[TheForge] OT building cladding question

[terry l. ridder]

hello

On june 24th, 2017 a 24 story apartment build burned in London, UK. The
cladding on the building is being cited as part of the cause for the
fire.

The cladding was a foam core between aluminium. aluminium melts at 1220
degree Fahrenheit. numerous reports are saying that the aluminium
cladding was used instead of more expensive zinc cladding. Zinc melts
at 787 degrees Fahrenheit. Zinc when burned created clouds of zinc oxide
smoke which if inhaled lead to heavy metal poisoning. I do not know
about aluminium burning. The same reported state that the zinc cladding
would have been more fire resistant than the aluminium cladding.

this seems opposite of what the physical characteristics of the metals
would imply. With the Zinc melting at a lower temperature it  would
appear that the fire would spread easier.

anyone have any knowledge of these metal clad cladding for buildings?


-- 
terry l. ridder ><>