Guidelines for Participation in the 

2020 MaCFP Condensed Phase Workshop 

April 25-26, 2020

Waterloo, Canada

 

The MaCFP Condensed Phase Working Group Organizing Committee:

Benjamin Batiot (University of Poitiers, France)

Morgan Bruns (Virginia Military Institute, USA)

Simo Hostikka (Aalto University, Finland)

Isaac Leventon (National Institute of Standards and Technology, USA)

Yuji Nakamura (Toyohashi University of Technology, Japan)

Pedro Reszka (Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez, Chile)

Thomas Rogaume (University of Poitiers, France)

Stanislav Stoliarov (University of Maryland, USA)
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Contents

Background..................................................................................................................................... 2

MaCFP Working Group Motivation........................................................................................... 2

Condensed Phase Subgroup Objectives...................................................................................... 2

MaCFP Repository...................................................................................................................... 3

The 2020 MaCFP Condensed Phase Workshop ............................................................................. 4

Workshop Objectives.................................................................................................................. 4

Workshop Presentation Topics................................................................................................... 4

Workshop Timeline .................................................................................................................... 5

Experimental................................................................................................................................... 5

Material Information................................................................................................................... 5

Measurements............................................................................................................................. 6

Communicating Results.............................................................................................................. 8

Pyrolysis Modeling ....................................................................................................................... 10

Standard Data Set: Model Parameters of Interest..................................................................... 10

Target Simulations.................................................................................................................... 11

Contact Information...................................................................................................................... 12

References..................................................................................................................................... 13
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Background

MaCFP Working Group Motivation

The general objective of the MaCFP Working Group is to establish a structured effort in the 

fire research community to make significant and systematic progress in fire modeling, based 

on a fundamental understanding of fire phenomena. This is to be achieved as a joint effort 

between experimentalists and modelers, identifying key research topics of interest as well 

as knowledge gaps, and thereby establishing a common framework for fire modeling 

research. The MaCFP Working Group is intended as an open, community-wide, international 

collaboration between fire scientists. It is also intended to be a regular series of workshops.

The specific objectives of the MaCFP Working Group are to: 

• Develop a digital archive of well-documented fire experiments that can be used as 

targets for CFD model validation; 

• Develop a digital archive of well-documented CFD-based numerical simulations 

corresponding to the selected target experiments; 

• Develop protocols for detailed comparisons between computational results and 

experimental measurements; 

• Identify key research topics and knowledge gaps in computational and 

experimental fire research; 

• Develop best practices in both computational and experimental fire research 

(including quality control and quantification of uncertainties); 

• Establish a network between fire researchers and provide a community-wide 

forum for discussion and exchange of information.

Condensed Phase Subgroup Objectives

Historically, the fire modeling community has self-organized into two distinct groups: a first 

group that studies combustion and heat transfer in the gas phase, and a second group that 

studies thermal degradation and pyrolysis in the condensed phase. The early discussions of 

the MaCFP Working Group have focused on gas phase phenomena, but with the 

understanding that quantitatively predicting flame spread and fire growth requires 

modeling of coupled gas phase and condensed phase processes. Following discussions that 

took place in April 2016, it was proposed that the MaCFP Working Group be expanded to 

include a subgroup dedicated to the predictive modeling of condensed phase phenomena. A 

committee was formed to produce a white paper and organize a planning meeting during the 

first MaCFP workshop conducted in Lund, SE at the 2017 IAFSS meeting [1]. 
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The purpose of the Condensed Phase Phenomena subgroup is to facilitate data sharing and 

model development to improve computational predictions of thermal degradation and 

pyrolysis in fire scenarios. 

The specific objectives of the subgroup are to: 

• Develop standard data set formats for experimental data on pyrolysis; 

• Develop requirements for data set quality and establishing a data review committee;

• Incorporate compliant data into the existing MaCFP data repository; 

• Create a database of pyrolysis property sets; 

• Develop minimum requirements for numerical pyrolysis models; 

• Organize a pyrolysis modeling discussion group.

