ISO 15372:2000

Ships and marine technology - Inflatable rescue boats - Coated fabrics for inflatable chambers

This International Standard specifies the minimum requirements for coated fabrics, and test procedures for those fabrics, for use in the construction of inflatable chambers of rescue boats complying with the 1974 Safety of Life at Sea Convention (SOLAS), as amended; Chapter I, paragraph 1.2, and Chapter V of the International Life-Saving Appliance Code [IMO Resolution MSC.48 (66)]; and the IMO Assembly resolution A.689(17), as amended. These coated fabrics consist of a base textile with a synthetic elastomeric or plastomeric compound applied to one or both faces. Requirements for fabrics for inflatable boats other than SOLAS rescue boats are contained in ISO 6185:1982, Shipbuilding and marine structures - Inflatable boats - Boats made of reinforced elastomers or plastomers.

Navires et technologie marine — Bateaux de sauvetage gonflables — Supports textiles revêtus pour chambres gonflables

General Information

• Status: Published
• Publication Date: 06-Dec-2000
• ICS: 47.080 - Small craft
• Technical Committee: ISO/TC 8/SC 1 - Maritime safety
• Drafting Committee: ISO/TC 8/SC 1/WG 1 - Lifesaving appliances and arrangements
• Current Stage: 9093 - International Standard confirmed
• Start Date: 05-Feb-2024
• Completion Date: 13-Dec-2025

Relations

• Amended By: ISO 15372:2000/Amd 1:2021 - Ships and marine technology - Inflatable rescue boats - Coated fabrics for inflatable chambers - Amendment 1: Oil-resistance test
• Effective Date: 10-Jul-2021

Overview - ISO 15372:2000 for inflatable rescue boats and coated fabrics

ISO 15372:2000 specifies minimum performance requirements and test procedures for coated fabrics used in the inflatable chambers of SOLAS-compliant rescue boats. It supplements IMO/SOLAS life‑saving appliance requirements and covers fabrics made from a base textile with a synthetic elastomeric or plastomeric coating on one or both faces. The standard is intended for type approval, production testing and material selection for inflatable rescue boats used on ships subject to the 1974 Safety of Life at Sea Convention (SOLAS).

Key topics and technical requirements

ISO 15372 defines both functional properties and test methods (see clause 6). Key technical requirements include:

• Tensile strength: ≥ 3.5 kN/50 mm width (ISO 1421 method).
• Elongation at break: ≤ 35%.
• Tear strength: minimum 140 N (CRT method) or 1 500 N (wound method), depending on test method chosen.
• Coating adhesion: ≥ 50 N/25 mm width.
• Resistance to flex cracking: no cracking after 200 000 cycles.
• Airtightness: no bubbles after 5 minutes.
• Ageing, oil, cold, ozone and UV resistance: no cracking, stickiness or brittleness; tensile strength after exposure ≥ 90% of original (for specified exposure tests).
• Sea-water & hydrolysis resistance: no peeling or colour fading; seam/weld strength criteria - hydrolysis criteria apply to thermoplastic-coated fabrics.
• Abrasion and blocking: abrasion limits (base fabric not visible after 500 revolutions; ≤ 0.7 mg/rev) and blocking resistance rating ≤ 2.
• Mass per unit area: as per manufacturer’s specification.
• Traceability: fabrics must be marked with manufacturer and production-lot number.
• Test conditions: standard atmosphere generally 20°C ±2°C and 65% ±5% RH; specimen conditioning and sampling requirements specified.

Practical applications and users

ISO 15372 is used by:

• Fabric manufacturers for product design, type approval and production control.
• Rescue-boat builders to select coated fabrics and confirm suitability for adhesives or thermal welding.
• Marine surveyors and classification societies for SOLAS compliance checks and approvals.
• Testing laboratories to carry out type‑approval and routine production tests.
• Procurement and safety officers specifying materials for life‑saving appliances.

Practical benefits include ensuring material durability in marine environments (UV, ozone, sea water), airtight inflatable chambers, reliable seams/welds, and documented traceability for SOLAS rescue boats.

