ASTM E2632/E2632M-13

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Designation: E2632/E2632M − 13
StandardTest Method for
Evaluating the Under-Deck Fire Test Response of Deck
Materials
ThisstandardisissuedunderthefixeddesignationE2632/E2632M;thenumberimmediatelyfollowingthedesignationindicatestheyear
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 D2898 Practice for Accelerated Weathering of Fire-
Retardant-Treated Wood for Fire Testing
1.1 This standard prescribes a method to assess the fire-test
E176 Terminology of Fire Standards
response characteristics of deck materials when used as the
E2067 Practice for Full-Scale Oxygen Consumption Calo-
walking surface of a deck. The prescribed fire exposure is
rimetry Fire Tests
intended, under test conditions, to determine the heat release
2.2 ISO Standards:
rateandthethermaldecompositionmodesofdeckingmaterials
ISO 13943 Fire Safety – Vocabulary
when exposed to a burner flame simulating combustibles
burning beneath a deck.
3. Terminology
1.2 The values stated in either SI units or inch-pound units
3.1 Definitions—For definitions of terms used in this test
are to be regarded separately as standard. The values stated in
method, refer to Terminology E176 or ISO 13943. When
each system may not be exact equivalents; therefore, each
discrepancies exist, the definition in Terminology E176 shall
system shall be used independently of the other. Combining
prevail.
values from the two systems may result in non-conformance
with the standard.
3.2 Definitions of Terms Specific to This Standard:
3.2.1 deck surface area, n—the test specimen area defined
1.3 This standard is used to measure and describe the
by the overall specimen length and width after assembly.
response of deck materials to heat and flame under controlled
conditions, but does not by itself incorporate all factors
4. Summary of Test Method
required for fire hazard or fire risk assessment of the deck
4.1 The test method described here measures the heat
materials under actual fire conditions.
release rate of deck materials subjected to a flame source
1.4 This standard does not purport to address all of the
located beneath a test specimen.
safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the
responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro- 4.2 The test method employs a diffusion flame based fire
priate safety and health practices and determine the applica-
source from a nominal 305 mm [12 in.] square burner located
bility of regulatory limitations prior to use. underneath the test specimen.
1.5 Fire testing is inherently hazardous. Adequate safe-
4.3 An80kWfireexposureshallbeappliedtotheunderside
guards for personnel and property shall be employed in
of the test specimen for a period of 3 min after which the
conducting these tests.
burner is extinguished.
4.4 Fire test response characteristics monitored and re-
2. Referenced Documents
corded shall include heat release of the test specimen utilizing
2.1 ASTM Standards:
oxygen depletion methodologies as described in Practice
E2067. In addition, physical changes of the test specimen
during the test shall be recorded.
This test method is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee on Fire
Standards and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee E05.14 on External Fire
Exposures. 5. Significance and Use
Current edition approved Feb. 1, 2013. Published February 2013. DOI: 10.1520/
5.1 This test method addresses the suitability of deck
E2632_E2632M-13
Appendix X1 provides commentary on the background of this test method as materials by assessing their response to fire hazards associated
well as its potential use for evaluation of coatings and surface treatments of deck
with sources of flame located beneath the deck material.
products.
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
Standards volume information, refer to the standard’s Document Summary page on Available from International Organization for Standardization (ISO), 1, ch. de
the ASTM website. la Voie-Creuse, CP 56, CH-1211 Geneva 20, Switzerland, http://www.iso.org.
Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959. United States
E2632/E2632M − 13
6. Deck Test Specimen of the joists. The rear deck board shall overhang the end of the
joistsby25 66mm[1 60.25in.]andrestontheledgerboard
6.1 Test material shall be representative of normal daily
attached to the test apparatus. Deck board profiles shall not be
production and shall be installed according to the manufactur-
changed from their manufactured dimensions.
er’s instructions. Test material for developmental products
shall be so identified.
6.4 Joists—When constructing the test specimen, the deck
6.2 Pre-test Conditioning—Prior to testing, all materials
materials shall be attached to two nominal 2 by 6-in. Douglas-
(deck boards and joist material) shall be conditioned to a
fir joists with a 406 6 5 mm [16 6 0.2 in.] center-to-center
constant weight or for a minimum of 30 days at 21 62ºC[70
spacing, creating an approximate 90 mm [approx. 3.5 in.]