MaCFP Repository

The MaCFP repository is hosted on GitHub (https://github.com/MaCFP ). The repository 

was created and is managed by Dr. Randy McDermott (National Institute of Standards and 

Technology, NIST). It contains: 

• A description of each selected target experiment, including a description of the 

experimental configuration and a description of measured quantities and 

measurement uncertainties (if known); 

• An electronic copy of experimental data organized in simple comma-delimited 

ASCII files; 

• An electronic copy of computational results submitted by the different modeling 

groups that participated in the first MaCFP workshop, also organized in simple 

comma delimited ASCII files; 

• Protocols to perform comparisons between experimental data and simulation 

results based on (provided) MATLAB-based post-processing tools. 
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The 2020 MaCFP Condensed Phase Workshop

Workshop Objectives

The experimental and modeling effort proposed for the 2020 MaCFP Condensed Phase 

Workshop has been designed to enable our research community to make significant 

progress towards establishing a common framework for the selection of experiments and 

the methodologies used to analyze these experiments when developing pyrolysis models. 

Ultimately, such a framework will support reliable computational predictions of how 

materials burn, how flames spread, and how fires grow in realistic fire scenarios.

The four main objectives of this workshop are listed as follows:

• To catalogue current approaches used to parameterize pyrolysis models;

• To quantify the interlaboratory variability for comparable experimental datasets; 

• To assess the impact of the variability of model parameters on predictions of 

sample burning rate; and

• To present a rigorous analysis of these results in the Fire Safety Journal.

Workshop Presentation Topics

The four workshop objectives above will be addressed systematically at the workshop in 

the context of the following presentation topics:

• Direct comparisons of experimental data;

• Descriptions of various methods for determination of pyrolysis model parameters 

from the experimental data;

• Comparisons of derived pyrolysis parameters and parameter sets; and

• Comparisons of pyrolysis model predictions of zero-dimensional TGA at several 

heating rates and one-dimensional gasification scenarios at several incident 

radiant heat fluxes.
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Workshop Timeline

March 2019 Call for participation in 2020 MaCFP Condensed Phase Workshop

May 2019 Guidelines for Participation in 2020 MaCFP Condensed Phase Workshop

Confirm nature of participation (experimental and/or modeling work) of 

workshop participants

Summer 2019 Coordinate procurement of material samples

Define formatting requirements for data submission, open/create 

repository to store this data

December 2019 Submit data for interlaboratory analysis

January 2020 Distribute data for interlaboratory analysis

Spring 2020 Final call for submission of data (experimental results, final parameter 

sets, simulations of material degradation)

April 2020 MaCFP Workshop

Experimental

Material Information

The 2020 MaCFP Condensed Phase Workshop will focus on cast black poly(methyl 

methacrylate), PMMA. This material was selected because of its tendency to maintain its 

density while burning, insignificant melt flow, simple decomposition kinetics, and low 

transparency to infrared radiation. Although multiple experimental and computational 

modeling studies of the flammability response of PMMA exist in the literature, this effort 

represents the first coordinated attempt involving multiple labs to simultaneously 

characterize all relevant thermophysical properties of a fully specified material and to 

compare various methods for accomplishing this characterization.

The specific material of interest is a 6 mm (0.236 inch) thick, black, cast PMMA manufactured 

by Evonik under the tradename: ACRYLITE® cast black 9H01 GT. This material can be 

ordered, cut to size, directly from the manufacturer at: https://www.acrylite.co/cast-black9h01-gt.html.

Limited quantities of the test material can also be made available directly to participants 

conducting experiments by contacting the organizing committee, as needed. To request 

samples, members of the fire research community participating in the experimental 

component of the 2020 MaCFP Condensed Phase Workshop are invited to contact Dr. Isaac 

Leventon [National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), USA] at

Isaac.Leventon@NIST.gov. Please indicate the number and type (e.g., mg-scale thermal 

analysis and/or bench scale gasification experiments) of tests that you can commit to 

performing.
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Measurements

No single approach for pyrolysis model parameterization is suggested by this committee. In 

fact, a key objective of this workshop is to catalogue current approaches used to 

parameterize pyrolysis models. Thus, we encourage participating labs to follow their best 

practices so that we may meet in April 2020 to discuss only the similarities and differences 

of our approaches and their results (i.e., final parameterization) without explicitly requiring 

a final validation versus a given test. We expect that each lab will present data from 

experiments such as: thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), differential scanning calorimetry 

(DSC), the Cone Calorimeter, slab gasification experiments, and the Fire Propagation 

Apparatus (FPA).

Although participants may conduct any experiments they deem necessary to provide 

calibration data for pyrolysis model development, a key objective of this effort is to quantify 

the interlaboratory variability for comparable experimental datasets. With that in mind, the 

following test conditions are recommended for standard experiments that are often 

performed for material property characterization in flammability laboratories. The tests and 

test conditions written below are not required from all participants (and additional 

experiments not listed here or tests performed outside of these conditions are acceptable). 

