ASTM F2731-18
(Test Method)Standard Test Method for Measuring the Transmitted and Stored Energy of Firefighter Protective Clothing Systems
Standard Test Method for Measuring the Transmitted and Stored Energy of Firefighter Protective Clothing Systems
SIGNIFICANCE AND USE
5.1 Firefighters are routinely exposed to radiant heat in the course of their fireground activities. In some cases, firefighters have reported burn injuries under clothing where there is no evidence of damage to the exterior or interior layers of the firefighter protective clothing.5 Low levels of transmitted radiant energy alone, or a combination of the transmitted radiant energy and stored energy released through compression, can be sufficient to cause these types of injuries. This test method was designed to measure both the transmitted and stored energy in firefighter protective clothing material systems under a specific set of laboratory exposure conditions.
5.2 The intensity of radiant heat exposure used in this test method was chosen to be an approximate midpoint representative of ordinary fireground conditions as defined for structural firefighting (1, 2).6 The specific radiant heat exposure was selected at 8.5 ± 0.5 kW/m2 (0.20 ± 0.012 cal/cm2-s), since this level of radiant heat can be maintained by the test equipment and produces little or no damage to most NFPA 1971-compliant protective clothing systems.
5.2.1 Utech (2) defined ordinary fireground conditions as having air temperatures ranging from 60 to 300 °C and having heat flux values ranging from 2.1 to 21.0 kW/m2 (0.05 to 0.5 cal/cm2-s).
5.3 Protective clothing systems include the materials used in the composite structure. These include the outer shell, moisture barrier, and thermal barrier. It is possible that they will also include other materials used on firefighter protective clothing such as reinforcement layers, seams, pockets, flaps, hook and loop, straps, or reflective trim.
5.4 The transmission and storage of heat energy in firefighter protective clothing is affected by several factors. These include the effects of wear and use conditions of the protective clothing system. In this test method, conditioning procedures are provided for the laundering of composite samples prior to ...
SCOPE
1.1 This test method uses one of two procedures to measure: (1) heat energy, which can be directly transmitted through the multilayer structure without compressive force, that can result in predicted burn injury, or (2) heat energy directly transmitted through the multilayer structure, followed by applying a compressive force, which rapidly releases stored heat energy in the multilayer structure that can result in a predicted burn injury.
1.1.1 This test method is applicable only to protective clothing systems that are suitable for exposure to heat and flames.
1.1.2 Flame resistance of the material system shall be determined prior to testing according to the applicable performance or specification standard, or both, for the material’s end use.
1.2 This test method establishes procedures for moisture preconditioning of firefighter protective clothing material systems.
1.3 The second-degree burn injury prediction used in this standard is based on a limited number of experiments on forearms of human subjects.
1.3.1 The length of exposures needed to generate a second-degree burn injury in this test method exceeds the exposure times found in the limited number of experiments on human forearms.
1.4 The values stated in SI units are to be regarded as the standard. The values given in parentheses are mathematical conversions to English units or other units commonly used for thermal testing.
1.5 This standard is used to measure and describe the properties of materials, products, or assemblies in response to radiant heat under controlled laboratory conditions but does not by itself incorporate all factors required for fire hazard or fire risk assessment of the materials, products, or assemblies under actual fire conditions.
1.6 This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appropriate ...
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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:F2731 −18
Standard Test Method for
Measuring the Transmitted and Stored Energy of Firefighter
1
Protective Clothing Systems
This standard is issued under the fixed designation F2731; 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 not by itself incorporate all factors required for fire hazard or
fire risk assessment of the materials, products, or assemblies
1.1 Thistestmethodusesoneoftwoprocedurestomeasure:
under actual fire conditions.
(1) heat energy, which can be directly transmitted through the
1.6 This standard does not purport to address all of the
multilayer structure without compressive force, that can result
safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the
in predicted burn injury, or (2) heat energy directly transmitted
responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro-
through the multilayer structure, followed by applying a
priate safety, health, and environmental practices and deter-
compressiveforce,whichrapidlyreleasesstoredheatenergyin
mine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.
the multilayer structure that can result in a predicted burn
Specific precautionary information is found in Section 7.
injury.
1.7 This international standard was developed in accor-
1.1.1 This test method is applicable only to protective
dance with internationally recognized principles on standard-
clothing systems that are suitable for exposure to heat and
ization established in the Decision on Principles for the
flames.
Development of International Standards, Guides and Recom-
1.1.2 Flame resistance of the material system shall be
mendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical
determined prior to testing according to the applicable perfor-
Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.
mance or specification standard, or both, for the material’s end
use.
2. Referenced Documents
1.2 This test method establishes procedures for moisture
2
2.1 ASTM Standards:
preconditioning of firefighter protective clothing material sys-
D123 Terminology Relating to Textiles
tems.
D1777 Test Method for Thickness of Textile Materials
1.3 The second-degree burn injury prediction used in this
D3776/D3776M Test Methods for Mass Per Unit Area
standard is based on a limited number of experiments on
(Weight) of Fabric
forearms of human subjects.
