ASTM E2768-11(2018)

This international standard was developed in accordance with internationally recognized principles on standardization established in the Decision on Principles for the
Development of International Standards, Guides and Recommendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.
Designation: E2768 − 11 (Reapproved 2018) An American National Standard
Standard Test Method for
Extended Duration Surface Burning Characteristics of
Building Materials (30 min Tunnel Test)
This standard is issued under the fixed designation E2768; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (´) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
1. Scope 1.7 This standard is used to measure and describe the
response of materials, products, or assemblies to heat and
1.1 The purpose of this fire-test-response standard is to
flame under controlled conditions, but does not by itself
evaluate the ability of a product to limit the surface spread of
incorporate all factors required for fire hazard or fire risk
flame when evaluated for 30 min. This fire-test-response
assessment of the materials, products, or assemblies under
standard uses the apparatus and procedure of Test Method E84
actual fire conditions
with the total test period extended to 30 min.
1.8 This standard does not purport to address all of the
1.2 Building applications affecting fire and life safety often
safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the
require products with specific criteria for surface spread of
responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro-
flame and flame spread index. The resulting performance
priate safety, health, and environmental practices and deter-
characteristics included in the conditions of classification for
mine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.
this fire-test-response standard are intended to be used for
regulatory purposes to determine the suitability of materials or 1.9 Fire testing is inherently hazardous. Adequate safe-
guards for personnel and property shall be employed in
products for use in buildings under specified conditions where
significantly reduced surface burning characteristics are re- conducting these tests.
quired.
1.10 This international standard was developed in accor-
1.3 Materials and products that are beyond the scope ofTest dance with internationally recognized principles on standard-
Method E84 are beyond the scope of this standard. ization established in the Decision on Principles for the
Development of International Standards, Guides and Recom-
1.4 Materials or products which melt, drip or delaminate to
mendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical
the extent that the continuity of the flame front is destroyed are
Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.
beyond the scope of this standard.
NOTE 1—Testing of materials that melt, drip, or delaminate to such a
2. Referenced Documents
degree that the continuity of the flame-front is destroyed, results in low
flame spread indices that do not relate directly to indices obtained by
2.1 ASTM Standards:
testingmaterialsthatremaininplace.Materialsorproductsthatmelt,drip,
E84 Test Method for Surface Burning Characteristics of
or delaminate, or that cannot support their own weight, have the potential
for demonstrating reduced flame spread results as compared to the flame Building Materials
spread results where the materials or products remain in place during
E176 Terminology of Fire Standards
testing.
2.2 ICC Codes
1.5 The values stated in inch-pound units are to be regarded
IBC International Building Code
as standard. The values given in parentheses are mathematical
IWUIC International Wildland Urban Interface Code
conversions to SI units that are provided for information only
IRC International Residential Code
and are not considered standard.
2.3 NFPA Code
1.6 The text of this standard references notes and footnotes
NFPA 101 Life Safety Code
that provide explanatory information. These notes and
footnotes, excluding tables and figures, shall not be considered
as requirements of the standard.
For referenced ASTM standards, visit the ASTM website, www.astm.org, or
contact ASTM Customer Service at service@astm.org. For Annual Book of ASTM
This test method is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee E05 on Fire Standards volume information, refer to the standard’s Document Summary page on
Standards and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee E05.22 on Surface the ASTM website.
Burning. ICC codes are available from International Code Council, 4051 W. Flossmoor
Current edition approved Aug. 1, 2018. Published August 2018. Originally Rd., Country Club Hills, IL 60478.
approved in 2011. Last previous edition approved in 2011 as E2768-11. DOI: NFPA Codes are available from National Fire Protection Association, 1
10.1520/E2768-11R18. Batterymarch Park, Quincy, MA, 02269.
Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959. United States
E2768 − 11 (2018)
2.4 California Building Code 8. Sampling, Test Specimens and Test Units
CBC California Building Code
8.1 The test specimens shall be representative of the mate-
rial or product being evaluated.
