FRP Grating Fire Test Standard ASTM E84
ASTM E84, the full name of which is “Standard Test Method for Surface Burning Characteristics of Building Materials”,
is an important fire test standard developed by the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM).
This standard helps evaluate the flame spread performance and smoke development characteristics of building materials
by measuring the burning rate and smoke generation of building materials under fire conditions,
thereby ensuring the safety performance of building materials in the event of a fire. This standard is also applicable to the fire test of FRP grating.
Scope of application of the standard
Material type: Applicable to various building materials, including floor decoration materials,
ceiling decoration materials, wall decoration materials, thermal insulation materials and insulation materials,
interior and exterior decoration materials,FRP grating, plywood and soft furniture products, etc.
Building application: Widely used in residential, commercial buildings and industrial facilities,
especially in the North American market. All interior materials and ceiling materials need to be tested and rated
by ASTM E84 before they can be appropriately used in specific building projects.
Test Method
Test Equipment: A Steiner Tunnel Chamber Apparatus is used, which is a tunnel furnace about 7.6 meters long,
with a trapezoidal cross-section and an upwardly open furnace mouth. During the test, the sample is placed on the
furnace frame to form the upper wall of the furnace, and then the sample is covered with a movable furnace cover
to prevent flame and smoke from escaping.
Sample Preparation: The sample size is usually 20-24 inches (508mm-610mm) wide, 24 feet (7.32m) long,
and a maximum thickness of 60 mm. The sample should be self-supporting, or fixed in place by supports added along the test surface, or fixed from the back.
Test Process: The test time is 10 minutes, and the burner is always ignited to produce an upward flame,
burning the sample surface, and under the suction of the furnace exhaust fan, the flame spreads to the exhaust end.
During the whole process, the combustion performance of the material is evaluated by observing the flame spread distance and the amount of smoke generated.
Data Recording: The computer software records the location of the flame spread and the degree of smoke shielding
within 10 minutes, and generates a curve of the change of the flame spread distance over time.
Performance indicators
Flame spread index (FSI): The flame spread index of the sample is calculated by comparing the flame spread
curve of the sample with the curves of red oak (FSI=100) and cement fiberboard (FSI=0). The smaller the FSI value, the better the flame spread performance of the material.
Smoke development index (SDI): Determined by measuring the optical density of smoke, the smaller the SDI value, the less smoke the material produces during combustion.
Grade classification
Grade A: FSI is 0-25, and the smoke development index does not exceed 450, which is suitable for places with high fire protection requirements.
Grade B: FSI is 26-75, which is suitable for areas with low fire protection requirements.
Grade C: FSI is 76-200, which does not meet the flame retardant requirements of most buildings.
Application areas
ASTM E84 standard is widely used in the selection of building materials and the formulation of building specifications to ensure the safety performance of building materials under fire conditions. Through the test of this standard, the flame spread and smoke generation characteristics of the material can be effectively evaluated, providing a scientific basis for building design and construction.