ASTM E176-99a

NOTICE: This standard has either been superseded and replaced by a new version or discontinued.
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Designation: E 176 – 99a
Standard Terminology of
Fire Standards
This standard is issued under the fixed designation E 176; 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 (e) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
1. Scope E 1321 Test Method for Determining Material Ignition and
Flame Spread Properties
1.1 This terminology covers terms, related definitions, and
E 1352 Test Method for Cigarette Ignition Resistance of
descriptions of terms used or likely to be used in fire-test-
Mock-Up Upholstered Furniture Assemblies
response standards, fire-hazard-assessment standards, and fire-
E 1353 Test Method for Cigarette Ignition Resistance of
risk-assessment standards. Definitions of terms are special-
Components of Upholstered Furniture
purpose definitions that are consistent with the standard
E 1354 Test Method for Heat and Visible Smoke Release
definitions but are written to ensure that a specific fire-test-
Rates for Materials and Products Using an Oxygen Con-
response standard, fire-hazard-assessment standard, or fire-
sumption Calorimeter
risk-assessment standard is properly understood and precisely
E 1474 Test Method for Determining the Heat Release Rate
interpreted.
of Upholstered Furniture and Mattress Components or
NOTE 1—For additional information, refer to ASTM Policy on Fire
Composites Using a Bench Scale Oxygen Consumption
Standards.
Calorimeter
E 1529 Test Method for Determining Effects of Large
2. Referenced Documents
Hydrocarbon Pool Fires on Structural Members and As-
2.1 ASTM Standards:
semblies
D 3286 Test Method for Gross Calorific Value of Coal and
E 1537 Test Method for Fire Testing of Upholstered Furni-
Coke by the Isoperibol Bomb Calorimeter
ture Items
E 84 Test Method for Surface Burning Characteristics of
E 1590 Test Method for Fire Testing of Mattresses
Building Materials
E 1623 Test Method for Determination of Fire and Thermal
E 119 Test Methods for Fire Tests of Building Construction
Parameters of Materials, Products, and Systems Using an
and Materials
Intermediate Scale Calorimeter (ICAL)
E 152 Methods of Fire Tests of Door Assemblies
E 1678 Test Method for Measuring Smoke Toxicity for Use
E 163 Method for Fire Tests of Window Assemblies
in Fire Hazard Analyses
E 648 Test Method for Critical Radiant Flux of Floor-
E 1725 Test Method for Fire Tests of Fire Resistive Barrier
Covering Systems Using a Radiant Heat Energy Source
Systems for Electrical System Components
E 800 Guide for Measurement of Gases Present or Gener-
E 1776 Guide for Development of Fire-Risk-Assessment
ated During Fires
Standards
E 814 Test Method for Fire Tests of Through-Penetration
E 1822 Test Method for Fire Testing of Stacked Chairs
Fire Stops
2.2 ISO Standards:
E 906 Test Method for Heat and Visible Smoke Release
ISO/IEC Guide 52 Glossary of Fire Terms and Definitions
Rates for Materials and Products
E 970 Test Method for Critical Radiant Flux of Exposed
3. Significance and Use
Attic Floor Insulation Using a Radiant Heat Energy
3.1 Definitions—Terms and related definitions given in
Source
Section 4 are intended for use uniformly and consistently in all
E 1317 Test Method for Flammability of Marine Surface
fire test standards and in all fire-test-response standards,
Finishes
fire-hazard-assessment standards, and fire-risk-assessment
standards in which they appear.
This terminology is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee E05 on Fire
3.2 Definitions of Terms Specific to This Standard:
Standards and is the responsibility of Subcommittee E05.31 on Terminology and
3.2.1 As indicated in Section 4, terms and their definitions
Editorial.
Current edition approved August 10, 1999. Published December 1999. Originally are intended to provide a precise understanding and interpre-
published as E 176 – 61 T. Last previous edition E 176 – 99.
tation of fire-test-response standards, fire-hazard-assessment
Available from ASTM Headquarters, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, West Consho-
standards, and fire-risk-assessment standards in which they
hocken, PA 19428.
appear.
Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 05.05.
Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 04.07. 3.2.2 A specific definition of a given term is applicable to
Discontinued; see 1994 Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 04.07.
Copyright © ASTM, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959, United States.
