NBSIR 79-1714

Fire Buildup in Shipboard

Compartments - Characterization

of Some Vulnerable Spaces and

the Status of Prediction Analysis

B. T. Lee and W. J. Parker

Center for Fire Research

National Engineering Laboratory

National Bureau of Standards

Washington, D.C. 20234

May 1 979

Final Report

Prepared for Naval Ship Engineering Center

Naval Sea Systems Command

Department of the Navy

Washington, D.C. 20362

NBSIR 79-1714

Fire Buildup in Shipboard

Compartments - Characterization

of Some Vulnerable Spaces and

the Status of Prediction Analysis

B. T. Lee and W. J. Parker

Center for Fire Research

National Engineering Laboratory

National Bureau of Standards

Washington, D.C. 20234

May 1979

Final Report

Prepared for Naval Ship Engineering Center

Naval Sea Systems Command

Department of the Navy

Washington, D.C. 20362

NBSIR 79-1714

I I I FIRE BUILDUP IN SHIPBOARD

COMPARTMENTS - CHARACTERIZATION

OF SOME VULNERABLE SPACES AND

THE STATUS OF PREDICTION ANALYSIS

BwMn StftWiwB* JUL 1 0 1979

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B. T. Lee and W. J. Parker

Center for Fire Research

National Engineering Laboratory

National Bureau of Standards

Washington, D.C. 20234

May 1979

Final Report

Prepared for Naval Ship Engineering Center

Naval Sea Systems Command

Department of the Navy

Washington, D.C. 20362

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE, Juanita M. Kreps, Secretary

Jordan J. Baruch, Assistant Secretary for Science and Technology

NATIONAL BUREAU OF STANDARDS, Ernest Ambler, Director

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page

LIST OF TABLES iv

LIST OF FIGURES iv

Abstract 1

1. INTRODUCTION 1

2. SURVEY OF SHIPBOARD SPACES AND FIRE INCIDENTS 3 2.1 Review of Fire Statistics 3 2.2 Characterization of Compartment Areas 3

3. PREDICTION MODEL FOR FIRE BUILDUP IN A COMPARTMENT 6 3.1 Fire Buildup Potential 6 3.2 Burning Rate of Furnishings 8 3.3 Interior Finish Materials 9 3.4 Ventilation 10

3.5 Heat Losses 12

3.6 Prediction Model Summary 14

4. APPLICATION AND MODIFICATION OF LABORATORY FIRE TESTS 14

4.1 Ignition 14

4.2 Flame Spread 15

4.2.1 General Discussion 15

4.2.2 Critical Flux and Propagation Rate 17

4.3 Rate of Heat Release 18

4.4 Potential Heat 20

5. SUMMARY 20

6. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 22

7. REFERENCES 23

APPENDIX A. TESTS OF FIRE PROPERTIES 25

A.l Ease of Ignition Test 25

A. 2 Heat Release Rate Calorimeter 25

A. 3 ASTM E 84 Tunnel Test 25

A. 4 ASTM E 162 Radiant Panel Test 27

A. 5 Flooring Radiant Panel Test 27

A. 6 Developmental Flame Spread Test 28

A. 7 Potential Heat Test 28

iii
LIST OF TABLES

Page

Table 1. Potential heat loading for berthing quarters 30

Table 2. Potential heat loading for wardroom and lounge areas 31

Table 3. Summary of ignition and flame spread test results on some interior finish materials 32

Table 4. Heat release rates of some interior finish materials 35

LIST OF FIGURES

Page

Figure 1. Flame spread by E 162 test 36

Figure 2. Flame spread by E 162 test 37

Figure 3. Lateral flame spread with developmental flame spread test . . 38

Figure 4. Flame spread with flooring radiant panel 39

Figure 5. Flame spread along deck coverings with developmental

flame spread test

IV
FIRE BUILDUP IN SHIPBOARD COMPARTMENTS - CHARACTERIZATION

OF SOME VULNERABLE SPACES AND THE STATUS OF PREDICTION ANALYSIS

B. T. Lee and W. J. Parker

Abstract

A review of shipboard fire incidents in the Navy over

the past six years was made to determine the spaces of

greatest vulnerability to fire and the most common sources

of ignition in these areas. Some of these compartment

spaces are characterized with regard to their furnishing and

interior finish materials. Their fire loads are specified.

The various factors which determine the extent and rate of

fire buildup in a compartment are discussed in terms of a simplified prediction model. Although substantial progress

has been made in developing a prediction model for room fire

development f a satisfactory treatment of flame spread on combustible interior finish materials along with a better

understanding of the effect of the fire environment on fire

buildup are needed. Meanwhile, criteria for choosing fire

safe materials must continue to rely on existing laboratory

fire tests. The application of laboratory fire tests on ignition, flame spread, and heat release rate to control the use of interior finish materials aboard ship is explored.

Test data on ignition, flame spread, and heat release rate

of typical shipboard materials are provided.

Key words: Fire growth; fire statistics; flame spread; fuel

load survey; heat release; interior finish; laboratory fire

tests; material ignitability ; prediction model; shipboard

spaces

.

1 . INTRODUCTION

Practical fire safety is a necessity in Naval ship design and operation

Inadequate fire protection may be costly, in terms of human life, operation

time and replacement costs. Passive fire protection through judicious selec

tion of materials for shipboard interior finish and choice of furnishings

can substantially reduce this threat from fire. In this report, interior

finish is taken to mean the materials serving as the exposed surfaces of

bulkheads, overheads, decks, and which may be in the form of panels, sheets,

tiles, insulation, carpet, coatings, etc. The present Navy fire performance

1
requirements given in MIL STD 1623 B for interior finish and furnishings

has contributed significantly in the selection of fire safe materials [1] • Research on shipboard compartment fires [ 2 ] has helped reinforce the flame

spread requirements in this standard and has provided the rationale and

guidelines for restricting the ignitability , flame spread, rate of heat

release, potential heat and smoke generation of interior finish materials.

In general, material performance in a fire depends on many factors.

The ignition source, the quantity and arrangement of combustible items, the

space configuration, the degree of ventilation, and the thermal properties

of the materials in the compartment all affect its fire behavior. The

performances of some materials have been evaluated in test fires in a shipboard compartment arrangement where the ventilation and interior finish were

varied [2]. More fire situations must be studied to help generalize the fire

behavior characteristics of materials. Hence, there is a need to characterize

and to conduct fire experiments in representative compartment spaces having a relatively frequent occurrence of fire.

Further effort is also required for an improved interpretation and

application of the present test methods and for the development of additional

tests, if needed, to complement existing ones. A preliminary prediction model

for compartment fire buildup was developed for the Navy [2] to help provide

insights into more meaningful correlations between laboratory fire analysis of

materials and their behavior in a compartment fire. This model indicated how

fires involving compartment furnishings and interior finish affect the heated

air temperatures, and hence the fire intensity, in the space. The contribution

of the interior finish to the fire buildup was analytically related to its area of fire involvement, the rate of heat release per unit area of the

affected surface, the heat losses through the interior surfaces and the

ventilation to the compartment.

