Fire begins when an ignition source connects with combustible material in the presence of oxygen. The formula is easy to grasp, but understanding the science of fire dynamics is anything but simple. At the Fire Technology Laboratory, we continue to advance the understanding of how materials and fire behave, measure and learn from the rate of heat release from different configurations of materials, and determine combustibility and protection requirements for different commodities produced and used by our clients.

Spanning 108,000-ft.2 (10,033-m2), FM Global's Fire Technology Laboratory is the centerpiece of the Research Campus and the largest facility of its type in the world. The laboratory's sheer size allows researchers to replicate warehouse-size fires of up to 2,000 F (1,093 C). Moreover, because several fire tests can be conducted simultaneously, clients don't have to wait long for research results. Through this full-scale testing, our researchers and engineers develop property loss prevention solutions that ultimately minimize operational downtime, supply chain interruption and loss of market share for our clients. The Fire Technology Laboratory also features several smaller labs for intermediate- and small-scale burn testing, enabling FM Global researchers to study a much broader range of commodities and storage arrangements.

Windstorms, floods and earthquakes pose major threats to property, but the loss potential of these natural hazards can be greatly reduced. FM Global research following Hurricane Andrew in 1992 led to recommendations that lowered our clients' overall losses by an estimated US$250 million six years later when Hurricane Georges struck.

In hurricane Katrina, clients who undertook our research-proven recommendations suffered substantially fewer losses—proving that the property loss from natural hazards is not only predictable but preventable.

Today, the new Natural Hazards Laboratory helps researchers further understand what causes building materials to fail and the best ways to design buildings to resist the effects of Mother Nature.

Researchers can now replicate even the toughest weather phenomena, and recreate hurricane-force winds of 160-mph (258 km/h). Winds this strong truly test the strength of glass and the endurance of building materials, particularly roof systems.

Inside the laboratory, a hail gun launches ice balls of varying sizes, to simulate moderate and severe hail storms, and a debris cannon shoots simulated windblown wood projectiles at speeds matching those of a real hurricane to determine impact resistance of doors, windows and siding. To address seismic risk, an earthquake shake table replicates three-dimensional earthquake motions of all intensities, allowing scientists to study the effects of earthquake shaking on structures and nonstructural systems such as equipment, piping and storage racks. The laboratory also is equipped with a powerful xenon arc ultraviolet (UV) accelerated weatherometer to measure the effects of the sun's UV radiation on building materials that have been exposed for long periods. And, testing includes accelerating the weathering of all types of building materials to determine more precisely how to design and install them for long-term performance.

Research into electrical systems, mechanical and electrical integrity, electrical ignition sources and more are driving new solutions, and a new understanding of these hazards.

Electrical ignition sources are consistently identified as one of the top three causes of fire and explosion in buildings containing flammable gas, liquid and combustible dust. At the Electrical Hazards Laboratory, FM Global applies scientific study and improved testing capabilities to learn more about conditions that cause losses to equipment in these hazardous environments.

The laboratory's state-of-the-art gas-flow instruments and monitoring systems allow engineers and technicians to accurately prepare various size enclosures for explosion testing. This provides FM Approvals the capacity to run numerous tests simultaneously on some of the largest electrical equipment in the world. We test a range of products, including process-control instrumentation, test and measurement equipment, lighting fixtures, and industrial material-handling equipment.

These tests ensure that, when designed to meet FM Approvals or other recognized standards, the equipment will not ignite dust or any type of gas during normal operation. The explosion test cell area is spacious enough for testing of larger enclosures and motors, such as mining equipment. Another test cell is dedicated to hydrostatic overpressure testing, and a salt fog chamber accelerates the process of metal corrosion to produce valid research conclusions at a fraction of real time. Our clients are assured the testing conducted here will protect their properties from explosion and other catastrophic loss that can result when equipment does not operate properly, or is not adequate, in a hazardous environment.

Fire is the leading cause of property losses worldwide, yet it's been proven that devastating fire loss is indeed preventable with the proper sprinkler protection in place. By establishing performance criteria and through rigorous testing, engineers and researchers at the Hydraulics Laboratory have played a major role in FM Approvals' certification of devices used for cost-effective fire protection.

Projects undertaken at the Hydraulics Laboratory are driven by the needs of industry and by our clients' desire for fire protection that is effective, affordable and flexible. At the laboratory, sprinkler performance capabilities are scientifically understood and empirically tested so that, in the final analysis, there is no question about a system's effectiveness.

The laboratory houses both wet and dry lab test areas where engineers and technicians perform various hydraulic, mechanical and environmental tests on fire protection system components and related devices, such as sprinklers, couplings and valves. Tests such as these ensure the devices will work as intended when properly installed and maintained; and the cost of testing and development is kept to a minimum in an effort to make reliable and effective products available at an affordable price.