E 176
the standard or standards in which the term is described and following: light, flame, heat, smoke. (1988)
used. fire-characteristic profile, n—an array of fire-test-response
3.2.3 Different definitions of the same term, appearing characteristics, all measured using tests relevant to the same
respectively in two or more standards, are acceptable provided fire scenario, for a material, product, or assembly to address,
each one is consistent with and not in conflict with the standard collectively, the corresponding fire hazard. (See also fire
definition for the same term, that is, concept. hazard, fire risk, and fire-test-response characteristic.)
3.2.4 Each standard in which a term is used in a manner (1993)
specially defined (see 1.1 and Section 5) should list the term
DISCUSSION—An array of fire-test-response characteristics in a set of
and its description under the subheading, Definitions of Terms.
data relevant to the assessment of fire hazard in a particular fire
3.3 Definitions for some terms associated with fire issues
scenario. In other words, all the fire tests used would have a demon-
and not included in Terminology E 176 can be found in
strated validity for the fire scenario in question, for example by having
comparable fire intensities. The fire-characteristic profile is intended as
ISO/IEC Guide 52. When discrepancies exist, the definition in
a collective guide to the potential fire hazard from a material, product,
Terminology E 176 shall prevail.
or assembly involved in a fire that could be represented by the
laboratory test conditions. (1993)
4. Terminology
fire endurance, n—a measure of the elapsed time during
4.1 Terms and their standard definitions within the scope of
which a material or assemblage continues to exhibit fire
this standard are given in Section 4 in alphabetical order.
resistance. (1986)
Annex A1 contains the definitions of terms that are included in
other fire standards.
DISCUSSION—As applied to elements of buildings, it shall be mea-
4.2 Discussions associated with definitions are printed di-
sured by the methods and to the criteria defined in Test Methods E 119,
rectly under the appropriate definition. The date following each
E 152, E 163, or E 814.
definition or discussion indicates the year of introduction or of
fire exposure, n—process by which or extent to which
latest revision of that particular definition or discussion.
humans, animals, materials, products, or assemblies are
subjected to the conditions created by fire. (1991)
afterglow, n—emission of light, usually subsiding, from a
fire gases, n—the airborne products emitted by a material,
material undergoing combustion, but occurring after flaming
product, or assembly undergoing pyrolysis or combustion,
has ceased. (1986)
that exist in the gas phase at the relevant temperature. (1979)
assembly, n—a unit or structure composed of a combination of
fire hazard, n—the potential for harm associated with fire.
materials or products, or both. (1990)
(1989)
burn, v—to undergo combustion. (1989)
char, v—to form carbonaceous residue during pyrolysis or
DISCUSSION—A fire may pose one or more types of hazard to people,
during incomplete combustion. (1979)
animals, or property. These hazards are associated with the environ-
char, n—a carbonaceous residue formed by pyrolysis or ment and with a number of fire-test-response characteristics of mate-
rials, products, or assemblies including but not limited to ease of
incomplete combustion. (1979)
ignition, flame spread, rate of heat release, smoke generation and
chimney effect—upward thrust of smoke and hot gases by
obscuration, toxicity of combustion products, and ease of extinguish-
convection currents confined in a vertical enclosure.
ment. (1989)
combustible, adj—capable of undergoing combustion. (1985)
fire model, n—a physical representation or set of mathematical
DISCUSSION—The term combustible is often delimited to specific
equations that approximately simulate the dynamics of
fire-exposure conditions. For example, building materials are consid-
burning and associated processes. (1992)
ered combustible if they are capable of undergoing combustion in air at
fire performance, n—response of a material, product, or
pressures and temperatures that might occur during a fire in a building.
assembly in a particular fire, other than in a fire test
Similarly, some materials that are not combustible under such condi-
tions may be combustible when exposed to higher temperatures and involving controlled conditions (different from fire-test-
pressures or to an oxygen-enriched environment. Materials that are not
response characteristic). (1993)
combustible in bulk form may be combustible in finely divided form.