64ºF]and50 65%relativehumidity,whicheveroccursfirst.
overhang on one side of each joist.
Constant weight shall be defined as occurring when the change
in test material weight is less than or equal to 0.1 % in a 24-h
7. Under-Deck Test Apparatus (See Fig. 1 and Fig. 2)
period. For those materials whose fire test response is poten-
7.1 Burner—The ignition source for the test shall be a gas
tially affected by moisture resident within that material, the
moisture content of the test material shall be measured prior to burner with a nominal 305 by 305 mm [12 by 12 in.] porous
conducting the test. top surface of a refractory material. The refractory material
shallbeaminimum102-mm[4-in.]layerofwhiteOttawasand
6.3 Test Specimen Size—The overall test specimen width
used to provide the horizontal surface through which the gas is
(i.e., direction of joists, see Fig. 1) shall be 710 6 51 mm [28
supplied. The gas supply to the burner shall provide an output
6 2.0 in.] to accommodate variations in individual deck board
of 80 6 4 kW using a regulated CP propane gas source, and
width and spacing. The length of individual deck boards shall
shall be metered throughout the test, with an accuracy of at
be 610 6 6 mm [24 6 0.25 in.].The deck surface area shall be
least 63 %. Heat release rates shall be calculated using
theoveralltestspecimenlengthandwidthafterassemblyofthe
testspecimen.Thefrontdeckboardshallbeflushwiththeends propane’s net heat of combustion, which is 50.0 MJ/kg.
FIG. 1 Schematic Representation of an Under-Deck Test Apparatus
E2632/E2632M − 13
unrestricted airflow. Total height of the back wall shall be 2.4
m 6 12 mm [8 ft 6 0.5 in.].
7.7 Ledger Board—A0.71 m 65mm[28 6 0.25 in.] long
simulated 38 by 140 mm [nominal 2 by 6- in.] ledger board
shall be constructed of layers of ceramic fiber board (or other
non-combustible panel product) and attached to the back wall,
between the baffle walls, at a height slightly below the
overhang of the rear deck board of the test specimen.
7.8 Burner Location—The burner shall be centered directly
under the test specimen, midway between the support joists.
The distance from the top of the burner to the lowest portion of
the deck material shall be 690 65mm[27 6 0.2 in.].
7.9 Burner Output Verification—Without a test specimen in
the apparatus, the burner output shall be set to 80 64kW.At
least one, 3 min verification run shall be conducted to ensure
the burner heat release rate.
8. Under-Deck Test Procedure
8.1 The test shall be conducted on a minimum of two test
specimens. If the difference between the peak heat release
rates, determined in 10.3, for these two test specimens is
greater than 20 %, a third replicate shall be required. The
FIG. 2 Schematic Representation of a Gas Burner
percent difference shall be calculated using the larger value of
the two peak heat release rates in the denominator.
7.2 Oxygen Depletion Calorimeter—The system includes a
8.2 Ignite the burner, controlling for a constant 80 64kW
hood, associated ducting, and instrumentation to provide heat
release rate data by oxygen consumption calorimetry, and is output.
described in Sections 6.4 and 7 of Practice E2067.
8.3 Continue the exposure for a 3 min [+2 s, -0 s] period.
7.3 The facility where the test is conducted shall be draft-
Extinguish the burner.
protected and equipped with a system for exhausting smoke or
8.4 Continue observation for an additional 40 min or until
noxious gases, or both, produced by testing.Air velocity in the
all combustion has ceased, whichever occurs first. The test
vicinity of the test deck surface shall not exceed 0.5 m/s [1.64
shall be terminated immediately if flaming combustion accel-
ft/s]. This facility shall be maintained at 20 6 10 °C [68 6 18
erates uncontrollably (runaway combustion).
°F]andatarelativehumiditylessthan75%atthetimethetest
begins. Initiation of flammability testing shall begin within 20
8.5 Note physical changes of the deck materials during the
min after removal of the test specimen from the pre-test test, including structural failure of any deck board, location of
conditioning environment.
flamingandglowingignition,andlossofmaterial(i.e.,flaming
drops or particles falling from the deck). A video or photo-
7.4 Baffle Walls—Ceramic fiber board or other non-
graphic record of the test shall be obtained.
combustible panel product shall be used for the interior surface
of the baffle walls. The baffle wall shall extend 0.2 m 66mm
8.6 Measurement of Heat Release Rate—Heat release rate is
[8 60.25in.]abovethefloortoatotalheightof0.9m 66mm
measured during the tests using an oxygen depletion calorim-
[37 6 0.25 in.] and be supported to allow unrestricted airflow.
eter (per 10.3). The heat release rate shall be measured
throughout the test duration at a maximum of 6 s intervals.