However, if you conduct any of the experiments described below as part of your pyrolysis 

model development, please consider repeating experiments using the guidelines below, to 

allow for direct comparison of results between laboratories.

When submitting measurement data, participants are asked to clearly define the following 

conditions associated with the experiments conducted; recommended values for some of 

these test conditions are included in parentheses. Details of the testing and calibration 

conditions of all experiments conducted should be provided in a separate document along 

with measurement results.

Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA) and Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC)

Test Conditions

• Heating Rate (10 K min-1)

• Temperature Program: initial temperature, conditioning isotherm (if used), and 

maximum temperature

• Sample mass (2 mg to 6 mg) 

• Sample geometry (powdered)

• Calibration type, materials used, and frequency

• Carrier gas and associated flow rate

• Crucible type and volume
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Test Outputs

• Initial and Final Sample Mass [mg]

• Time-resolved Sample Mass [mg]

• Time-resolved Sample Temperature [K] 

Cone Calorimeter, Fire Propagation Apparatus (FPA), and Gasification Experiments

Test Conditions

• Radiant heat flux (25 and 65 kW m-2)

• Heater Temperature

• Extracting flow rate of the gas

• Initial and Final Sample Mass

• Sample holder geometry and characteristics

• Thermal properties of backing insulation, if used

Test Outputs

• Sample Surface Area [m2]

• Initial and Final Sample Mass [mg]

• Time-resolved Sample Mass [mg]

• Time-resolved Sample Back-Surface Temperature [K] 
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Communicating Results

How to Submit Your Results

Experimental and Modeling Results will eventually be submitted, stored, and made publicly 

available on the MaCFP GitHub Repository. Details on how to contribute are available on the 

MaCFP-db wiki. For the time being, all results should be emailed directly to Dr. Morgan Bruns 

[brunsmc@vmi.edu]. 

For simplicity, please collect your files in a single folder with your INSTITUTE name and ZIP 

the folder to create a single attachment named “INSTITUTE.zip”. Please save measurement 

results with a name indicating your INSTITUTE and the experimental apparatus used, for 

example: “INSITUTE_TGA.csv” or “Institute_ConeCalorimeter.csv”. Measurement data from 

repeated experiments should be saved and submitted as separate files, numbered 

sequentially (e.g., “INSITUTE_TGA1.csv” and “INSITUTE_TGA2.csv”). 

Please also include two separate files (.txt or .docx) that provide:

1) A description of the test conditions of all experiments conducted and submitted 

(see the ‘Measurements’ section of this document for details on what information 

should be included in this file). [INSITUTE_ExpSetup.txt OR .docx]

2) A description (written and corresponding governing equations) of the 

participant’s proposed reaction mechanism as well as the method of 

determination of associated kinetic parameters and material properties.

[INSITUTE_ModelDescription.txt OR .docx]

Note, some iteration on formatting may be required before the results can be merged into 

the MaCFP database.

File Format

Experimental and Model results should be organized in simple ASCII comma-delimited files 

(*.csv files) with clear header names. Note: For all submitted measurement data, please 

ensure that results are obtained with a data acquisition rate between 1 and 10 Hz. Examples 

of how to format data submissions (for experimentally-measured or model-predicted 

results) are included below.

Examples of these simple files, which may be used as templates, are also available on the 

MaCFP GitHub Repository for(1) TGA, (2) DSC, and (3) slab gasification experiments.
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Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA)

Time Temperature Mass

[s] [K] [mg]

0 300 4.321

0.1 300.1 4.321

0.2 300.2 4.320

0.3 300.3 4.318

Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC)

Time Temperature Heat Flow

[s] [K] [W g-1]

0 300.0 0.005

0.1 300.1 0.008

0.2 300.2 0.006

0.3 300.3 0.007

Cone Calorimeter, Fire Propagation Apparatus, or Slab Gasification Experiments

Time Mass HRRφ Back Surface 

Temperature 

1

Back Surface 

Temperature 

2*

Back Surface 

Temperature 

3*

[s] [g] [kW] [K] [K] [K]

0 40.00 0.0 300.0 300.0 300.0

0.1 40.00 0.0 300.0 300.0 300.0

0.2 39.99 0.2 300.0 300.0 300.0

0.3 39.98 0.3 300.0 300.0 300.0

φ If measured

*At a minimum, sample back surface temperature must be measured at one location; however, if 

temperature measurements are obtained at multiple locations (at the sample’s back surface) during 

the same experiment, please submit those measurements in separate columns, as indicated above. If 

providing temperature data from multiple locations, please provide a clear description of these 

locations in your INSITUTE_ExpSetup.txt (or .docx) file.

