ISO 834-2:2019

Fire-resistance tests - Elements of building construction - Part 2: Requirements and recommendations for measuring furnace exposure on test samples

This document establishes general principles for measuring the uniformity of furnace exposure of samples tested in accordance with the requirements of ISO 834‑1. This document specifies the type and location of instrumentation used to measure the temperature, velocity and oxygen content near the surface of simulated test samples. The surface of the simulated sample facing the furnace is gypsum board secured to cold-formed steel supports. This document does not include requirements for furnace performance. An intended use of data generated by the application of this document and the rational for the instrumentation described in this document are contained in the informative Annex A.

Essais de résistance au feu — Éléments de construction — Partie 2: Titre manque

General Information

• Status: Published
• Publication Date: 19-Jun-2019
• ICS: 13.220.50 - Fire-resistance of building materials and elements
• Technical Committee: ISO/TC 92/SC 2 - Fire containment
• Drafting Committee: ISO/TC 92/SC 2/WG 1 - General requirements
• Current Stage: 9092 - International Standard to be revised
• Start Date: 13-Oct-2025
• Completion Date: 13-Dec-2025

Relations

• Revises: ISO/TR 834-2:2009 - Fire-resistance tests - Elements of building construction - Part 2: Guidance on measuring uniformity of furnace exposure on test samples
• Effective Date: 15-Dec-2017

Overview

ISO 834-2:2019 - Fire-resistance tests - Elements of building construction - Part 2 - specifies requirements and recommendations for measuring furnace exposure on test samples used with ISO 834-1 fire-resistance tests. The standard defines how to monitor temperature, air velocity and oxygen content near the surface of simulated samples (a gypsum-board face on cold‑formed steel supports) to assess the uniformity of furnace exposure. It focuses on instrumentation, sensor locations, and supporting construction; it does not set furnace performance requirements. Informative Annex A explains the intended use of the generated data and the rationale for the instrumentation.

Key topics and requirements

• Supporting construction: Simulated samples use cold-formed steel supports faced with two layers of gypsum board (minimum 15 mm on the exposed side) and a structural panel (minimum 15 mm) on the unexposed side. Support channel thickness and dimensions are specified for horizontal and vertical constructions. Typical fastener spacing and screw details are provided.
• Instrumentation types:
  • Plate thermometers (minimum five) mounted on the exposed gypsum surface.
  • Bi-directional low‑velocity probes with fast-response Type K (chromel‑alumel) ungrounded thermocouples (nickel‑chromium sheath, ≤1.5 mm diameter) for local pressure and temperature measurements.
  • Oxygen-content probe (T probe) conforming to ISO 834-1.
• Sensor placement: Instruments are positioned within the defined effective area of the furnace opening; plate thermometers are placed at corners and center for smaller openings (≤1 700 × 1 700 mm). Laboratory-determined margin dimensions (L) define where edge effects are insignificant (each L ≤ 1 700 mm).
• Measurement and calculations: Gas velocity is calculated from the measured pressure differential and thermocouple temperature using the prescribed formula. Data recording is required at a minimum of 1‑minute intervals; test duration for exposure measurement is at least 45 minutes.
• Documentation: The test report must include all relevant specimen and test details, instrumentation layout and recorded data.

Applications and users

ISO 834-2:2019 is used to:

• Validate and certify fire-resistance tests by ensuring uniform furnace exposure.
• Generate reproducible exposure-characterization data for research, laboratory calibration and standards compliance. Key users:
• Fire‑resistance testing laboratories and technicians
• Fire safety engineers and consultants
• Product manufacturers (doors, walls, partitions, linings)
• Building code authorities and certification bodies

Related standards

• ISO 834-1 (General requirements for fire-resistance tests) - instrumentation for oxygen probe and furnace operation references.
• National and regional test methods that reference ISO 834 series for furnace exposure characterization.

Keywords: ISO 834-2:2019, fire-resistance tests, furnace exposure measurement, instrumentation, gypsum board, bi-directional probe, plate thermometer, air velocity, oxygen content, fire safety testing.

Standards Content (Sample)

INTERNATIONAL ISO
STANDARD 834-2
First edition
2019-06
Fire-resistance tests — Elements of
building construction —
Part 2:
Requirements and recommendations
for measuring furnace exposure on
test samples
Reference number
©
ISO 2019
© ISO 2019
All rights reserved. Unless otherwise specified, or required in the context of its implementation, no part of this publication may
be reproduced or utilized otherwise in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, or posting
on the internet or an intranet, without prior written permission. Permission can be requested from either ISO at the address
below or ISO’s member body in the country of the requester.
ISO copyright office
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CH-1214 Vernier, Geneva
Phone: [phone]
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Website: www.iso.org
Published in Switzerland
ii © ISO 2019 – All rights reserved

Contents Page
Foreword .iv
Introduction .v
1 Scope . 1
2 Normative references . 1
3 Terms and definitions . 1
4 Test equipment. 1
4.1 Supporting construction . 1
4.2 Instrumentation . 6
5 Test method .11
6 Report .11
Annex A (informative) Commentary .13
Bibliography .14
Foreword
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.org/iso/foreword .html.
This document was prepared by Technical Committee ISO/TC 92, Fire safety, Subcommittee SC 2, Fire
containment.
This first edition cancels and replaces ISO/TR 834-2:2009, which has been technically revised.
A list of all parts in the ISO 834 series can be found on the ISO website.
Any feedback or questions on this document should be directed to the user’s national standards body. A
complete listing of these bodies can be found at www .iso .org/members .html.
iv © ISO 2019 – All rights reserved