E691 Practice for Conducting an Interlaboratory Study to
1.3.1 The length of exposures needed to generate a second-
Determine the Precision of a Test Method
degree burn injury in this test method exceeds the exposure
F1494 Terminology Relating to Protective Clothing
times found in the limited number of experiments on human
F1930–17 Test Method for Evaluation of Flame-Resistant
forearms.
Clothing for ProtectionAgainst Fire Simulations Using an
1.4 The values stated in SI units are to be regarded as the
Instrumented Manikin
3
standard. The values given in parentheses are mathematical
2.2 AATCC Test Methods:
conversions to English units or other units commonly used for
AATCC 70 Test Method for Water Repellency: Tumble Jar
thermal testing.
Dynamic Absorption Test
AATCC 135 Dimensional Changes in Automatic Home
1.5 This standard is used to measure and describe the
Laundering of Durable Press Woven or Knit Fabrics
properties of materials, products, or assemblies in response to
radiant heat under controlled laboratory conditions but does
2
For referenced ASTM standards, visit the ASTM website, www.astm.org, or
1
ThistestmethodisunderthejurisdictionofASTMCommitteeF23onPersonal contact ASTM Customer Service at service@astm.org. For Annual Book of ASTM
Protective Clothing and Equipment and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee Standards volume information, refer to the standard’s Document Summary page on
F23.80 on Flame and Thermal. the ASTM website.
3
Current edition approved June 1, 2018. Published June 2018. Originally Available from American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists
approved in 2010. Last previous edition approved in 2011 as F2731 – 11. DOI: (AATCC), P.O. Box 12215, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709, http://
10.1520/F2731-18. www.aatcc.org.
Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959. United States
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F2731−18
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2.3 NFPA Standard: 3.1.13 thermal protective clothing system, n—any combina-
NFPA 1971 Standard on Protective Ensembles for Structural tio
...
This document is not an ASTM standard and is intended only to provide the user of an ASTM standard an indication of what changes have been made to the previous version. Because
it may not be technically possible to adequately depict all changes accurately, ASTM recommends that users consult prior editions as appropriate. In all cases only the current version
of the standard as published by ASTM is to be considered the official document.
Designation: F2731 − 11 F2731 − 18
Standard Test Method for
Measuring the Transmitted and Stored Energy of Firefighter
1
Protective Clothing Systems
This standard is issued under the fixed designation F2731; 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
1.1 This test method provides procedures for measuring uses one of two procedures to measure: (1the combination of ) heat
energy, which can be directly transmitted through the multilayer structure without compressive force, that can result in predicted
burn injury, or (2transmitted and stored energy that occurs in firefighter protective clothing material systems as the result of
exposure to prolonged, relatively low levels of radiant heat.) heat energy directly transmitted through the multilayer structure,
followed by applying a compressive force, which rapidly releases stored heat energy in the multilayer structure that can result in
a predicted burn injury.
1.1.1 This test method applies a predetermined compressive load to a preheated specimen to simulate conductive heat transfer.
1.1.1 This test method is not applicable only to protective clothing systems that are not flame resistant.suitable for exposure to
heat and flames.
1.1.2 Discussion—Flame resistance of the material system shall be determined prior to testing according to the applicable
performance and/or specification standard or specification standard, or both, for the material’s end-use.end use.
1.2 This test method establishes procedures for moisture preconditioning of firefighter protective clothing material systems.
1.3 The second-degree burn injury prediction used in this standard is based on a limited number of experiments on forearms
of human subjects.
1.3.1 Discussion—The length of exposures needed to generate a second-degree burn injury in this test method exceeds the
exposuresexposure times found in the limited number of experiments on human forearms.
1.4 The values stated in SI units are to be regarded as the standard. The values given in parentheses are mathematical
conversions to English units or other units commonly used for thermal testing.
1.5 This standard is used to measure and describe the properties of materials, products, or assemblies in response to radiant
heat under controlled laboratory conditions but does not by itself incorporate all factors required for fire-hazard or fire-risk fire
hazard or fire risk assessment of the materials, products, or assemblies under actual fire conditions.
1.6 This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility
of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety safety, health, and healthenvironmental practices and determine the
applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use. Specific precautionary information is found in Section 7.
1.7 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.
2. Referenced Documents
2
2.1 ASTM Standards:
D123 Terminology Relating to Textiles
D1777 Test Method for Thickness of Textile Materials
D3776D3776/D3776M Test Methods for Mass Per Unit Area (Weight) of Fabric
E691 Practice for Conducting an Interlaboratory Study to Determine the Precision of a Test Method
1
This test method is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee F23 on Personal Protective Clothing and Equipment and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee
F23.80 on Flame and Thermal.
Current edition approved July 1, 2011June 1, 2018. Published July 2011June 2018. Originally approved in 2010. Last previous edition approved in 20102011 as
F2731 - 10.F2731 – 11. DOI: 10.1520/F2731-11.10.1520/F2731-18.
2
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 the ASTM website.
Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959. United States
1
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F2731
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