Units

This may seem like a minor issue, but we must compare the results from all groups in the 

same units. The units we will use are provided in the Pyrolysis Modeling section of this 

document. If there is ambiguity in the units or you otherwise have questions along these 

lines, please let us know.
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Pyrolysis Modeling

Standard Data Set: Model Parameters of Interest

Table 1 lists all pyrolysis model parameters of interest for this study. Note: degradation 

kinetics and thermodynamic parameters can be component- or reaction-step-specific.

Participants should provide a detailed description of the method of determination of each of 

these parameters as well as a description (written and mathematical) of their proposed 

decomposition reaction mechanism.

Table 1. Pyrolysis Model Parameters.

Symbol Units Name

Degradation Kinetics

A s

-1 Pre-exponential Constant 

E J mol-1 Activation Energy

ν [-] Stoichiometric coefficient

N [-] Reaction Order

T K Temperature

Thermodynamic Properties

cp J kg

-1 K-1 Heat capacity

h J kg-1 Heat of reaction

Transport Properties

k W m-1 K-1 Thermal Conductivity

α m-1 or m2 kg-1 Absorption coefficient

ε [-] Emissivity

η kg m-1 s

-1 Viscosity 

λ m2 s

-1 Mass diffusivity

ρ kg m-3 Density

s

Es
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Target Simulations

Comparisons of pyrolysis model predictions of zero-dimensional Thermogravimetric 

Analysis (TGA) experiments conducted at two heating rates and one-dimensional 

gasification scenarios at two incident radiant heat fluxes will be presented and compared at 

the 2020 MaCFP Condensed Phase Workshop. These simulations will be repeated using all 

complete pyrolysis model parameter sets submitted by workshop participants. These four 

simulations will be employed to compare performance of different models. In the case of the 

TGA simulations, mass loss rate profiles as a function of temperature will be used for 

comparison. In the case of the gasification simulations, mass loss rate and back surface 

temperature profiles will be used for comparison. 

Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA) Experiments

Temperature Range: 300 K to 800 K

Heating Rates: 10 K min-1 and 100 K min-1 (two simulations)

Output: Initial and Final Sample Mass [mg]

Time-resolved Sample Mass [mg]

Time-resolved Sample Temperature [K] 

Test Description: Simulations of idealized TGA experiments in which sample 

temperature must remain spatially uniform.

Gasification Experiments

Incident Heat Flux: Sample front surface exposed to 25 and 65 kW m-2 (two 

simulations) of radiant heat flux

Output: Sample Surface Area [m2]

Initial and Final Sample Mass [mg]

Time-resolved Sample Mass [mg]

Time-resolved Sample Back-Surface Temperature [K] 

Test Description: Simulations of idealized gasification experiments of pyrolysis 

of a 6 mm thick sample in an anaerobic environment. Sample 

back surface should be perfectly insulated. Simulations 

should be performed using a computational pyrolysis solver.
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Contact Information

Benjamin Batiot

University of Poitiers, France

benjamin.batiot@univ-poitiers.fr

Morgan Bruns 

Virginia Military Institute, USA

brunsmc@vmi.edu

+1 540-464-7523

Simo Hostikka 

Aalto University, Finland

simo.hostikka@aalto.fi

+358504471582

Isaac Leventon 

National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), USA

Isaac.Leventon@NIST.gov

+1 301-975-6887

Yuji Nakamura 

Toyohashi University of Technology, Japan

yuji@me.tut.ac.jp

Pedro Reszka 

Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez, Chile

pedro.reszka@uai.cl

Thomas Rogaume 

University of Poitiers, France

thomas.rogaume@univ-poitiers.fr

Stanislav Stoliarov 

University of Maryland, USA

stolia@umd.edu

+1 301-405-0928
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References

[1] A. Brown, M. Bruns, M. Gollner, J. Hewson, G. Maragkos, A. Marshall, R. McDermott, B. Merci, 

T. Rogaume, S. Stoliarov, J. Torero, A. Trouvé, Y. Wang, E. Weckman. Proceedings of the first 

workshop organized by the IAFSS Working Group on Measurement and Computation of Fire 

Phenomena (MaCFP). Fire Safety Journal, vol. 101, pp. 1-17, 2018.