Related standards

• ISO 6185:1982 - inflatable boats (non‑SOLAS).
• Normative test references in ISO 15372 include ISO 1421 (tensile), ISO 4674 (tear), ISO 4892 (weathering), ISO 2411 (coating adhesion), ISO 5470 (abrasion), and others cited in clause 2.

Keywords: ISO 15372:2000, inflatable rescue boats, coated fabrics, SOLAS, coating adhesion, tensile strength, air‑tightness, sea‑water resistance.

Standards Content (Sample)

INTERNATIONAL ISO
STANDARD 15372
First edition
2000-12-01
Ships and marine technology — Inflatable
rescue boats — Coated fabrics for
inflatable chambers
Navires et technologie marine — Bateaux de sauvetage gonflables —
Supports textiles revêtus pour chambres gonflables
Reference number
©
ISO 2000
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ii © ISO 2000 – All rights reserved

Contents Page
Foreword.iv
Introduction.iv
1 Scope .1
2 Normative references .1
3 General requirements.2
4 Testing of production fabrics.4
5 Marking .4
6 Approval-testing procedures.4
Foreword
ISO (the International Organization for Standardization) is a worldwide federation of national standards bodies (ISO
member bodies). The work of preparing International Standards is normally carried out through ISO technical
committees. Each member body interested in a subject for which a technical committee has been established has
the right to be represented on that committee. International organizations, governmental and non-governmental, in
liaison with ISO, also take part in the work. ISO collaborates closely with the International Electrotechnical
Commission (IEC) on all matters of electrotechnical standardization.
International Standards are drafted in accordance with the rules given in the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 3.
Draft International Standards adopted by the technical committees are circulated to the member bodies for voting.
Publication as an International Standard requires approval by at least 75 % of the member bodies casting a vote.
Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this International Standard may be the subject of
patent rights. ISO shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.
International Standard ISO 15372 was prepared by Technical Committee ISO/TC 8, Ships and marine technology,
Subcommittee SC 1, Lifesaving and fire protection.
iv © ISO 2000 – All rights reserved