The work described in this report addresses many of the above problem

areas and has the following objectives:

(1) To review shipboard fire statistics identifying the spaces having a relatively frequent incidence of fires,

(2) To characterize these areas and related occupancies such that a limited number of representative spaces and arrangements can be used

for a comprehensive study of shipboard fires.

^Numbers in brackets refer to the literature references listed at the end of

this paper.

2
(3) To extend the preliminary prediction model for estimating the extent

and rate of fire buildup, and

(4) To improve the laboratory fire test methods on ignitability flame

spread and rate of heat release and their application in controlling

the use of interior finish materials aboard ship.

2. SURVEY OF SHIPBOARD SPACES AND FIRE INCIDENTS

2.1 Review of Fire Statistics

Information supplied by the Navy Safety Center at Norfolk, Virginia

indicated that shipboard areas having major fires in the past six years can be

listed in the following order of decreasing fire occurrences: (1) machinery

spaces; (2) supply areas such as the mess hall and laundry room; (3) habitability spaces such as berthing quarters, wardrooms, and lounges; and (4) deck

storage areas. Most fire-related injuries also occur in the machinery areas.

Machinery space fires generally arise from the overheating of equipment,

faulty wiring, and other incidents not associated with direct human error or activities. When coupled with a nearby source of fuel resulting from leakage,

spillage or poor housekeeping, serious fires have occurred. Occasionally,

personnel performing welding jobs have also caused fires. Deck area fires

sometimes occur during painting and cleaning operations, with matches, cigarettes, welding torches and faulty electrical wiring or connections being the

typical ignition sources. Fires in berthing areas result principally from

smoking and matches and sometimes from arson. Paint thinner and cleaning

fluids have been used for this latter purpose. Research with simulated

berthing quarters [2] has shown that serious fires could occur in these areas

when the fire initiation source is small, e.g., a match flame ignition of

800 ml (0.2 gal) of alcohol absorbed in part of a mattress. The occurrence of

fires in the laundry areas is due to an abundance of loose combustible material

and the availability of ignition sources. Combat activities could also initiate

serious fires but are not considered here.

2.2 Characterization of Compartment Areas

A tour was conducted of the quarters on board the following three ships

at the Naval Operating Base, Norfolk, Virginia:

3
Ship Type (Launch Date)

U.S.S. Detroit Combat Support Ship

(late '60s)

U,S.S. Mullinnix Destroyer (1957)

U.S.S. Donald B. Beary Destroyer Escort (1971)

Of all the shipboard areas, machinery spaces and deck storage areas were

the most complex and difficult to characterize. Furthermore, fire initiation

and available fuel for fire growth at these locations were highly dependent on accidental occurrences or housekeeping practices. On the other hand, crew's

berthing compartments, wardrooms, lounges, mess facilities and laundry rooms were fairly easy to typify.

The principal combustible contents in berthing quarters consisted of

mattresses, bed linens, blankets, pillows and clothes. All sleeping quarters

for the crew had three-man berthing units. Each unit was 71 cm (28 in) wide

and 198 cm (78 in) long and had three tiers of bunks with 48 cm (19 in) vertical spacings between tiers. These units were frequently located end to end

and side by side with other units. On the USS Detroit, there were 50 cm

(20 in) long aluminum partitions between the head space on berths located side

by side. Aside from these, there were no other partitions between units. An

aluminum plate or storage locker was used beneath each bunk to support the

bedding. In addition, each crew member had a standing locker in the room. The bunks were somewhat different on the USS Mullinnix. About one-half of the

berths had bedding supported only by canvas tied to the frame of the bunk. The

others had an aluminum locker for the mattress support. Almost every berthing

unit had both types of bedding supports. Ships built before 1960 used this canvas in the berths. This meant that two-thirds of the fleet still have

berthing with this kind of mattress support. Aluminum partitions running the

whole length of the bunk were also used between berths that were located side

by side. On the USS Donald B. Beary, most berths were like those on the USS

Detroit, It was noticed, however, that the chiefs' quarters and officers'

staterooms had canvas and wire supporting the bedding.

In general, the berthing spaces were similar in the different types of

ships. The overhead height varied from 2.4 to 2.7 m (8 to 9 ft) and had

exposed pJ.ping and ductwork beneath it. The deck was typically tiled with

vinyl-asbestos, and interior bulkheads were constructed of uninsulated painted

steel. Exterior bulkheads were insulated with fibrous glass having a painted

glass fabric cover. The bunks were similar except for the differences

4
mentioned earlier. Bedding consisted of one chloroprene mattress with fire

retarded treated cotton ticking and cover, a single sheet, one wool blanket

and one covered pillow. Accommodations for as many as 30 to 50 men in a single

berthing area were common. Spacing between rows of berths varied from 0.6 to

0.9 m (2 to 3 ft). The occupancy density in these quarters was about four men

per 9.3 m^ (100 ft^) of deck area. In terms of combustible bedding materials,

this amounted to a potential heat loading of about 5.8 kg/m^ (1.2 Ib/ft^) or

136 MJ/m^ (12 000 Btu/ft^). (Potential heat is defined in appendix hi.) In

addition, there was an estimated 18 to 27 kg (40 to 60 lbs) of Navy-issued and

civilian clothing stowed in the lockers for each crew member. However, not

much of this clothing would be expected to contribute to the effective fire

load in the compartment. Lockers are normally closed, and only a small percentage would be open at the time of an undetected fire. Furthermore, only a relatively small fraction of the closed metal lockers could be expected to be

penetrated and the contents affected by the fire. It has been estimated [3]

that probably less than 20% of the combustible contents in closed steel lockers

would contribute to the fire. Thus, the lockers could add an additional

2 kg/m^ (0.4 Ib/ft^) of combustibles. The fuel loadings for the berthing

areas are shown in table 1 . The information is presented in terms of the

potential heat per unit deck area. Aside from the items listed no personal

furnishings such as rugs or wall hangings were evident from the inspection.

Thus, the total potential heat loading for this type of compartment space is

approximately 240 MJ/m^ (21 000 Btu/ft^) of deck surface.

These sleeping quarters usually occupied areas of between 37 to 121 m^

(400 to 1300 ft^) and had a width, length and height ratio (W:L:H) ranging

from 4:4:1 to 4:2:1. Each of these spaces had at least two exits. Some of

the portals had no doors while others had swing-in doors. Several of the

latter were of the self-closing type. Occasionally, the only exits from a berthing space were hatchways to the deck above. Much of the fresh air ventilation to the compartment entered through several diffusers 20 cm (8 in)

from the floor. This air was carried through exposed aluminum ductwork

extending across the ceiling and down the wall. There was also provision for

overhead ventilation at each individual berth. This was in contrast to

officers' staterooms where the ventilation air came through ceiling vents.

In the event of a fire on board ship, ventilation could be manually curtailed

in the region of the fire origin.

Corridors had exposed electrical cables running along either the overhead or bulkheads. These passageways had decks covered with vinyl asbestos

tile, painted metal bulkheads and painted overheads with exposed piping

underneath them.

