Tests for Building Materials

ISO Tests. The evident solution in a situation like this would be to adopt the appropriate international standards, which the ISO Technical Committee TC 92 is charged with developing. Since 1961, this committee has been developing reaction to fire tests for building materials, with the aim of determining such parameters as ... 

During the initial stages of a fire, fire-retardant-treated wood contributes less heat than does untreated wood, especially from the flammable volatiles (8,26). This means that the spread of fire to nearby combustibles is slow. The fire tends to be confined to the primary source. In the ASTM E84 test for building materials, treated specimens produce about 75 percent less heat than untreated red oak. In a total combustion test, however, such as the National Bureau of Standards potential heat method (54), both treated and untreated wood release about the same total heat. 

A similar but smaller radiant panel test for building materials is being developed within the ISO as ISO 5658 [88] and within the IMO as Resolution A5I6 [89] for merchant shipping applications These have not been described here because they arc primarily used... 

SABS 961 - fire index offloor coverings. A specimen is placed horizontally on the floor of a tunnel furnace incorporating a radiant gas burner. It is ignited with a pilot flame and flame spread is observed. A Spread of Flame Index is calculated from the distance burned. SABS 960 describes a similar test for building materials, in which the specimen is mounted at 30° from the horizontal. 

Fire tests on building materials and structures. Part 12 Method of test for igmtability of products by direct flame impingement. Replaced BS 476 Part 5 1979 AMD 1 Fire tests on building matenals and structures. Part 20 Method for determination of the fire resistance of elements of constiaiction (general principles) (AMD 6487) dated 30 April 1990. Replaced BS 476 Part 8 1972... 

Svensson, G., Ostman, B., "Rate of Heat Release By Oxygen Consumption Testing of Building Materials", Meddelande Serie A Nr 812, Swedish Institute for Wood Research, Stockholm, 1983. 

Ostman, B., "Ignitability as Proposed by the International Standards Organisation Compared with Some European Fire Tests for Building Panels", Fire and Materials, Vol. 5, no. 

Clausen, G., Pejtersen, J., Saarela, K., Tirkkonen, T., Tahtinen, M. and Dickson, D. (eds) (1996) Protocol for Testing of Building Materials, European Data Base on... 

NFPA 701 Standard Methods of Fire Tests for Flame Propagation of Textiles and Films NFPA 703 Standard for Fire Retardant Impregnated Wood and Fire Retardant Coatings for Building Materials... 

BS 476 Part 7 1987 Fire tests on building materials and structures Method for classification of the surface spread of flame of products. 

The severity of the exposure and the time a specimen is exposed to the ignition source are the main differences between the tunnel test methods. The 25-ft tunnel test is the most severe exposure and the specimen is usually exposed for 10 min. An extended test of 30 min is performed on fire-retardant treated products. Materials that pass the extended test (have flame spread less than 25 with no evidence of glowing) qualify for a special FR-S rating. Because the 25-ft tunnel test is the most severe exposure it is used as the standard for building materials. The 2-ft tunnel test 17, 18) is the least severe. Because of the small specimen size required with this test, it is a valuable tool for development work on fire retardants. The 8-ft tunnel falls between the 2- and 25-ft tunnels in severity. It can be a valuable... 

Many test methods for the determination of the acute toxicity of combustion products from materials and products have been developed over the last two decades and continue to be developed and/or improved. In 1983, 13 of the methods published up to that time were evaluated by Arthur D. Little, Inc. to assess the feasibility of incorporating combustion toxicity requirements for building materials and finishes into the building codes of New York State. On the basis of seven different criteria, only two methods were found acceptable. These two methods were the flow-through smoke toxicity method developed at the University of Pittsburgh and the closed-system cup furnace smoke toxicity method developed at NIST (known at that time as the National Bureau of Standards (NBS)). Standard Reference Materials and protocols (SRM 1048 and SRM 1049) were developed at NIST and are available to the users of these methods to provide assurance that they are performing the methods correctly (see Relevant Websites ... 

Test procedures for building materials covering the FLEC are also developed within the European standardization organization (CEN, 1999). 

Saarela K., Clausen G, Pejtersen J., Tirkkonen T, Tahtinen M. and Dickson D. (1996) European data base on indoor air pollution sources in buildings principles of the protocol for testing of building materials. Proceedings of Indoor Air 96, Nagoya, Japan, Vol. 3, 83-88. 

Australia Standard (2005) AS 1530.4. Methods for Fire Tests on Building Materials, Components and Structures—Part 4 Fire-Resistance test of Elements of Construction, Standards Australia, Sydney. 

Hilado reported a calculation for the decomposition products of cellulose, polystyrene, poly(propylene oxide), and rigid polyurethane foam on the basis of Madorsky s data (Table 2.11). Following these results, he investigated the circumstances under which a specimen would ignite in a standard testing equipment used widely in the United States for building materials. 

BS 476 Part 7 1971 gives the surface flame spread test of building materials and includes two techniques one for characterizing building materials with large-size specimens and the other for estimative tests or quality control using small specimens. 

The flammability testing and rating of floor coverings are based on the general standards for building materials in most countries. Some authorities, however, prescribe particular test methods for flooring. 

There are test methods developed specifically for measurement of smoke formation and others, especially for building materials, with the primary purpose of flammability characterisation, supplying subsidiary information on smoke formation. 

Apart from the specific techniques for testing smoke formation, a great number of the methods devoted to flammability testing (mainly for building materials) are also capable of ascertaining smoke formation. 

Several test procedures for building materials require the observation of possible dripping particles without including it in rating (such as DIN 4102 and NF P 92-503, cf. Section 3.2.1.2). 

The bonding of aluminium alloy components for structural engineering applications has been the subject of extensive research by the Dutch TNO Institute for Building Materials and Structures(19, 20). Apart from the evaluation and testing of a number of adhesive systems, experimental research was carried out on several structural details. Aluminium alloy surface pretreatment was by degreasing only, to represent a practical procedure. 

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