DISCUSSION—The ASTM Policy on Fire Standards distinguishes
(1985)
between the response of materials, products, or assemblies to heat and
combustion, n—a chemical process of oxidation that occurs at
flame under controlled conditions, which is fire-test-response charac-
teristic, and under actual fire conditions, which is fire performance. Fire
a rate fast enough to produce temperature rise and usually
performance depends on the occasion or environment and may not be
light either as a glow or flame. (See also glow and smolder-
measurable. In view of the limited availability of fire-performance data,
ing.) (1989)
the response to one or more fire tests, appropriately recognized as
composite material, n—structured combination of two or
representing end-use conditions, is generally used as a predictor of the
more discrete materials.
fire performance of a material, product, or assembly. (1993)
environment, n—as related to fire, the conditions and sur-
fire performance characteristic, n—this term is deprecated.
roundings that may influence the behavior of a material,
(See fire-test-response characteristic and fire perfor-
product, or assembly when it is exposed to ignition sources
mance (q.v.).) (1990)
or fire. (1989)
fire performance test, n—this term is deprecated. (See fire-
fire, n—destructive burning as manifested by any or all of the
test-response characteristic and fire performance (q.v.).)
fireproof, adj—an inappropriate and misleading term. Do
Date indicates year of introduction or latest review or revision. not use. (See commentary in X1.2.)
E 176
DISCUSSION—This term was originally used to describe buildings
fire test exposure severity, n—a measure of the degree of fire
having all noncombustible structural elements and some degree of fire
exposure; specifically in connection with Test Methods
resistance. However, the term has been misunderstood to mean an
E 119, E 152, and E 163, the ratio of the area under the curve
absolute or unconditional property, and therefore the use of the term,
of average furnace temperature to the area under the standard
fireproof, is inappropriate and misleading.
time/temperature curve, each from the start of the test to the
fire resistance, n—the property of a material or assemblage to
end or time of failure, and above the base temperatures 68°F
withstand fire or give protection from it. (1986)
(20°C). (1976)
fire-test-response characteristic, n—a response characteristic
DISCUSSION—As applied to elements of buildings, it is characterized
of a material, product, or assembly, to a prescribed source of
by the ability to confine a fire or to continue to perform a given
structural function, or both. heat or flame, under controlled fire conditions; such response
characteristics may include but are not limited to ease of
fire resistant, adj—See fire resistive,the preferred term. (1983)
ignition, flame spread, heat release, mass loss, smoke gen-
fire resistive, adj—having fire resistance (TCG-01). (1983)
eration, fire endurance, and toxic potency of smoke. (1992)
fire retardant, n—a deprecated term. Do not use. (1986)
fire retardant, adj—not a defined term. Use as a modifier only DISCUSSION—A fire-test-response characteristic can be influenced by
variables of exposure such as ignition source intensity, ventilation,
with defined compound terms: fire-retardant barrier, fire-
geometry of item or enclosure, humidity, or oxygen concentration. It is
retardant chemical, fire-retardant coating, and fire-
not an intrinsic property such as specific heat, thermal conductivity, or
retardant treatment. (1986)
heat of combustion, where the value is independent of test variables.
fire-retardant barrier, n—a layer of material which, when
A fire-test-response characteristic may be described in one of several
secured to a combustible material or otherwise interposed
terms. Smoke generation, for example, may be described as smoke
between the material and a potential fire source, delays opacity, change of opacity with time, or smoke weight. No quantitative
correlation need exist between values of a fire-test-response character-
ignition and combustion of the material when the barrier is
istic for different materials, products, or assemblies, as measured by
exposed to fire. (1986)
different methods or tested under different sets of conditions for a given
fire-retardant chemical, n—a chemical, which when added to
method. (1992)
a combustible material, delays ignition and combustion of
flame, n—a hot, usually luminous zone of gas that is under-
the resulting material when exposed to fire. (1986)
going combustion. (1991)
DISCUSSION—A fire-retardant chemical can be a part of the molecular
DISCUSSION—The luminosity of a flame is frequently caused by the
structure, an admixture, or an impregnant.
presence of glowing particulate matter suspended in the hot gases.
fire-retardant coating, n—a fluid-applied surface covering on
(1991)
a combustible material which delays ignition and combus-
flame front, n—the leading edge of a flame propagating
tion of the material when the coating is exposed to fire. (See
through a gaseous mixture or across the surface of a liquid or
also flame-retardant coating. Compare fire-retardant bar-
solid. (1983)
rier.) (1986)
flameproof, adj—an inappropriate and misleading term.
fire-retardant treatment, n—the use of a fire-retardant chemi-
Do not use.
cal or a fire-retardant coating. (See also flame-retardant
DISCUSSION—This term was originally used to describe the treatment
treatment.) (1986)
of textile fabrics or other organic prod
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