ASTM E119-07a

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An American National Standard
Designation: E 119 – 07a
Standard Test Methods for
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Fire Tests of Building Construction and Materials
This standard is issued under the fixed designation E 119; 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.
This standard has been approved for use by agencies of the Department of Defense.
INTRODUCTION
The performance of walls, columns, floors, and other building members under fire exposure
conditions is an item of major importance in securing constructions that are safe, and that are not a
menace to neighboring structures nor to the public. Recognition of this is registered in the codes of
many authorities, municipal and other. It is important to secure balance of the many units in a single
building, and of buildings of like character and use in a community; and also to promote uniformity
in requirements of various authorities throughout the country. To do this it is necessary that the
fire-resistivepropertiesofmaterialsandassembliesbemeasuredandspecifiedaccordingtoacommon
standard expressed in terms that are applicable alike to a wide variety of materials, situations, and
conditions of exposure.
Such a standard is found in the methods that follow. They prescribe a standard exposing fire of
controlled extent and severity. Performance is defined as the period of resistance to standard exposure
elapsing before the first critical point in behavior is observed. Results are reported in units in which
field exposures can be judged and expressed.
The methods may be cited as the “Standard Fire Tests,” and the performance or exposure shall be
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expressed as “2-h,” “6-h,” “ ⁄2-h,” etc.
When a factor of safety exceeding that inherent in the test conditions is desired, a proportional
increase should be made in the specified time-classification period.
1. Scope period of exposure and shall not be construed as having
determined suitability for use under other conditions or after
1.1 The test methods described in this fire-test-response
fire exposure.
standard are applicable to assemblies of masonry units and to
1.3 This standard is used to measure and describe the
composite assemblies of structural materials for buildings,
response of materials, products, or assemblies to heat and
including bearing and other walls and partitions, columns,
flame under controlled conditions, but does not by itself
girders, beams, slabs, and composite slab and beam assemblies
incorporate all factors required for fire hazard or fire risk
for floors and roofs. They are also applicable to other assem-
assessment of the materials, products or assemblies under
blies and structural units that constitute permanent integral
actual fire conditions.
parts of a finished building.
1.4 These test methods prescribe a standard fire exposure
1.2 It is the intent that classifications shall register compara-
for comparing the test results of building construction assem-
tive performance to specific fire-test conditions during the
blies. The results of these tests are one factor in assessing
predicted fire performance of building construction and assem-
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These test methods are under the jurisdiction ofASTM Committee E05 on Fire
blies. Application of these test results to predict the perfor-
Standards and are the direct responsibility of Subcommittee E05.11 on Fire
mance of actual building construction requires the evaluation
Resistance.
of test conditions.
Current edition approved Aug. 1, 2007. Published September 2007. Originally
1.5 The values stated in inch-pound units are to be regarded
approved in 1917. Last previous edition approved in 2007 as E 119 – 07.
These test methods, of which the present standard represents a revision, were
as the standard. The values given in parentheses are for
preparedbySectionalCommitteeonFireTestsofMaterialsandConstruction,under
information only.
the joint sponsorship of the National Bureau of Standards, theANSI Fire Protection
1.6 This standard does not purport to address all of the
Group, and ASTM, functioning under the procedure of the American National
Standards Institute. safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the
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E119–07a
responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro- 4.4 The test standard does not provide the following:
priate safety and health practices and determine the applica- 4.4.1 Information as to performance of specimens con-
bility of regulatory limitations prior to use. structed w
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