Flammability tests for regulation of building and construction materials

Publisher Summary The involvement of exposed building materials and products in fires resulting in the loss of human life often spurs an increase in regulation and new test methods to address the problem. Flammability tests range from those in which the sample is ground to a powder prior to testing to the full-scale room corner test. Variations in test methods include the specific measurement of flammability parameters being considered, the intensity and characteristics of the fire exposure, the relative scale of the test specimen, and many other factors. As a result of specific details, such as specimen orientation and fire exposure intensity, some existing regulatory test methods have been shown not to classify a type of building material or product in a manner consistent with full-scale tests that simulated actual conditions. Such failures have resulted in the development of alternative test methods for specific applications or products. As a result, there is a wide range of tests used to classify building materials and products for flammability or reaction to fire. The regulations for building materials and products to address the hazards associated with their flammability and related characteristics are found in the International Building Code and other building codes, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 101 Life Safety Code, and other such documents. Acceptance criteria and classifications refer to provisions of the International Building Code, which is the dominant model building code in the United States. Two main sets of requirements address the combustibility and the flame spread characteristics of building materials. These two main tests are described in the standards of ASTM International: ASTM E136 for combustibility and ASTM E84 for flame spread. The ASTM E84 test method also addresses the regulation for visible smoke characteristics. To address certain materials or applications, other test methods are also used in the regulation of building materials in North America.