5
officers' wardrooms and crew's lounges had both wood and steel frame sofas

and cushioned chairs. Further inspection revealed that almost all of these

used flexible polyurethane foam as the padding material. Many of the bulkheads

in these spaces were covered with aluminum paneling coated with 0.79 mm

(1/32 in) thick vinyl or melamine laminate. Tables and cabinets were also

aluminum with a veneer of 0.79 mm (1/32 in) melamine or vinyl plastic. Decks

were finished with polyamide carpeting or vinyl asbestos tile. Draperies were

also available in some of these areas. All of these compartments had drop

ceilings of fibrous glass or mineral base tiles, and the overhead light fixtures were covered with plastic light diffusing panels. The potential heat

loadings per unit deck area for the wardroom and lounge facilities are given

in table 2. Analysis of the data indicates that these areas could have a potential heat loading of 108 MJ/m^ ( 9500 Btu/ft^) of deck area, excluding

papers, magazines, books and other public and personal objects.

Large mess halls appeared to have an even smaller fire load per unit area. Small mess areas with lounge facilities have roughly the same fire load as officers' wardrooms and crew's lounges.

The laundry room on board the USS Detroit covered an area 9 x 12 m (30 by

40 ft) and was estimated to have as much as 1.5 kg/m^ or 28.0 MJ/m^ (0.30

Ib/ft^ or 2500 Btu/ft^) fire load during a rush period. Similar facilities on

the USS Mullinnix only occupied a 3.0 x 3.7 m (10 x 12 ft) area. It is con- ceivable that the fire load per unit floor area there can be an order of

magnitude larger than that on the USS Detroit.

3. PREDICTION MODEL FOR FIRE BUILDUP IN A COMPARTMENT

The prediction scheme for compartment fire growth presented here is an extension and refinement of earlier treatments on the subject [2,4]. Components of the earlier models are discussed in greater detail.

3.1 Fire Buildup Potential

The severity of a compartment fire can best be described in terms of the

temperature of the hot air layer below the overhead. The hot air layer, as the term is used here, includes flaming and non-flaming gaseous pyrolysis and

combustion products. When this air temperature exceeds 500° C there is rapid

pyrolysis of all combustibles in the upper part of the compartment. When this

temperature reaches 700° C there is sufficient radiation into the lower part

of the compartment to ignite virtually everything combustible there. The

6
latter condition is referred to here as "flashover." The maximum temperature

which can be reached with a given set of lining materials, furnishings, and

ventilation can be identified as the "fire buildup potential" of the compartment. The estimation of the fire buildup potential of a compartment then is

based on a prediction of the maximum temperature rise. This prediction depends

on setting up an energy balance between the heat produced, the heat lost

through the lining materials, and the heat carried out the doorway.

For simplicity in prediction modeling, the compartment is assumed to be

divided into two uniform temperature regions with the higher air temperature,

T, in the upper part of the compartment and the ambient air temperature, T^,

in the lower part of the space. It is further assumed that there is a continuous inflow of cool air through a single open doorway into the lower portion

of the compartment and hot air carrying gaseous combustion products exhausting

from the upper part of the doorway. The mass flow out is assumed to be equal

to the mass flow in, even during periods of increasing temperature and expansion of the hot air zone at the top of the room. Since the flow exhausting

from the room consisted mainly of hot air and the heat capacity of air does

not change appreciably over the range of temperatures encountered, the averaged

heat capacities of the flow into and out of the room were assumed to be the

same for simplicity. The chemistry of combustion and the mass of the pyrolysis

products produced in the compartment is neglected. Under quasi-steady-state

conditions the energy rate balance can then be expressed as

Q + EA. 4 . = L (T - T^) + iticT - ihcT^ (1)

i where Q

A.

1

L

ifi

c

T

is the total rate of heat production by the furnishings kW;

is the area of the fire involvement of the i-th lining material

m ;

is its average heat release rate per unit surface area kW/m^

is the ratio of the average heat loss rate by conduction and

radiation to the air temperature rise, T-T^ kW/°C;

is the mass flow rate of combustion product laden air out of the

doorway kg/S;

is the heat capacity of air averaged over the temperature range

from T^ to T kJ/kg/°C.

is the air temperature in the upper region of the compartment °K

7
T is the air temperature in the lower region of the compartment °K

o

Equation (1) can be solved for the temperature rise as follows:

T - T

o

Q + Z A . d . ^ . 1^1

1 m c + L

( 2 )

Equation (2) displays the relationship between the temperature rise and the

heat contribution of the furnishings plus lining materials, the airflow rate,

and the heat losses.

Equation (2) is complicated by the fact that each of the factors in it

depends on time and, to some extent, upon the temperature. The burning rate

of the furnishings, the area of flame spread and the heat release rate of the

lining materials depend on the incident heat flux, convective and radiative,

to which these materials are exposed. This flux is a function of the hot gas

and smoke layer and the upper surface temperatures. The volumetric flow rate

is a weak function of temperature. Where radiation is the dominant heat loss

mechanism, the loss factor, L, is a strong function of temperature. These

factors also depend on the time. Therefore, it is necessary to solve

equation (2) in a succession of small time steps, starting at the beginning

of the fire and taking the temperature dependence into account at each step.

This will require the development of a suitable computer program. The four

separate terms that are included in equation (2) will now be discussed.

3.2 Burning Rate of Furnishings

The burning items of furniture may serve as an ignition source for the

lining materials as well as produce additional heating. In some cases the

rate of heat generation of the furnishings may be of sufficient magnitude to cause flashover without any additional contribution from the lining materials.

The heat generation rate for an item of furniture is equal to the product of

the burning area times its heat release rate per unit area. However, this

rate depends on the orientation and on the incident heat flux. At the present

time we are not able to predict this rate without conducting experiments.

However, we can list some typical values. In the compartment fires study [2],

where each mattress was supported by an aluminum plate, the highest measured

burning rate for the three-man berth was 42 g/s (5.5 Ib/min) . It is likely,

however, that higher rates were actually achieved in some of the more severe bunk fires for which the burning rates were unfortunately not recorded due to

instrumentation malfunctions. The upholstered chairs used in the experiments

8
by Fang [5] had burning rates as high as 25 g/s (3.3 Ib/min) . The burning

rates for the couches used by Waterman [6] ranged from 19 to 90 g/s (2.5 to

11. 9 Ib/min)

.

It was determined during the berthing compartment fire tests [2] that

670 kW (38 000 Btu/min) was sufficient to cause flashover ofa3x3x2.1m

(10 X 10 X 7 ft) compartment having an open doorway. This corresponds to a burning rate of approximately 40 to 45 g/s (5.3 to 5.9 Ib/min). Thus, fire

involvement of the three-man Navy berth could, by itself, lead to flashover of

the compartment.

Before undertaking further studies on the effect of compartment lining

materials on the fire growth in Navy berthing compartments, the burning rates

of Navy bunks should be examined in more detail. The effects of bunk construction, bedding materials, and ventilation should be systematically investigated

in a compartment lined with fibrous glass to provide the maximum realistic

radiation feedback to the bunks. The compartment fire study recently completed

for the Navy [2] suggests that bunks closed along three sides to prevent cross

flow of air will reduce significantly the burning rate. On the other hand,

privacy curtains, which in effect make a small compartment of the bunk itself, can lead to very high burning rates if a fire is started within. It was also

noted in the above study that high airflows delivered directly at the bunk can provide the ventilation necessary for a large fire. These adverse conditions

might be avoided by design or regulations. A recent study on the effect of

insulating the chloroprene mattress core to cut down on the burning rate [7]

indicated that an even more severe condition could be established due to a trapping of the heat generated by the chloroprene. Less combustible bedding

materials may be necessary. Experiments on the spread of fire between and

across tiers of bunks would also be germane to the problem of high burning

rates in large compartments. In addition to providing information needed for

safer bunks, a set of standard conditions could be specified for future fire

tests of compartment lining materials.