Introduction
This International Standard is intended to supplement International Maritime Organization (IMO) requirements for
rescue boats used on ships complying with the 1974 Safety of Life At Sea Convention (SOLAS 74), as amended.
INTERNATIONAL STANDARD ISO 15372:2000(E)
Ships and marine technology — Inflatable rescue boats — Coated
fabrics for inflatable chambers
1 Scope
This International Standard specifies the minimum requirements for coated fabrics, and test procedures for those
fabrics, for use in the construction of inflatable chambers of rescue boats complying with the 1974 Safety of Life at
Sea Convention (SOLAS), as amended; Chapter I, paragraph 1.2, and Chapter V of the International Life-Saving
Appliance Code [IMO Resolution MSC.48 (66)]; and the IMO Assembly resolution A.689(17), as amended. These
coated fabrics consist of a base textile with a synthetic elastomeric or plastomeric compound applied to one or both
faces.
Requirements for fabrics for inflatable boats other than SOLAS rescue boats are contained in ISO 6185:1982,
Shipbuilding and marine structures — Inflatable boats — Boats made of reinforced elastomers or plastomers.
2 Normative references
The following normative documents contain provisions which, through reference in this text, constitute provisions of
this International Standard. For dated references, subsequent amendments to, or revisions of, any of these
publications do not apply. However, parties to agreements based on this International Standard are encouraged to
investigate the possibility of applying the most recent editions of the normative documents indicated below. For
undated references, the latest edition of the normative document referred to applies. Members of ISO and IEC
maintain registers of currently valid International Standards.
ISO 1421:1998, Rubber- or plastics-coated fabrics — Determination of tensile strength and elongation at break.
ISO 1817:1999, Rubber, vulcanized — Determination of the effect of liquids.
ISO 2286-2:1998, Rubber- or plastics-coated fabrics — Determination of roll characteristics — Part 2: Methods for
determination of total mass per unit area, mass per unit area of coating and mass per unit area of substrate.
ISO 2411:2000, Rubber- or plastics-coated fabrics — Determination of coating adhesion.
ISO 3011:1997, Rubber- or plastics-coated fabrics — Determination of resistance to ozone cracking under static
conditions.
ISO 4674:1977, Fabrics coated with rubber or plastics — Determination of tear resistance.
ISO 4675:1990, Rubber- or plastics-coated fabrics — Low temperature bend test.
ISO 4892-2:1994, Plastics — Methods of exposure to laboratory light sources — Part 2: Xenon-arc sources.
ISO 4892-4:1994, Plastics — Methods of exposure to laboratory light sources — Part 4: Open-flame carbon-arc
lamps.
ISO 5470:1980, Rubber or plastics coated fabrics — Determination of abrasion resistance.
ISO 5978:1990, Rubber- or plastics-coated fabrics — Determination of blocking resistance.
ISO 7854:1995, Rubber- or plastics-coated fabrics — Determination of resistance to damage by flexing.
International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea, 1974 (SOLAS 1974), as amended in 1996.
IMO Resolution MSC.48(66), Adoption of the International Life-Saving Appliance (LSA) Code.
IMO Resolution A.689(17)(as amended), Recommendation on Testing of Life-Saving Appliances.
3 General requirements
3.1 Coated fabric
3.1.1 Coated fabric for use in the construction of inflatable chambers of rescue boats shall conform to the
performance requirements specified in Table 1 when type tested in accordance with the specified test procedures
in clause 6.
3.1.2 Type approval of a fabric applies only to a particular colour or range of colours as tested.
3.2 Base fabric
The base fabric shall be inherently rot-proof.
NOTE Cotton fabric is not considered to be rot-proof.
3.3 Coating material
Coating materials shall be synthetic elastomeric or plastomeric compounds formulated to conform to the relevant
performance requirements specified in Table 1.
3.4 Adhesives and welding
Coated fabrics complying with this International Standard are suitable for use in the manufacture of inflatable
rescue boats using adhesives and/or thermal-welding techniques consistent with the fabric manufacturer’s
instructions.
Manufacturers of rescue boats should confer with fabric proofers concerning specific fabrication techniques for
specific coated fabrics.
2 © ISO 2000 – All rights reserved

Table 1 — Performance requirements
Property Performance criteria Test procedure
Tensile strength Not less than 3,5 kN/50 mm width. 6.2.1
Elongation Elongation at break to be not more than 35 %. 6.2.1
Tear strength: Not less than 140 N. 6.2.2
method 6.2.2.1 Not less than 1 500 N.
method 6.2.2.2
Ageing resistance No stickiness, brittleness, cracks or any other 6.2.3
deterioration.
Tensile strength after ageing shall be not less than 90 %
of that before ageing.
The difference in dimensions before and after ageing
shall be not more than 2 %.
Seam strength In the tensile test, the break shall occur at a load of at 6.2.4
least 85 % of the strength recorded in the tensile test,
but not less than 3,5 kN/50 mm width.
Oil resistance Free of tackiness or any other deterioration. 6.2.5
Cold resistance 6.2.6
No visible cracking under 5� magnification.
Coating adhesion Not less than 50 N/25 mm width. 6.2.7
Resistance to flex cracking No cracking or deterioration after 200 000 cycles. 6.2.8
Airtightness No bubbles after 5 min. 6.2.9
Ozone resistance 6.2.10
No visible cracking under 5� magnification.
Sea-water resistance No peeling and colour fading. 6.2.11
In the tensile test, the break shall occur at a load of at
least 85 % of the strength recorded in the tensile test,
but not less than 3,5 kN/50 mm width.
Hydrolysis resistance (thermoplastic- Coating adhesion and weld strength after exposure 6.2.12
coated fabrics only) shall be not less than 70 % of that before exposure.
When subjected to the blocking resistance test, the
100 g weight shall not be lifted.
After folding, there shall be no visible cracks, ply
separation, brittleness or stickiness.
Blocking resistance Resistance rating no greater than 2. 6.2.13
Ultraviolet resistance (weathering) No cracking when bent, heavily coated side out, over a 6.2.14
3,2 mm diameter mandrel after exposure. Tensile
strength after exposure shall be not less than 90 % of
that before exposure.
Abrasion resistance After 500 revolutions of the test-piece holder, the base 6.2.15
fabric shall not be visible, and the abrasion shall not
exceed 0,7 mg/revolution.
Mass per unit area As required by manufacturer's specification. 6.2.16
4 Testing of production fabrics
4.1 Routine production tests
Coated fabrics for use in the manufacture of inflatable chambers of rescue boats shall be tested periodically for the
following properties:
� tensile strength and elongation;
� tear strength;
� ageing resistance;
� oil resistance;
� cold resistance;
� coating adhesion;
� air-tightness;
� mass per unit area.
4.2 Other production tests
The remaining tests in Table 1 shall be performed less frequently.
4.3 Frequency of production tests
The minimum frequency of production testing shall be as specified in the individual material specification.
5 Marking
The coated fabric shall be marked in such a manner as to allow traceability of the fabric manufacturer and
production-lot number.
6 Approval-testing procedures
6.1 General conditions for tests
6.1.1 Standard test atmospheres
Unless otherwise specified, the test atmospheres shall be at a temperature of 20�C� 2�C and a relative humidity
of (65� 5) %. The temperature, humidity and atmospheric pressure at the time of the test shall be recorded.
6.1.2 Conditioning of test specimens
The test specimens shall have been vulcanized, if applicable, for not less than 24 h and not more than 3 months
and shall be kept under the standard atmosphere for at least 24 h prior to test.
4 © ISO 2000 – All rights reserved