Introduction
The purpose of this document is to describe a procedure to measure the exposure of a test sample
to a furnace during a test conducted in accordance with ISO 834 (all parts). The furnace exposure is
determined by measuring temperature, air velocity and oxygen concentration at various locations.
The procedure includes the use of low-cost, readily available, lightweight materials to represent the
test sample. The recommended materials minimize the influence of variable moisture content among
samples.
INTERNATIONAL STANDARD ISO 834-2:2019(E)
Fire-resistance tests — Elements of building
construction —
Part 2:
Requirements and recommendations for measuring
furnace exposure on test samples
1 Scope
This document establishes general principles for measuring the uniformity of furnace exposure of
samples tested in accordance with the requirements of ISO 834-1. This document specifies the type
and location of instrumentation used to measure the temperature, velocity and oxygen content near
the surface of simulated test samples. The surface of the simulated sample facing the furnace is gypsum
board secured to cold-formed steel supports.
This document does not include requirements for furnace performance. An intended use of data
generated by the application of this document and the rational for the instrumentation described in
this document are contained in the informative Annex A.
2 Normative references
The following documents are referred to in the text in such a way that some or all of their content
constitutes requirements of this document. For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For
undated references, the latest edition of the referenced document (including any amendments) applies.
ISO 834-1, Fire-resistance tests — Elements of building construction — Part 1: General requirements
3 Terms and definitions
For the purposes of this document, the following terms and definitions apply.
ISO and IEC maintain terminological databases for use in standardization at the following addresses:
— ISO Online browsing platform: available at https: //www .iso .org/obp
— IEC Electropedia: available at http: //www .electropedia .org/
3.1
effective area of furnace opening
furnace opening within the boundaries of the monitoring instrumentation
4 Test equipment
4.1 Supporting construction
4.1.1 The supporting construction shall consist of cold-formed steel supports faced with two layers of
gypsum board a minimum of 15 mm thick intended for use in fire-barrier assemblies on the side facing
the furnace and with a single-layer structural panel a minimum of 15 mm thick on the side facing away
from the furnace.
NOTE 1 Some examples of gypsum boards used in fire barrier assemblies include Type X by ASTM C1396,
Type F by EN 520 and as described in JIS A 6901.
NOTE 2 Cement boards, gypsum boards, plywood and oriented strand boards are considered typical
structural panels.
4.1.2 Construction details with respect to the location of the support channels, gypsum board and the
structural panels are shown in Figures 1 to 6. Figures 1 to 3 apply to horizontal supporting constructions.
Figures 4 to 6 apply to vertical supporting constructions.
4.1.2.1 The construction details assume a horizontal furnace opening of 3 m by 4 m and a vertical
furnace opening of 3 m by 3 m. Modifications to dimensions for other furnace opening dimensions and
allowances for compatibility with locally available materials and practices are acceptable.
Dimensions in millimetres
Key
1 perimeter of supporting construction
2 support channels, nine, spaced 450 mm on centre
Figure 1 — Details of horizontal supporting construction — Layout of support channels
2 © ISO 2019 – All rights reserved

Dimensions in millimetres
Key
1 perimeter of supporting construction
2 inner (first) layer of gypsum board or structural panels on unexposed surface
Figure 2 — Details of horizontal supporting construction — Layout of inner layer of gypsum
board and structural panels
Dimensions in millimetres
Key
1 perimeter of supporting construction
2 outer (second) layer of gypsum board
Figure 3 — Details of horizontal supporting construction — Layout of outer layer of gypsum
board
Dimensions in millimetres
Key
1 perimeter of supporting construction
2 support channels, eight, spaced 400 mm on centre
Figure 4 — Details of vertical supporting construction — Layout of support channels
Dimensions in millimetres
Key
1 perimeter of supporting construction
2 inner (first) layer of gypsum board or structural panels on unexposed surface
Figure 5 — Details of vertical supporting construction — Layout of inner layer of gypsum board
and structural panels
4 © ISO 2019 – All rights reserved

Dimensions in millimetres
Key
1 perimeter of supporting construction
2 outer layer of gypsum board
Figure 6 — Details of vertical supporting construction — Layout of outer layer of gypsum board
4.1.3 The cold-formed steel support channels for horizontal supporting construction shall be
fabricated from steel a minimum 1,4 mm thick. The channels shall be C-shaped with a minimum depth of
240 mm, a minimum flange width of 40 mm and a minimum return flange of 12 mm.
The horizontal support channels shall be attached to rim channels. Rim channels are located along
the perimeter of the horizontal supporting construction and run perpendicular to the direction of the
support channels. The dimensions of the rim channels shall be compatible with the support channels.
The support channels shall be attached to the rim channels with steel screws.
NOTE Attachment of the support channel to the rim channel can require the use of a steel clip angle.
4.1.3.1 Modifications to dimensions for other furnace opening dimensions and allowances for
compatibility with locally available materials and practices are acceptable.
4.1.4 The cold-formed steel support channels for v
...