3.3 Interior Finish Materials

The heat contribution of the finish materials is contained in the second

term in the numerator while their insulation characteristics affect the loss

factor term in the denominator of equation (2). The latter term is discussed

in section 3.5. The heat contribution term establishes the need for certain

fire properties which must be obtained from standard fire tests. The existence

of the i-th term and the time at which each successive heat contribution

becomes effective depend on the ignitability of that material and the exposure

9
that it receives from its igniting source, which may be a burning item of

furnishing or an already burning section of lining material. The ease of

ignition test [8], described in section A.l of appendix A, exposes the specimen

to a prescribed methane gas flame and measures the time at which the material

starts to contribute heat to the fire.

The heat release rate of the i-th material, q^, which is averaged over

the area, A^ , depends on the incident heat flux which can be as high as 8 W/cm^

at the time of flashover. The heat release rate of a material can vary considerably with time during the period over which the material releases heat. The

heat release rate versus time at any incident radiant flux up to 8 W/cm^ can

be measured by the calorimeter [9] described in section A. 2.

The area of involvement. A., of the i-th material needs to be determined

1 from a flame spread test. There are two generally recognized ASTM flame spread

tests for interior finish materials. These are the E 84 tunnel test [10] and

the E 162 radiant panel test [11] described in sections A. 3 and A. 4 , respectively. There is also a new test for floor covering materials, namely, the

flooring radiant panel test [12,13]. The latter, which is described in section

A. 5, was designed for the evaluation of carpeting or other flooring materials

in corridors. Generally, the flooring materials do not become involved in a room fire until flashover is imminent. However, the flooring radiant panel

can be used to classify floor covering materials in terms of their tendency to

spread fire according to the level of the exposed flux.

3.4 Ventilation

The air used for the burning of combustibles may be delivered mechanically

through a duct in the compartment, or by convection through the doorway, or

some combination of both. Flow through a supply duct is known while the

induced flow through the doorway can be estimated following the treatment of

Prahl and Emmons [14].

Based on the assumption of a uniform temperature above the hot and cold

flow interface, they derived the following equation for the induced mass flow

out of the doorway;

m

v/^3 ""fPo [gr (1 - r) ] b h (3)

where is an orifice coefficient which is determined empirically to be

10
approximately 0.7;

is the density of the ambient air kg/m^;

g is the acceleration due to gravity m/S^;

r is the ratio of the density of the hot air to the ambient air

density, p/p^;

b is the doorway width m; and

h is the height of the hot outflow region below the top of the

doorway m.

Taking the mass outflow equal to the mass inflow, neglecting the mass of

the fuel released in the compartment, and converting to the volumetric flow

rate, V^, to facilitate comparison of the calculated rates with the measured

volume flow rates, we have

V =

o

/8

3

1/2

b hV2 (4)

If we assume that h is approximately equal to one half of the doorway height,

H, as is usually observed near flashover [2]

,

V = o .

1/2

b hV2 (5)

[/) (‘ - rt]

’ /2

The quantityj^y^ IS

flashover, where T is approximately

not very sensitive to temperature.

3 T^, it is 0.47; when T 'v 2 T^, it

At

is 0 50.

Taking g

= 9.8 m/S^ (1.15 x 10^ ft/min^),

= 0.7, and

[(T^/T) (1-(T^/T) )

]

0.47,

= 0.34 b m^/S with b and H in meters

(37 b ftVmin with b and H in ft) (6)

11
For the berthing compartment fires [2] there was a 0.69 x 1.9 m (2.25 x 6.25 ft)

doorway. Thus the volume flow rate would be expected to reach a maximum of

0.62 m^/S 1300 ftVmin). For the half open doorway the volume flow rates might

be expected to reach 0.32 mVs (650 ftVmin) . The maximum flow rates measured

during the compartment fire tests were 0.58 m^/S (1250 ft^/min) for the fully

opened doorway and 0.25 mVs (530 ft V min ) for the half—opened doorway.

Using equation (6) the approximate mass outflow rate, m, is given by

m = Pq^o ~ 0"020 b kg/S (2.75 b H^/^lbs/min) (7)

The mass flow rate is sensitive to the height of the neutral pressure plane,

i.e., the plane separating the inflow and outflow of air. Proven techniques

for predicting this height do not exist at the present time. The best that

one can do is to substitute equation (7) into equation (2)

3.5 Heat Losses

The losses by conduction through the walls and ceiling and by radiation

to the outside of the compartment and to the lower part of the room are important in determining the maximum temperature that can be reached and the time

at which it is attained. The loss factor L is merely a ratio of these thermal

losses and the air temperature rise in the compartment. It will depend in

general upon both temperature and time.

Initially, the largest component of the losses is the transient heat

conduction into the lining materials. Some insight into the importance of

this term can be obtained by considering the temperature rise of a semiinfinite solid with a constant flux, q, at its surface [15], where.

T - T

s o

2 q t

TT (KpC) ( 8 )

and where Tg is the temperature of the surface °K,

TT is 3.14,

K is the thermal conductivity kW/m/°C,

p is the density kg/m^

,

12
c is the heat capacity kJ/kg/®C, and

t is the time

For rough calculational purposes, the surface temperature is assumed to

be equal to the air temperature in the upper part of the compartment. Then,

to the extent that the linings can be considered infinitely thick and that

there is a constant heat flow through the surface, the early loss term is given

by

where A is the exposed area. Initially L is very large and the time required

for it to become small depends on Kpc. Low density materials like foam plastics and fibrous glass permit flashover to occur much more rapidly than similar

high density lining materials in a compartment because of the smaller thermal

losses with materials of smaller Kpc values. Of course, in the case of fibrous

glass there must be a large enough contribution from the furnishing materials

in order to have a flashover at all.

At some intermediate stage of the fire develoipment , the thermal conductivity K will become a more important heat loss factor than the quantity Kpc

in determining the ultimate course of the fire. If the temperature in the

upper part of the compartment continues to increase, at some later stage of

the fire, radiation to the lower part of the compartment becomes the dominant

heat loss mechanism. It was found in the berthing compartment fires study [2]

that the maximum temperature rise could be estimated from the rate of heat

production, as indicated by the oxygen depletion of the exhaust gases from the

compartment, if it were assumed that the heat losses to the lower part of the

compartment and to the outside were due to radiation. Therefore, as an approximation, let L in equation (2) be given by the expression.

where a is the Stefan Boltzmann constant, A^ is the deck area, and T is the

effective temperature of the radiating hot surfaces and gas and smoke layer in

the upper part of the compartment assuming an emissivity of unity.

