In the construction market, the most widely cited fire test for qualifying material for use as interior and exterior finish material is based on ASTM E-84 tunnel test. This test was developed in the late 1940’s. There is quite a variation in the test results when running a composite panel. A study was done to determine the effect of glass content and panel thickness on the flame spread and smoke index. It was found that the sample thickness of the panel had a very large effect on the smoke index. This effect is being investigated. Information will also be shown on the round robin tests that ASTM has performed showing the reproducibility of the test within a testing lab and between different testing labs. These results indicate that when choosing a material for an application, the thickness and glass content of the laminate needs to be considered to verify that the system will meet the required test results for the application.

Subject
Buildings, Test methods, Materials, Laminates, Glass, Deviation, Composites, Flame, Fibers, Epoxy vinyl ester, Construction, Tunnels, Resins
Keywords:
epoxy vinyl ester resin, polyester resin, fire retardant resin, flame spread index, smoke developed index, ASTM E-84, FRP, composite
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2005
Association for Materials Protection and Performance (AMPP)
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