6.1.3 Test specimens
The required number of test specimens shall be taken from the effective width of the coated fabric well away from
the selvedges and the ends, and in both directions parallel to the warp and to the weft.
6.2 Test procedures
6.2.1 Tensile test
6.2.1.1 This test shall be carried out to determine tensile strength and elongation concurrently with breaking.
The test shall be performed in accordance with the method specified in ISO 1421, with dry specimens, using a
constant rate of traverse (CRT) machine.
6.2.1.2 The specimens shall be tested at a tensile speed of (100� 10) mm/min.
6.2.2 Tear test
Two alternative test methods, the constant rate of traverse method (6.2.2.1) or the wound test method (6.2.2.2)
may be used for the tear test, at the discretion of the national administration.
6.2.2.1 Constant rate of traverse method
6.2.2.1.1 The test shall be performed in accordance with Method A — Constant rate of tear, specified in
ISO 4674:1977.
6.2.2.1.2 Five test specimens shall be cut parallel to the warp and five to the weft. The test specimens shall be
the so-called trouser-shaped test pieces of Method A2 specified in ISO 4674:1977: a rectangular strip
(225� 0,5) mm by (75� 0,5) mm wide, with a longitudinal slit 80 mm long beginning from the middle of the width.
6.2.2.1.3 Place the test specimens symmetrically in the grips with one tongue in each of the grips, with the uncut
end of the test specimen remaining free. Ensure that each tongue is fixed in a grip so that the beginning of the tear
is parallel to the direction in which the tearing force is applied.
6.2.2.1.4 The test shall be carried out at a tensile speed of (100� 10) mm/min for both warp and weft directions
up to the breaking point.
6.2.2.1.5 The test results shall be recorded as the arithmetical average of five specimens each for warp and
weft.
6.2.2.2 Wound test method
6.2.2.2.1 Apparatus
The apparatus shall be an approved strength-testing machine complying with clause 5 of ISO 1421:1998 except
that
� the constant rate of traverse method shall be used, the rate being not more than (70� 10) mm/min grip
separation; and
� the load indicated at any part of the range used shall be correct within 1 % of the actual load.
6.2.2.2.2 Test specimens
From the test sample, cut three rectangular specimens each (75� 0,5) mm wide and 300 mm to 400 mm long as
convenient, with the length closely parallel to the direction of the warp threads and also three specimens with the
length closely parallel to the direction of the weft threads. Space the selection across the full width and full length of
the sample. Make a 12,5 mm cut across the
...