(Kpc) A (9)

L = AjO (T“ - T^)/ (T - T^) ( 10 )

13
3.6 Prediction Model Summary

The fire buildup potential of a compartment, as indicated by the air

temperature developed in the upper part of the compartment, can be predicted

from equation (2)

,

provided the terms in the latter are known. The term for

the mass flow rate of air out of the doorway, m, can be estimated from

equation (7)

Heat loss by conduction and radiation, L, can be approximated

by neglecting the conduction term and using equation (10) . The burning rate,

Q, is difficult to predict and must be measured. The average heat release

rate per unit surface area of each interior finish material must also be

measured. The term for the area of fire involvement in equation (2) for each

material is difficult to measure and is presently estimated from flame spread

tests of the material. Experimental and analytical studies are continuing to

determine a suitable measure of surface fire spread. It is anticipated that

the prediction model will become operational once the problem of fire spread

is resolved.

4. APPLICATION AND MODIFICATION OF LABORATORY FIRE TESTS

This section discusses the refinement and/or practical employment of the ease of ignition, ASTM E 84, ASTM E 162, flooring radiant panel, rate of heat

release and potential heat tests for interior finish materials. Whenever

possible the interior linings used in the Navy compartment fires program [2] were reevaluated with the modified fire performance tests. The overhead and

bulkhead sheathings and the wool deck covering used in that program were no longer available in the same color, surface texture or backing construction.

Except for these variances, the substitute materials were judged to be similar

to the original materials.

Table 3 outlines the materials that have been evaluated for their fire

performance. Tables 3 and 4 and figures 1 to 5 summarize the experimental

results from the fire tests. From three to six separate ease of ignition tests

of each material were run to obtain the ignition data shown in table 3. All

of the tabulated flame spread values were averaged from three tests of each

material. The rate of heat release data were averaged from two tests of each

material

4.1 Ignition

In the ease of ignition test for measuring the ignitability of materials

[16] , operational improvements in the test method and more meaningful interpretation of the data have been investigated by Lawson and Parker [8]. C.P.

14
grade methane (99% purity) has been substituted for natural gas to ensure more

repeatability in the exposure flame particularly when the test is to be used

at different locations. A phototube was incorporated to detect the onset of

fuel contribution by the specimen. The time at which a flame will attach to

the material surface is noted during the test. The time at which the material

will sustain surface flaming in the absence of the exposing flame can still be

determined as it was in the earlier version of the test. However, it has

become apparent that the time at which a material first begins to contribute

fuel to the fire is a better indicator of the contribution of the material to an early compartment flashover. Furthermore, some materials which cannot sus- tain a flame can contribute significantly to the growth and intensity of a fire when they are exposed to an external flame.

Certain materials which swell or intumesce during the ignition test have

caused serious obstruction of the igniting flame in the gap separating the

parallel specimens. To alleviate this problem, Lawson and Parker widened this

gap from 22 mm (7/8 in) to 50 mm (2 in) . Ease of ignition data using the

modified test are indicated on table 3.

From our experience with material behavior in compartment fires [2,17]

a flame exposure time of less than 60 seconds for the onset of fuel contribution from a material indicates that the material is likely to have a significant effect on fire growth. Of the materials listed in table 3 only the low

density acoustical panel substitute, the acrylic carpet and the wool carpet

substitute exhibited times to fuel contribution which were less than 60 seconds

in the ease of ignition test.

4 . 2 Flame Spread

4.2.1 General Discussion

Flame spread along a surface is presently evaluated using comparative

numerical index values in the ASTM 84 tunnel and the ASTM E 162 radiant panel.

Flame propagation in the former test is in the direction of the ventilation

through the tunnel. The heat and fuel generated from the burning material also

flows in the same direction and contributes to the extension of the flame

front. Flame travel on the E 162 radiant panel is downward, counter to the

air updraft. Heat produced by the burning specimen moves vertically away from

the specimen and does not contribute to the flame spread. Both modes of fire

spread are found in compartment type fires. In the initial stages of a fire

the flame spread along the interior finish is upwards from the ignition flame

in the direction of airflow similar to flame propagation and flow in the E 84

15
tunnel. Lateral flame travel across the bulkhead, away from this initial flame

zone, is more a function of the ignitability of the material. Similarly, flame

propagation downward is closely related to the ignitability of the material.

Thus, the flame spread away from the initial flame zone may be some function

of the performance of the material on the ease of ignition test and on the

E 162 radiant panel test.

Until the new method of calculation was adopted in 1976, the standard

tunnel test distinguished between two classes of materials: those in which

the flame extends over the end of the tunnel and those that do not. A tunnel

flame spread classification (ESC) of 77.5 formed the dividing line between

these classes. There is evidence [18] that for ESC values less than 77.5, a linear correlation may exist between the ESC and the rate of heat release

values for materials. This is consistent with the earlier observation that

the surface flame propagation along a material in the tunnel is dependent on

the heat and fuel generated from the burning material. Elame spread along a material with a ESC of 77.5 or more might be considered to be self-propagating,

and in equation (2) of section 3.1 should be set equal to the area of the

exposed material surface for this case, because flame would be expected to

extend to the boundaries of the material. If the flame stops within the confines of the tunnel then the flame is not self-propagating , and the area of

flame coverage in a room fire will depend on the size of the exposing flame

and on the incident radiant flux originating from other regions of the room.

The radiant panel produces an index number, 1^, which is a product of a flame spread factor, E^, and a rate of heat contribution. Intuitively, it may

provide less information as to the extent of the upward flame spread than the

E 84 test. However, if the overhead becomes immersed in flame, the next stage

of the fire development is downward flame propagation over the bulkhead surfaces. The quantity E^ represents some weighted average rate of flame spread

for a material exposed over the flux range from 0.5 to almost 4 W/cm^ . Thus

E and, to a lesser degree, I , can give some indication of the potential

surface flame spread for a material.

However, in making use of the flame spread rate in the E 162 test it is

important to realize that the rate depends strongly on the slope of the heat

flux distribution along the length of the test specimen as well as on the flux

level along the flame front. This distribution, which depends on the angle

between the specimen and the panel, affects the preheating of the specimen

ahead of the flame front. The rate of flame spread is inversely proportional

to the time required to heat the specimen surface from the preheat temperature

to the pyrolysis temperature. Thus one cannot directly apply the flame spread

16
rates obtained in the test to the calculation of flame spread in a room where

the incident heat flux distribution is different.

Correlations between the flame spread ratings or the flame distance in

the tunnel with the flame coverage of the compartment finish, or with the air

temperatures in compartment fires have been attempted [18,19], but exceptions

to such correlations occur. In our analysis of some fire tests conducted at

Underwriters Laboratories [20] , little correlation was found between the flame

spread ratings for the interior finish and the degree of fire buildup in a room. Their test compartment was lined with plastic board materials and a 9.1 kg (20-lb) wood crib, positioned in one corner, served as the ignition

source. These tests demonstrated that fires with some plastic interior finish

having a 25 or lower rating on either or both of the E 84 and E 162 tests still

led to flashover of the compartment.

Samples of some of the low ESC plastic foam materials used in the above

tests [20] were also tested on the ease of ignition test and were found to

contribute fuel in only 1 second of flame exposure. Thus, even though materials might have low flammability ratings, the ignition criterion in section

4.1 must also be applied to assure a higher reliability in screening out such

materials. The ignition test by itself should not be used for eliminating

these interior finish materials. It is not certain that a long time to fuel

contribution on the ease of ignition test will always ensure that the flame

spread in a fire will not be sustained, or whether it will be slow under

irradiance levels higher than that found in the ignition test.

