ASTM E603-03
(Guide)Standard Guide for Room Fire Experiments
Standard Guide for Room Fire Experiments
SCOPE
1.1 This guide addresses means of conducting full-scale fire experiments that evaluate the fire-test-response characteristics of materials, products, or assemblies under actual fire conditions.
1.2 It is intended as a guide for the design of the experiment and for the use and interpretation of its results. The guide is also useful for establishing laboratory conditions that simulate a given set of fire conditions to the greatest extent possible.
1.3 This guide allows users to obtain fire-test-response characteristics of materials, products, or assemblies, which are useful data for describing or appraising their fire performance under actual fire conditions.
1.3.1 The results of experiments conducted in accordance with this guide are also useful elements for making regulatory decisions regarding fire safety requirements. The use for regulatory purposes of data obtained from experiments conducted using this guide requires that certain conditions and criteria be specified by the regulating authority.
1.4 The rationale for conducting room fire experiments according to this guide is shown in 1.5-1.8.
1.5 Room fire experiments are a means of generating input data for computer fire models and for providing output data with which to compare modeling results.
1.6 One of the major reasons for conducting room fire experiments is as an experimental means of assessing the potential fire hazard associated with the use of a material or product in a particular application. This should be borne in mind when designing nonstandard experiments.
1.7 A rationale for conducting room fire experiments is the case when smaller-scale fire tests inadequately represent end-use applications.
1.8 A further rationale for conducting room fire experiments is to verify the results obtained with smaller scale tests, to understand the scaling parameters for such tests.
1.9 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.
1.10 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.
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An American National Standard
Designation: E 603 – 03
Standard Guide for
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Room Fire Experiments
This standard is issued under the fixed designation E 603; 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.
INTRODUCTION
This guide has been written to assist those planning to conduct full-scale compartment fire
experiments. There are many issues that should be resolved before such an experimental program is
initiated, and this guide is written with the objective of identifying some of these issues and presenting
considerations that will affect each choice of procedure.
This guide deals with any or all stages of fire growth in a compartment. Whether it is a single- or
multi-room experiment, observations can be made from ignition to flashover or beyond full-room
involvement.
One major reason for conducting research on room fires is to learn about the room fire buildup
process so the results of standard fire test methods can be related to performance in full-scale room
fires, allowing the further refinement of these test methods or development of new ones.
Another reason concerns computer fire modeling. Full-scale tests can generate data needed for
modeling. Comparisons of modeling with full-scale test results can serve to validate the model.
The various results among room fire tests reflect different experimental conditions. The intent of this
guide is to identify these conditions and discuss their effects so meaningful comparisons can be made
among the room fire experiments conducted by various organizations.
1. Scope 1.4 The rationale for conducting room fire experiments
according to this guide is shown in 1.5-1.8
1.1 This guide addresses means of conducting full-scale fire
1.5 Room fire experiments are a means of generating input
experiments that evaluate the fire-test-response characteristics
data for computer fire models and for providing output data
of materials, products, or assemblies under actual fire condi-
with which to compare modeling results.
tions.
1.6 One of the major reasons for conducting room fire
1.2 It is intended as a guide for the design of the experiment
experiments is as an experimental means of assessing the
and for the use and interpretation of its results. The guide is
potential fire hazard associated with the use of a material or
also useful for establishing laboratory conditions that simulate
product in a particular application. This should be borne in
a given set of fire conditions to the greatest extent possible.
mind when designing nonstandard experiments.
1.3 This guide allows users to obtain fire-test-response
1.7 A rationale for conducting room fire experiments is the
characteristics of materials, products, or assemblies, which are
case when smaller-scale fire tests inadequately represent end-
useful data for describing or appraising their fire performance
use applications.
under actual fire conditions.
1.8 A further rationale for conducting room fire experiments
1.3.1 The results of experiments conducted in accordance
is to verify the results obtained with smaller scale tests, to
with this guide are also useful elements for making regulatory
understand the scaling parameters for such tests.
decisions regarding fire safety requirements. The use for
1.9 This standard is used to measure and describe the
regulatory purposes of data obtained from experiments con-
response of materials, products, or assemblies to heat and
ducted using this guide requires that certain conditions and
flame under controlled conditions, but does not by itself
criteria be specified by the regulating authority.
incorporate all factors required for fire hazard or fire risk
assessment of the materials, products, or assemblies under
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This guide is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee E05 on Fire Standards
actual fire conditions
and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee E05.13 on Large Scale Fire Tests.
Current edition approved Nov. 1, 2003. Published December 2003. Originally
approved in 1977. Last previous edition approved in 2001 as E 603 – 01.
Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959, United States.
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E603–03
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1.10 This standard does not purport to address all of the FM 4880 Large Scale Open Building Corner Test
safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the 2.5 ISO Standards:
responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro- ISO 9705 Fire Tests—Full Scale Room Fire Tests for
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priate safety and health practices and determine the applica- Surface Products
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bility of regula
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