Standard Test Method for Measuring the Transmitted and Stored Energy of Firefighter Protective Clothing Systems

SIGNIFICANCE AND USE
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. 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.
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) . 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 Discussion—Utech 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).
Protective clothing systems include the materials used in the composite structure. These include the outer shell, moisture barrier, and thermal barrier. It is possible 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.
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 testing, and also...
SCOPE
1.1 This test method provides procedures for measuring the combination of transmitted and stored energy that occurs in firefighter protective clothing material systems as the result of exposure to prolonged, relatively low levels of radiant heat.
1.1.1 This test method applies a predetermined compressive load to a preheated specimen to simulate conductive heat transfer.
1.1.2 This test method is not applicable to protective clothing systems that are not flame resistant.
1.1.3 Discussion—Flame resistance of the material system shall be determined prior to testing according to the applicable performance and/or specification standard 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 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 exposures 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 safety and health practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior ...

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Publication Date
14-Feb-2010
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ASTM F2731-10 - Standard Test Method for Measuring the Transmitted and Stored Energy of Firefighter Protective Clothing Systems
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NOTICE: This standard has either been superseded and replaced by a new version or withdrawn.
Contact ASTM International (www.astm.org) for the latest information
Designation: F2731 – 10
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 priate safety and health practices and determine the applica-
bility of regulatory limitations prior to use. Specific precau-
1.1 This test method provides procedures for measuring the
tionary information is found in Section 7.
combination of transmitted and stored energy that occurs in
firefighter protective clothing material systems as the result of
2. Referenced Documents
exposure to prolonged, relatively low levels of radiant heat.
2
2.1 ASTM Standards:
1.1.1 This test method applies a predetermined compressive
D123 Terminology Relating to Textiles
load to a preheated specimen to simulate conductive heat
D1777 Test Method for Thickness of Textile Materials
transfer.
D3776 Test Methods for Mass Per Unit Area (Weight) of
1.1.2 This test method is not applicable to protective cloth-
Fabric
ing systems that are not flame resistant.
F1494 Terminology Relating to Protective Clothing
1.1.3 Discussion—Flame resistance of the material system
F1930 Test Method for Evaluation of Flame Resistant
shall be determined prior to testing according to the applicable
Clothing for Protection Against Flash Fire Simulations
performance and/or specification standard for the material’s
Using an Instrumented Manikin
end-use.
3
2.2 AATCC Test Methods:
1.2 This test method establishes procedures for moisture
AATCC 70 Test Method for Water Repellency: Tumble Jar
preconditioning of firefighter protective clothing material sys-
Dynamic Absorption Test
tems.
AATCC 135 Dimensional Changes in Automatic Home
1.3 The second-degree burn injury used in this standard is
Laundering of Durable Press Woven or Knit Fabrics
based on a limited number of experiments on forearms of
4
2.3 NFPA Standard:
human subjects.
NFPA 1971 Standard on Protective Ensembles for Struc-
1.3.1 Discussion—The length of exposures needed to gen-
tural Fire Fighting and Proximity Fire Fighting
erate a second-degree burn injury in this test method exceeds
the exposures times found in the limited number of experi-
3. Terminology
ments on human forearms.
3.1 Definitions:
1.4 The values stated in SI units are to be regarded as the
3.1.1 break-open, n—in testing thermal protective materi-
standard. The values given in parentheses are mathematical
als, a material response evidence by the formation of a hole in
conversions to English units or other units commonly used for
the test specimen.
thermal testing.
3.1.1.1 Discussion—The specimen is considered to exhibit
1.5 This standard is used to measure and describe the
break-open when a hole is produced as a result of the thermal
properties of materials, products, or assemblies in response to
2 2
exposurethatisatleast3.2cm (0.25in. )inareaoratleast2.5
radiant heat under controlled laboratory conditions but does
cm (1.0 in.) in any dimension. Single threads across the
not by itself incorporate all factors required for fire-hazard or
opening or hole do not reduce the size of the hole for purposes
fire-risk assessment of the materials, products, or assemblies
of this test method.
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
2
responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro-
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.
1 3
ThistestmethodisunderthejurisdictionofASTMCommitteeF23onPersonal Available from American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists
Protective Clothing and Equipment and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee (AATCC), P.O. Box 12215, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709, http://
F23.80 on Flame and Thermal. www.aatcc.org.
4
Current edition approved Feb. 15, 2010. Published March 2010. DOI: 10.1520/ Available from National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), 1 Batterymarch
F2731-10. Park, Quincy, MA 02169-7471, http://www.nfpa.org.
Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959, United States.
1

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F2731 – 10
3.1.2 charring, n—the formation a carbonaceous residue as load could possibly simulate a firefighter leaning against a
the result of pyrolysis
...

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