4.2.2 Critical Flux and Propagation Rate

Application of the E 84 and E 162 tests is complicated by the fact that

the numerical classifications from both tests do not necessarily indicate the

relative rates of flame spread among materials nor do they show under what

conditions of external thermal reinforcement flame spread might or might not occur along materials. Data from the E 162 radiant panel test may, however,

be used to estimate the lowest or critical heat flux for sustained flame propagation. Values of critical flux for some interior finish materials are given

on table 3. The relative flame spread of these materials on the E 162 test

are indicated on figures 1 and 2. Of the materials shown on these figures

only the acrylic deck covering has a critical flux considerably lower than the

other materials. It also has a relatively fast flame spread. However, a high

critical flux value does not necessarily mean a slow flame spread once this

flux value has been exceeded, e.g., the low density acoustical panel material

on figure 1.

17
Critical flux for flame spread and the rate of flame propagation along a material are functions of its orientation, the direction of flame travel, and

the irradiance field along the length of the specimen. Upward flame spread is

faster and easier to sustain than flame travel in the other directions. However, flame spread differences among materials are easier to ascertain for the

slower lateral and downward flame travel. Table 3 along with figures 1 and 3 compare downward flame spread on the E 162 test with lateral flame spread, as measured with the developmental flame spread test discussed in section A. 6,

for several materials. The data showed that critical fluxes measured from two

different tests can differ significantly and that relative flame spread rates

among materials could also change with the type of test. In figure 1 the vinyl

laminate had a slower fire spread rate than that for the high density acoustic

panel. But figure 3 shows the opposite behavior when the developmental flame

spread test was used.

Results from the E 162 and flooring radiant panel tests for deck coverings,

table 3 and figures 2 and 4, also demonstrated that significant differences

can occur due to specimen orientation. However, the data from either test can

be applied to find the good performers, e.g., both tests indicated that the

polyamide carpet and vinyl asbestos tile have much lower flame spread rates

than those for the wool carpet with the latex- jute back and the acrylic carpet.

Critical fluxes from the two tests were similar for the materials considered,

with the exception of the wool deck covering. The latter material had a critical flux value of 2.2 on the E 162 test as compared with about 0.85 in its

actual use orientation on the flooring radiant panel test. The fact that such

large differences may occur seriously warrant testing deck materials only with

the flooring radiant panel. Critical heat flux values for the deck coverings

tested with the developmental flammability test, table 3 and figure 5, were in

reasonable agreement with those measured with the flooring radiant panel,

table 3 and figure 4.

4.3 Rate of Heat Release

The previous sections discussed the roles of material ignitability and

flammability on the fire involvement of the compartment finish. A material

may readily ignite and spread the fire over a large area, but if it is also

accompanied by a low rate of heat release per unit surface area, the compartment space would not lead to flashover. It has been demonstrated in the Navy

berthing fires [2] that the total heat generation rate in the compartment must

be less than an approximate rate of 72 kW/m^ (6.3 Btu/s/ft^) of deck area to

avoid flashover conditions.

18
The rate of heat generation from a burning material under adequate

ventilation conditions depends on the degree of external heating and on its

configuration and construction. Orientation of a material is particularly

important if it melts and drips under heating. Material thickness and substrate can affect its rate and duration of heat production.

Heat release rates of some shipboard interior finish had been measured in

the vertical orientation under an irradiance of 6 W/cm^ [2]

.

These same or similar materials have now been investigated over a range of irradiances from

2 to 6 W/cm^ , and the deck coverings have also been studied in a horizontal

test position. Experimental results are shown in table 4.

In general, the rate of heat generation increases with an increased

irradiance. In order to apply the data in table 4, the approximate irradiance

field throughout the compartment must be known. Several fire experiments had

been conducted in a one-quarter scale compartment having an opened doorway to

obtain some indication of this irradiance environment [17] . These tests simulated the situation where a burning 14-pound wood crib was positioned in one corner ofa3x3x2.4 m(10 x 10 x 8 ft) high compartment with the bulkhead

and overhead lined with 2 . 5 cm (1.0 in) PVC nitrile rubber. These tests showed

that the flux to the overhead quickly exceeded 5 W/cm^ at flashover. Averaged

irradiance levels along the upper half of the bulkhead were roughly the same

and the irradiance on the deck was approximately one-quarter to one-half of

the overhead values measured during the fire development up to flashover.

These values suggest that exposure fluxes of 6, 6, and 2 W/cm^ may be appropriate for evaluating the rates of heat release for overhead, bulkhead and

deck materials, respectively. As is evident from the data in table 4, orientation of the specimen is also important and the deck coverings should always be

tested in the horizontal position facing up.

Various ways can be used to characterize the heat release rate from a burning material. As an example, the data can be displayed in terms of the

peak rate, the highest 1-minute average rate and the maximum 3-minute

average value, as has been done in table 4. Although it is not apparent from

the tabulated results, each of these rates could conceivably rank a set of

materials in quite different order, and the one which is best depends on the

duration of the fire. In the absence of better information, it is recommended

that the highest 1-minute average values be used.

19
4.4 Potential Heat

In addition to the necessity for limiting the rate of heat production and

thus the intensity of the fire, there is also a need for restricting the duration of the fire. The latter requirement is intended to limit the effect of

the fire on the structural integrity of the compartment components as well as

to reduce the probability of fire penetration into adjoining occupancies. This

fire duration or severity is related to the potential heat production of the

compartment finish and contents. The potential heat test [21] , described in

section A. 7 of the appendix, adequately provides a quantitative measure of the

available heat from materials. A commonly used relation between fire severity

and fire load [3] shows that for every 12.1 kg/m^ (2-1/2 Ib/ft^) in fire load,

the fire severity, in terms of ASTM E 119 type of fire exposure, increases by

1/4 hour. This represents about 240 MJ/m^ (21 000 Btu/ft^) of deck area. The

typical contents in shipboard berthing compartments would then lead to about

15 minutes of fire exposure. The compartment fire tests [2] have indicated

the seriousness of such exposures on 0.25 cm (0.10 in) thick aluminum bunk

partitions. There is further experimental evidence [22] that exposure times

as short as 6 minutes could also be detrimental to 0.64 cm (1/4 in) thick aluminum plating. Based on the survey of compartment spaces in section 2.2.,

lounges and wardrooms may have a fire duration as long as 7 minutes, while

laundry areas may have a fire duration of up to 18 minutes.

5 . SUMMARY

A review of statistics of fire incidents on board ship has identified

machinery spaces, supply areas, habitability spaces such as the berthing quarters, wardrooms and lounges, and deck storage areas as the spaces having a relatively high incidence of fires. The machinery and deck storage areas were

too complex to characterize in a simple manner and were not evaluated in this

report. However the crew's living areas were relatively easy to characterize.

Berthing quarters were observed to occupy deck areas ranging from about 37 m^

(400 ft^) up to 121 m^ (1300 ft^) with a potential heat loading of about 240

MJ/m^ (21 000 Btu/ft^). Officers' wardrooms, crew's lounges and mess halls were found to have less than one half of the potential heat loading of the

berthing spaces. However, the potential heat loading in the laundry rooms could sometimes approach that in the berthing areas.

