ASTM E1623-00

Standard Test Method for Determination of Fire and Thermal Parameters of Materials, Products, and Systems Using an Intermediate Scale Calorimeter (ICAL)

SCOPE
1.1 This fire-test-response standard assesses the response of materials, products, and assemblies to controlled levels of radiant heat exposure with or without an external ignitor.
1.2 The fire-test-response characteristics determined by this test method include the ignitability, heat release rates, mass loss rates, visible smoke development, and gas release of materials, products, and assemblies under well ventilated conditions.
1.3 This test method is also suitable for determining many of the parameters or values needed as input for computer fire models. Examples of these values include effective heat of combustion, surface temperature, ignition temperature, and emissivity.
1.4 This test method is also intended to provide information about other fire parameters such as thermal conductivity, specific heat, radiative and convective heat transfer coefficients, flame radiation factor, air entrainment rates, flame temperatures, minimum surface temperatures for upward and downward flame spread, heat of gasification, nondimensional heat of gasification (1) and the Φ flame spread parameter (see Test Method E 1321). While some studies have indicated that this test method is suitable for determining these fire parameters, insufficient testing and research have been done to justify inclusion of the corresponding testing and calculating procedures.
1.5 The heat release rate is determined by the principle of oxygen consumption calorimetry, via measurement of the oxygen consumption as determined by the oxygen concentration and flow rate in the exhaust product stream (exhaust duct). The procedure is specified in 11.1. Smoke development is quantified by measuring the obscuration of light by the combustion product stream (exhaust duct).
1.6 Specimens are exposed to a constant heating flux in the range of 0 to 50 kW/m2  in a vertical orientation. Hot wires are used to ignite the combustible vapors from the specimen during the ignition and heat release tests. The assessment of the parameters associated with flame spread requires the use of line burners instead of hot wire ignitors.
1.6.1 Heat release measurements at low heat flux levels ( 10 kW/m2) require special considerations as described in Section A1.1.6.
1.7 This test method has been developed for evaluations, design, or research and development of materials, products, or assemblies, for mathematical fire modeling, or for research and development. The specimen shall be tested in thicknesses and configurations representative of actual end product or system uses.
1.8 Limitations of the test method are listed in Section .
1.9 The values stated in SI units are to be regarded as the standard.
1.10 This standard is used to measure and describe the response of materials, products, or assemblies to heat and flame under controlled 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.
1.11 Fire testing of products and materials is inherently hazardous, and adequate safeguards for personnel and property shall be employed in conducting these tests. This test method may involve hazardous materials, operations, and equipment. Specific information about hazard is given in Section 7.
1.12 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 and health practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.

General Information

• Status: Historical
• Publication Date: 09-Jan-2002
• ICS: 13.220.50 - Fire-resistance of building materials and elements
• ICS: 91.100.01 - Construction materials in general
• Technical Committee: E05 - Fire Standards
• Drafting Committee: E05.21 - Smoke and Combustion Products

Relations

• Replaced By: ASTM E1623-01 - Standard Test Method for Determination of Fire and Thermal Parameters of Materials, Products, and Systems Using an Intermediate Scale Calorimeter (ICAL)
• Effective Date: 10-Jan-2002
• Referred By: ASTM E2067-22 - Standard Practice for Full-Scale Oxygen Consumption Calorimetry Fire Tests
• Effective Date: 10-Jan-2002
• Referred By: ASTM E3020-22 - Standard Practice for Ignition Sources
• Effective Date: 10-Jan-2002
• Referred By: ASTM E176-21ae1 - Standard Terminology of Fire Standards
• Effective Date: 10-Jan-2002
• Referred By: ASTM E2058-19 - Standard Test Methods for Measurement of Material Flammability Using a Fire Propagation Apparatus (FPA)
• Effective Date: 10-Jan-2002
• Referred By: ASTM E1591-20 - Standard Guide for Obtaining Data for Fire Growth Models
• Effective Date: 10-Jan-2002
• Referred By: ASTM E2061-23 - Standard Guide for Fire Hazard Assessment of Rail Transportation Vehicles
• Effective Date: 10-Jan-2002
• Referred By: ASTM E2102-21 - Standard Test Method for Measurement of Mass Loss and Ignitability for Screening Purposes Using a Conical Radiant Heater
• Effective Date: 10-Jan-2002
• Referred By: ASTM E3048-22a - Standard Test Method for Determination of Time to Burn-Through Using the Intermediate Scale Calorimeter (ICAL) Radiant Panel
• Effective Date: 10-Jan-2002

