Building product

Tunnel Test. The tunnel test is widely used to test the flame spread potential of building products such as electrical cable (15) and wall coverings (16). The test apparatus consists of a tunnel 7.62 x 0.445 m x 0.305 m ia cross section, one end of which contains two gas burners. The total heat suppHed by the burners is 5.3 MJ/min. The test specimen (7.62 m x 50.8 cm), attached to the ceiling, is exposed to the gas flames for 10 minutes while the maximum flame spread, temperature, and smoke evolved are measured. The use of this and other flame spread test methods has been reviewed (17). 

Factory Mutual Corner Test. This is a large-scale comer test used to test building products (18—20). The test rig consists of three sides of a cube. The two walls are 15.24 and 11.58 m by 7.62 m tall. The ceiling is 9.14 x 15.24 m. The product to be tested is mounted on the walls and ceilings ia a manner consistent with the iatended use. The fire source is a 340 kg stack of wood pallets located ia the corner. In order to pass the test, no flame can propagate to any extremity of the walls or ceiling. The Factory Mutual flammabiHty apparatus is proposed to replace this test for certain appHcations (21). 

Acetal Resins. These are high performance plastics produced from formaldehyde that are used for automotive parts, in building products, and in consumer goods. Acetal resins (qv) are either homopolymers or copolymers of formaldehyde. Typically, the resin is produced from anhydrous formaldehyde or trioxane. The acetal resins formaldehyde demand are 9% of production (115). 

Includes other graded coarse aggregate, dam constmction, drain fields, building products, pipe bedding, and waste material. 

Formaldehyde. Worldwide, the largest amount of formaldehyde (qv) is consumed in the production of urea—formaldehyde resins, the primary end use of which is found in building products such as plywood and particle board (see Amino resins and plastics). The demand for these resins, and consequently methanol, is greatly influenced by housing demand. In the United States, the greatest market share for formaldehyde is again in the constmction industry. However, a fast-growing market for formaldehyde can be found in the production of acetylenic chemicals, which is driven by the demand for 1,4-butanediol and its subsequent downstream product, spandex fibers (see Fibers, elastomeric). 

ASTM D4216 PVC rigid building products compounds ... 

The principal use of LDPE and LLDPE in building products is as a film water barrier under below-grade doors as a wall vapor barrier, though PVC is typically preferred and as temporary enclosure film during constmction. The film is made either by extmding a thin-waHed tube, which may be sHt or wound up direcdy, or by extmsion through a slot die and cast direcdy on to a cold roU, cooled, then wound up. The former method is more widely used. A much smaller use for low density polyethylene is in piping. 

Poly(vinyl chloride). Poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) [9002-86-2] is a thermoplastic for building products. It is prepared by either the bulk or the suspension polymerization process. In each process residual monomer is removed because it is carcinogenic. Oxygen must be avoided throughout the process (see Vinyl polymers). 

Polystyrene. Polystyrene [9003-53-6] is a thermoplastic prepared by the polymerization of styrene, primarily the suspension or bulk processes. Polystyrene is a linear polymer that is atactic, amorphous, inert to acids and alkahes, but attacked by aromatic solvents and chlorinated hydrocarbons such as dry cleaning fluids. It is clear but yellows and crazes on outdoor exposure when attacked by uv light. It is britde and does not accept plasticizers, though mbber can be compounded with it to raise the impact strength, ie, high impact polystyrene (HIPS). Its principal use in building products is as a foamed plastic (see Eoamed plastics). The foams are used for interior trim, door and window frames, cabinetry, and, in the low density expanded form, for insulation (see Styrene plastics). 

Polymethacrylates. Poly(methyl methacrylate) [9011-14-7] is a thermoplastic. Itis the acryUc resin most used in building products, frequendy as a blend or copolymer with other materials to improve its properties. The monomer is polymerized either by bulk or suspension processes. Eor glazing material, its greatest use, only the bulk process is used. Sheets are prepared either by casting between glass plates or by extmsion of pellets through a sHt die. This second method is less expensive and more commonly used. Peroxide or azo initiators are used for the polymerization (see Methacrylic polymers). 

The physical properties of the reinforced polyester product made from chopped glass are Hsted in Table 1. The chemical resistance varies according to the composition but is generally good. Its principal uses in building products are for sanitary ware, eg, tub-shower units, and for panels, especially translucent or cement-filled types for roofing and walls of commercial or industrial buildings. 

Obsolete building products Insulation removal operations... 

Off-gassing of materials The liberation of volatile organic compounds (VOC) and other gases from building products or from a manufacturing process. 

Build products and services so as to reproduce faithfully the design that meets the customer needs. 

These test procedures and standards are subject to change, so it is essential to keep up to date if one has to comply with them. It may be possible to obtain the latest issue on a specific test (such as a simple tensile test or a molecular weight test) by contacting the organization that issued it. For example, the ASTM issues new annual standards that include all changes. Their Annual Books of ASTM Standards contain more than seven thousand standards published in sixty-six volumes that include different materials and products. There are four volumes specifically on plastics 08.01-Plastics 1 08.02-Plastics 11 08.03-Plastics III, and 08.04-Plastic Pipe and Building Products. Other volumes include information on plastics and RPs. The complete ASTM index are listed under different categories for the different products, types of tests (by environment, chemical resistance, etc.), statistical analyses of different test data, and so on (56,128,129). 

Asbestos S P Chrysolite Amosite Crocidolite Building products Insulation and removal operations Fillers in various industries Motor vehicle assembly Polymers, plastics filler... 

Long-Term Monitoring of untried building Products Methods. 

To develop standards utilizing relevant existing work, where available e.g. in ISO, CEC and EFTA, for assessing the fire behaviour of building products, components and elements of construction. 

A range of 11 different materials, representative of building products commonly used in Europe, has been distributed and will be tested in each of the laboratories, on each test method, and the results will be assessed for repeatability and reproducibility. 

Fire Tests - Reaction to Fire - Ignitability of Building Products, 1986. 

---