The prediction model for compartment fire growth, developed previously

for the Navy, was extended to include a derivation for determining the fire

induced airflow into the fire room. In addition, the components of this fire

20
buildup model along with the associated problem areas were discussed in detail.

The concepts of critical heat flux for sustained flaming and the effect of

radiation reinforcement on heat release and flame propagation rates have been

discussed. However, more effort is needed to relate the irradiance field in

a compartment to the degree of fire buildup in the space before such concepts

can be applied effectively. Until this becomes feasible and until compartment

fire buildup can be adequately predicted from such information, criteria for

choosing fire safe materials must rely on the state of the art knowledge of

fires. This means relying upon existing laboratory fire tests.

Refinement of the test methods has resulted in an expanded application of

the ASTM E 162 test apparatus to include the measurement of the critical flux

for sustained flame spread along materials. In the ease of ignition test the

time at which a material first begins to contribute fuel to the fire appears

to be a better indicator of the contribution of the material to an early com- partment fire growth than the time for self-sustained flaming, which was used

previously. Significant progress has also been made in the interpretation of

the flame spread potential of materials, as measured by the laboratory fire

tests. Flame spread phenomena along interior finish materials in a compartment

fire may often be related to the laboratory fire tests of the materials. In

a typical fire scenario, the flame spread is initially upwards from the ignition flame. The ultimate height of this flame zone or, if the flame zone exceeds the height of the overhead, its extension across the overhead depends

on the same factors as the flame travel distance along the ASTM E 84 tunnel.

However, the flame spread distance along a material in the tunnel appears to

be a function of the rate of heat generation of the burning material. Since

measurement of the latter fire property is needed to fully describe the potential contribution of the material to the fire development in the compartment,

the E 84 flame spread classification for the material becomes a redundant

measurement

.

Lateral flame travel across the bulkhead, away from the initial flame

zone, is related to the flame spread factor F^, and to a lesser extent, to

the flame spread index I in the ASTM E 162 test and is some function of the

s ignitability of the material. Similarly, flame propagation downward along

the interior finish can be characterized with this flame spread factor and

should be relatable to the ignition properties of the material. Thus, the

flame spread away from the initial flame affected zone appears to be some function of the material's performance on the ease of ignition and on the ASTM

E 162 tests. However, no single test by itself can adequately assess the

flame spread potential of bulkhead and overhead finish.

21
As for deck coverings, surface flame spread cannot occur until the

irradiance level on the deck has reached the critical value for sustained

flaming on the material. This critical flux can be adequately measured with

the flooring radiant panel test.

The degree of compartment fire involvement is indicated by the average

temperature in the upper part of the space. Any increase in this temperature,

and hence in fire involvement, beyond that created by the burning furnishings

in an adequately ventilated space, depends not only on the compartment surface

area covered by the fire but also on the rate of heat production per unit area

of the affected surface. This latter quantity can be measured with the rate

of heat release calorimeter. It is recommended that exposure fluxes of 6, 6 and 2 W/cm^ be employed in the latter for evaluating the rates of heat release

for overhead, bulkhead, and deck materials, respectively. Deck coverings

should be tested in the horizontal position.

In addition to limiting the intensity of the fire, there is also a need

for restricting its duration. This can be met by requiring a reasonable limit

on the total potential heat content of the compartment finishes and furnishings.

Fire performance evaluations of materials with the ASTM E 162 or the

flooring radiant panel tests along with the ease of ignition, the heat release

rate calorimeter and the potential heat tests are, therefore, all important in

assuring a higher reliability in screening out potentially fire hazardous materials which can contribute significantly to compartment fire growth. Although

the generation of smoke and combustion gases from materials burning in the room are also important for fire safety considerations, they are less important

in determining room fire buildup.

6 . ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Appreciation is expressed to Mr . C. Veirtz, Mr. R. Lindauer and Mr.

R. Willard for performing the material testing. This study was sponsored in

part by the Naval Sea Systems Command, Department of the Navy, under the direction of Mr. C. Bogner, technical agent for the Engineering Materials and

Services Office of the Naval Ship Engineering Center.

22
7. REFERENCES

[1] Fire Performance Requirements and Approved Specifications for Interior

Finish Materials and Furnishings (Naval Shipboard Use) , Military Standard

1623 B (SHIPS), (Nov. 14, 1975).

[2] Lee, B. T. and Parker, W. J. , Naval Shipboard Fire Risk Criteria-Berthing

Compartment Fire Study and Fire Performance Guidelines, Nat. Bur. Stand.

(U.S.), NBSIR 76-1052 (Sept. 1976).

[3] Building Materials and Structures, NBS Report BMS 92 (Oct. 7, 1942).

[4] Parker, W. J. and Lee, B. T. , A Small-Scale Enclosure for Characterizing

the Fire Buildup Potential of a Room, Nat. Bur. Stand. (U.S.),

NBSIR 75-710 (June 1975)

.

[5] Fang, J. B., Measurements of the Behavior of Incidental Fires in a Compartment, Nat. Bur. Stand. (U.S.), NBSIR 75-679 (March 1975).

[6] Waterman, T. E., Determination of Fire Conditions Supporting Room Flashover, Final Report, IITRI Project M6131, Contract No. DA-49-146-XZ-475

,

DASA 1886 (Sept. 1966)

.

[7] Breese, J. N., Tests of Insulative Barriers as a Method of Protecting

Neoprene Core Mattresses, Nat. Bur. Stand. (U.S.), NBSIR 77-1295

(Nov. 1977)

[8] Lawson J. R. and Parker, W. J., Development of An Ease of Ignition Test

Using Flame Impingement, Nat. Bur. Stand. (U.S.), NBSIR, to be published.

[9] Parker, W. J. and Long, M. E., Development of a Heat Release Rate

Calorimeter at NBS, Ignition, Heat Release and Noncombustibility of

Materials, ASTM STP 502, American Society for Testing and Materials,

pp. 135-151, 1972.

[10] Standard Test Method for Surface Burning Characteristics of Building

Materials, ASTM E 84, American Society for Testing and Materials,

Philadelphia, Pa.

[11] Standard Test Method for Surface Flammability of Materials Using a Radiant

Heat Energy Source, ASTM E 162, American Society for Testing and Materials,

Philadelphia, Pa.

23
[12] Benjamin, I. A. and Adams, C. H. , The Flooring Radiant Panel Test and

Proposed Criteria, Fire Journal, Vol. 70, No. 2 (March 1976).

[13] Federal Test Method Standard No. 372, Test for Critical Radiant Flux

of Carpet Flooring Systems (Flooring Radiant Panel Test) (August 1977)

[14] Prahl, J. and Emmons, H. W. , Combustion and Flame, Vol. 25, No. 3,

Dec. 1975, pp. 369-385.

[15] Carslaw, H. S. and Jaeger, J. C. , Conduction of Heat in Solids, Second

Edition (Oxford, 1959)

[16] Parker, W. J., Development of a Test for Ease of Ignition by Flame

Impingement, Nat. Bur. Stand. (U.S.), NBS Report 10495 (Feb. 11, 1972).