3. Terminology
8.2 Materials or products that are not homogeneous or are
3.1 Definitions—For definitions of terms used in this test
not symmetrical about their longitudinal axis shall have each
method, refer to Terminology E176 and Test Method E84. The
surface evaluated separately.
terms surface flame spread, flame spread index, and smoke
8.2.1 Surfaces of the material or product that, due to their
developed index are of particular interest to this standard.
small surface area, are impractical to test in accordance with
4. Summary of Test Method
Test Method E84 (for example, the edges of a piece of
plywood) are excluded from this requirement.
4.1 This test method is conducted using the same
8.2.2 It shall be permissible to test and classify one or more
equipment, apparatus, calibration, and calculation of flame
surfaces of a material or product as meeting the conditions of
spread index and smoke developed index as Test Method E84.
classification of this standard and classify without testing the
4.2 Test Method E84 exposes a nominal 24-ft long by 20-in
other surfaces as not meeting the conditions of classification of
wide(7.32mby508mm)specimentoacontrolledairflowand
this standard.
flaming fire exposure adjusted to spread the flame along the
8.3 Test Specimens:
entire length of the select grade red oak specimen in 5.5 min
8.3.1 The test specimen sizes shall comply with those
(615 s). Test Method E84 measures the flame spread distance
described in Test Method E84.
from a point beginning 4.5 ft (1.4 m) beyond the centerline of
8.3.2 Applicable practices listed in Test Method E84 and
the burners.
related provisions of Test Method E84 shall be used for
4.3 The flame spread index is determined during the initial
specimen preparation and mounting.
10 min of the test period and calculated as described in Test
Method E84.
9. Calibration and Standardization
4.4 Inthistestmethod,theTestMethodE84testisextended
9.1 The calibration and standardization of the apparatus and
by20mintoa30mintestperiod.Determinationismadeofthe
equipment for this standard shall be as described in Test
distancetraveledbytheflamefront(surfacespreadofflame)as
Method E84.
measured from the centerline of the burners during the 30 min
test period.
10. Conditioning
4.5 The test method has conditions for classification in
10.1 Conditioning of test specimens shall be conducted as
Section 13.
described in Test Method E84.
5. Significance and Use
11. Procedure
5.1 This standard is useful to establish the relative surface
11.1 Conduct the test in accordance with Test Method E84
burning characteristics of materials or products under labora-
with the following additional requirements:
tory conditions for a 30 min test period.
11.1.1 The test shall be continued for a total period of 30
5.2 The performance characteristics in the conditions of
min.
classification are intended to be used in specific applications as
11.2 During the initial 10 min of the test, record the times
required by building codes or other regulatory requirements or
and extent of flame front advancement in accordance with Test
specifications.
Method E84. Observe and record the maximum flame front
5.3 This test method does not provide the measurement of
travel from the centerline of the burners during the 30-min
heat transmission through the tested surface.
period of the test. This method uses the recording devices of
Test Method E84 (see Note 2).
5.4 This test method does not provide the classification or
NOTE 2—If for purpose of calculating the flame spread index the zero
definition of a material or product as noncombustible, by
point of the recording equipment is at the base end of the ignition fire, the
means of the results from this standard test or flame spread
maximum flame front travel distance required in this standard shall be the
index by itself.
recorded distance plus 4.5 ft. (1.4 m) In Test Method E84 and this
standard, the calculation of the flame spread index is based on the flame
6. Apparatus/Test Equipment
spreaddistancemeasuredfromapointbeginning4.5ft(1.4m)beyondthe
centerline of the burners during the first 10 min.
6.1 The apparatus, equipment, recording devices, and sys-
tems are to be the same as those detailed in Test Method E84.
11.3 Follow all other procedures described in Test Method
E84 including those for determination of flame spread index
7. Hazards
during the initial 10 m
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