composite Panel (ACP) samples were ignited at the corner, which has the maximum exposure of the core material. In the findings, we can see, that one panel got completely burnt within the first three minutes. We also see, that in the second panel, only the core gets burnt and the top layer doesn’t fall off.
Now to bring to your attention, the samples that were tested, were not of FR Grade. FR stands for Fire Resistance properties in a material.
Refer to the specifications sheet on your right. These are the general specifications of the samples that were tested. Pay attention to the image, where the fourth layer from the top is made of “polyethylene”. This core material comprises of 2-3mm sandwiched between 0.5mm of aluminium skin. Being, highly flammable, when this burns, it falls as droplets of lava and spreads fire instantly.
So realistically speaking, using this grade of ACP might actually save your wealth but actually cost you your health !
If one must really use ACP, they should opt for the FR grade version.
Please note that ACP might be a good retrofit option for
old buildings and an easily available option for modern ones, but it traps a lot of heat just like glass and thus requires Air Conditioning which leads to high electricity bills in the long run!
The above test was conducted after the burning of Grenfell Tower in London.
Looking at the scale of construction in India, it is highly recommended that the government regulates this and the builder guides the client correctly.
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