7.5 JoistSupport—Horizontalmetalplatesshallbeprovided
to support the joists along their full length, and also to confine
9. Accelerated Aging/Weathering
burner flames to the underside of the deck boards located
between the support joists. The support surface of the joist
9.1 When it is anticipated that a regulatory or other agency
support shall be 545 mm 6 6 mm [21.5 6 0.25 in.] above the
will require pre-test accelerated aging/weathering of the
top of the burner. If gaps exist between the joists and joist
samples, the manufacturer shall have the option to conduct
support, the user shall be permitted to insert ceramic wool, of
suchweathering.Weatheringshallbeconductedasspecifiedby
joist width and no more than 6 mm [0.25 in.] thick, along the
the regulatory agency or applicable methods as specified for
bottom of each joist to confine burner flames to the underside
the product.The process shall evaluate the potential for the fire
of the deck boards.
test response characteristics as measured in this test method to
7.6 Back Wall—Ceramic fiber board or other non- deteriorate due to accelerated aging/weathering of the deck
combustible panel product shall be used for the interior surface material. Details of the accelerated aging/weathering method
of the back wall. The back wall shall extend 0.2 m 66mm[8 used,orareferencetoastandardtestmethod,shallbeincluded
6 0.25 in.] above the floor and be supported to allow in the report (see Commentary X1.4).
E2632/E2632M − 13
10. Report HRR) shall be reported as: Pk HRR = [maximum HRR
recorded – 80 kW] / [deck surface area]. Once the burner no
10.1 The report shall include a description of the test
longer affects the heat release rate, the peak heat release rate
material, the accelerated aging/weathering cycle (when
per unit area (Pk HRR) shall be reported as: Pk HRR =
performed), the test specimen, and support structure.
[maximum HRR recorded / deck surface area].
10.2 The report shall include notation of physical changes
of the test material during the test, including complete burn-
11. Precision and Bias
through of an individual cross-section, structural failure of any
11.1 Committee E05 is pursuing the development of data
test material, location of flaming and glowing combustion, and
regarding the precision and bias of this test method. One
loss of material during the test including (i.e., flaming drops or
laboratoryconductedanevaluationofthreeproductswiththree
particles falling from the deck). A photographic or a video
replicates per product. The within-laboratory coefficient of
record, or both, of the test shall be reported.
variation of peak heat release rate for the three products was
10.3 Thereportshallincludecompletedataonthemeasured
3.6 %, 4.2 %, and 2.4 % respectively.
heat release rate (kW) versus time(s). Because the burner is
ignited for the first three minutes of the test, the calculation of
12. Keywords
thepeakheatreleaserateduringthatperiodshallbereducedby
the amount of heat provided by the burner. For the first three 12.1 decking products; fire test response; heat release rate;
minutes of the test, the peak heat release rate per unit area (Pk under-deck fire test
APPENDIX
(Nonmandatory Information)
X1. COMMENTARY
X1.1 Scope example, most decks, porches, patios, and landings are adja-
cent and usually attached to the structure. As such, most
X1.1.1 This test method was developed in response to
decking is configured so that it can be threatened by two
recommendations developed by the California Office of the
potential sources of ignition: brands on the surface and flaming
State Fire Marshal (OSFM) regarding the performance of
material underneath the structure. This test method addresses
decking materials in a wildland fire (exterior wildfire expo-
the case where a brand is blown or a surface fire extends under
sure). The wood-plastic composite lumber industry and solid
a deck and onto combustible material causing flaming com-
lumber industry participated in the development of these
recommendations. The OSFM recommendations established bustion that may lead to penetration through the siding or some
performance criteria for a variety of materials to be used in other vulnerable point of the main structure.
exterior buildings, structures, and detached accessory struc-
X1.2.2 In an attempt to better understand the effects of an
tures.Thistestmethodisintendedtoaddressonecomponentof
under-deck fire, a preliminary test method was developed by
an exterior wildfire exposure, that is, the under-deck fire test.
the Forest Products Research Laboratory at UC Berkeley.
This is typically a
...