Standards Content (Sample)

NOTICE: This standard has either been superseded and replaced by a new version or discontinued.
Contact ASTM International (www.astm.org) for the latest information.
Designation: E 1623 – 00 An American National Standard
Standard Test Method for
Determination of Fire and Thermal Parameters of Materials,
Products, and Systems Using an Intermediate Scale
1
Calorimeter (ICAL)
This standard is issued under the fixed designation E 1623; 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 1.7 This test method has been developed for material,
product, or assembly evaluations, mathematical modeling,
1.1 This fire-test-response standard covers measuring the
design purposes, or research and development. The specimen
response of materials, products, and assemblies exposed to
shall be tested in thicknesses and configurations representative
controlled levels of radiant heating with or without an external
of actual end product or system uses.
ignitor.
1.8 Limitations of the test method are listed in Section 12.
1.2 This test method is used to determine the ignitability,
1.9 The values stated in SI units are to be regarded as the
heat release rates, mass loss rates, and visible smoke develop-
standard.
ment of materials, products, and assemblies under well venti-
1.10 This standard is used to measure and describe the
lated conditions.
response of materials, products, or assemblies to heat and
1.3 This test method is also used to determine many of the
flame under controlled conditions, but does not by itself
parameters or values needed in computer fire models. Ex-
incorporate all factors required for fire hazard or fire risk
amples of these values include effective heat of combustion,
assessment of the materials, products, or assemblies under
surface temperature, ignition temperature, gas concentrations,
actual fire conditions.
and emissivity.
1.11 This standard does not purport to address all of the
1.4 This test method was also designed to provide informa-
safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the
tion about other fire parameters such as thermal conductivity,
responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro-
specific heat, radiative and convective heat transfer coeffi-
priate safety and health practices and determine the applica-
cients, flame radiation factor, air entrainment rates, flame
bility of regulatory limitations prior to use. For specific hazard
temperatures, minimum surface temperatures for upward and
statements, see Section 7.
downward flame spread, heat of gasification, nondimensional
2
heat of gasification (1) and the F flame spread parameter (see
2. Referenced Documents
Test Method E 1321). While early studies indicate that it is
2.1 ASTM Standards:
appropriate to use this test method to determine these param-
3
D 2016 Test Methods for Moisture Content of Wood
eters, insufficient testing and research has been done to justify
D 3286 Test Method for Gross Calorific Value of Coal and
inclusion of testing and calculational procedures at this time.
4
Coke by the Isoperibol Bomb Calorimeter
1.5 The heat release rate is determined by measurement of
E 84 Test Method for Surface Burning Characteristics of
the oxygen consumption as determined by the oxygen concen-
5
Building Materials
tration and flow in the exhaust product stream as specified in
5
E 176 Terminology of Fire Standards
11.1. Smoke development is quantified by measuring the
E 177 Practice for Use of the Terms Precision and Bias in
obscuration of light by the combustion product stream.
6
ASTM Test Methods
1.6 Specimens are exposed to heating fluxes ranging from 0
2 E 662 Test Method for Specific Optical Density of Smoke
to 50 kW/m (heat release measurements at the low flux levels
5
Generated by Solid Materials
are limited by the exhaust hood size) in a vertical orientation.
E 691 Practice for Conducting an Interlaboratory Study to
Hot wires are used as the ignition source when the parameters
6
Determine the Precision of a Test Method
other than those connected to flame spread are being deter-
E 800 Guide for Measurement of Gases Present or Gener-
mined.
5
ated During Fires
1
This test method is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee E-5 on Fire
Standards and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee E05.21 on Smoke and
3
Combustion Products. Discontinued; see 1988 Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 04.09. Replaced
Current edition approved Oct. 10, 2000. Published January 2001. Originally by D 4442 and D 4444.
4
published as E 1623–94. Last previous edition E 1623–99. Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 05.05.
2 5
The boldface numbers given in parentheses refer to the list of references at the Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 04.07.
6
end of this standard. Annual Book of ASTM Standard
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