[17] Lee, B. T. and Breese, J. N. , Submarine Compartment Fire Study-Fire

Performance Evaluation of Hull Insulation, Nat. Bur. Stand. (U.S.),

NBSIR 78-1584 (1979)

[18] Parker, W. J., An Investigation of the Fire Environment in the ASTM E 84

Tunnel Test, Nat. Bur. Stand. (U.S.), Tech. Note 945 (August 1977).

[19] Fang, J. B., Fire Buildup in a Room and the Role of Interior Finish

Materials, Nat. Bur. Stand. (U.S.), Tech. Note 879 (June 1975).

[20] Castino, G. T., et al.. Flammability Studies of Cellular Plastics and

Other Building Materials Used for Interior Finish, Underwriters

Laboratories Inc., 1975.

[21] Standard Test Method for Potential Heat of Building Materials, NFPA 259

(1976)

[22] Lee, B. T., Fire Performance Testing of Bulkhead Insulation Systems for

High Strength to Weight Ship Structures, Nat. Bur. Stand. (U.S.),

NBSIR 76-1012 (Aug. 1976)

24
APPENDIX A. TESTS OF FIRE PROPERTIES

A.l Ease of Ignition Test

The ease of ignition test [8] measures the exposure times required to

produce flame attachment and fuel contribution of building materials in contact

with flame. Two specimens 14.0 cm (5-1/2 in) wide and 15.2 cm (6 in) high face

each other 50 mm (2 in) apart. Natural gas is introduced into the gap and is

ignited with a spark. The exposing flame passes between the specimen surfaces

and extends about 25.4 cm (10 in) above them. The incident heat flux on the

specimen surface averages 3.2 W/cm^ (2.8 Btu/s /ft^).

The time of flame attachment is observed visually. The time of fuel

contribution is indicated by a phototube which is sampling the radiation from

the flame.

A. 2 Heat Release Rate Calorimeter

The heat release rate calorimeter [9] measures the rate of heat generation

for building materials exposed to radiant fluxes up to 10 W/cm^ (8.8 Btu/ft^)

with a response time of a few seconds. A 11.4 by 15 cm (4-1/2 x 6 in) specimen, up to 2.5 cm (1 in) in thickness, is oriented vertically in front of gasfired radiant panels lining three sides of a combustion chamber. The radiation

comes from the surface of these panels whose temperatures may be varied

between 627 and 1,027° C (1,160 and 1,880° F) to produce the desired irradiance

level on the sample. The edges of the specimen are shielded by an insulated

holder. Air for combustion of the sample passes up through the porous floor

of the chamber.

The fast time response of the calorimeter to the heat leaving the front

surface of the specimen is achieved by maintaining the instrument at a constant

temperature so that there is little heat loss between the combustion products

and the apparatus itself. The constant temperature operation is accomplished

with an auxiliary burner whose fuel supply is regulated by an automatic temperature controller. An increase in heat due to the burning of the specimen

is then compensated by a decrease in the fuel flow rate. The calorimeter

measures this decrease in the rate of flow of the fuel, which is also

proportional to the rate of heat release of the specimen.

A. 3 ASTM E 84 Tunnel Test

The ASTM E 84 tunnel test [10] measures the flame spread performance of

the specimen material relative to that of asbestos-cement board and red oak

25
flooring under similar test conditions for a duration of 10 minutes. A 50.8 cm

(20 in) wide and 7.3 m (24 ft) long specimen is horizontally-mounted in an overhead orientation in a 7.6 m (25-ft) long test chamber. The fire end of

the tunnel is provided with two gas burners delivering flames upward against

the surface of the test sample. An air intake port 7.6 cm (3 in) high, measured from the floor level of the test chamber, is provided at the fire end.

The vent end is fitted to a 40.6 cm (16 in) diameter flue pipe. Changes in

smoke density in the latter is monitored photometrically. A thermocouple is

also mounted 2.5 cm (1 in) from the sample surface, within 30.5 cm (1 ft) of

the vent end.

Results are given for flame spread, fuel contributed and smoke developed.

These values, obtained from burning the test material, represent a comparison

with those of asbestos-cement board expressed as zero and red oak flooring

expressed as 100. Until the new method of calculation was adopted in 1976, the

flame spread classification, FSC, was determined as follows:

(1) For materials on which flame spreads 5.94 m (19-1/2 ft) in a time,

t, of 5-1/2 min or less, FSC = 550/t.

(2) If the flame front spreads to 5.94 m (19-1/2 ft) in more than

5-1/2 min, then FSC = 50 + 275/t.

(3) For materials on which the flame spreads less than 5.94 m (19-1/2

ft) but more than 4.11 m (13-1/2 ft), FSC = 50 + 4.62 d where d is

in meters, and FSC = 50 + 1.41 d where d is in feet.

(4) When the extreme flame spread distance is 4.11 m (13-1/2 ft) or

less, the classification is FSC = 16.84 d for d in meters and

5.128 d for d in feet.

According to the new method of calculation the FSC is proportional to the area under the flame distance versus time curve during the 10-minute exposure

period. In the event that the flame recedes during the test, the distance used

in plotting the curve is the maximum distance traveled up to time at which the

distance is being plotted.

The value for fuel contributed is derived by calculating the net area under the time-temperature curve from the thermocouple near the vent end for

the test material and comparing this area with the net area under the curve

for untreated red oak strip flooring.

26
The smoke developed during the test is determined from the time dependent

increase in obscuration of a light source due to the smoke in the vent pipe.

The smoke rating is derived by calculating the net area under the timeobscuration curve for the test material and comparing this area with the net

area under the curve for untreated red oak strip flooring.

A. 4 ASTM E 162 Radiant Panel Test

The ASTM E 162 radiant panel test [11] requires a 15.2 x 45.7 cm (6

X 18 in) specimen, facing and inclined 30 degrees to a vertically-mounted,

gas-fired radiant<ijpanel . The energy output of the panel is controlled to be

the same as that from a blackbody of the same dimensions operating at a temperature of 670° C (1,238° F) . Ignition is caused by a pilot flame just above

the upper edge of the test specimen and observations are made of the progress

of the flame front down the specimen surface, as well as the temperature rise

of the thermocouples in a stack supported above the test specimen. The test

is terminated when the flame reaches the end of the specimen or in 15 minutes,

or whichever time is less. The flame spread index, 1^, is computed as the

product of the flame spread factor, F^, and the heat evolution, Q^, or = FgQg, where

F

s t 3 te-t

;

tg-tf t 1 2 -t < t 1 5-t 1 2 and Q 0.1 AT/6

The symbols tg to tis correspond to times in minutes from specimen exposure

until arrival of the flame front at a position 7.6 to 38.1 cm (3 to 15 in),

respectively, along the length of the specimen. The value of 0.1 in the

relation for the heat evolution is a constant arbitrarily chosen to yield a flame spread index of approximately 100 for red oak. The quantity AT is the

observed maximum stack thermocouple temperature rise over that observed with

an asbestos-cement board specimen, and 6 is the maximum stack thermocouple

temperature rise for unit heat input rate to the calibration burner.

This test procedure has been adopted as an ASTM standard method for

measuring the flammability of building materials. Flame spread index values

vary from zero for asbestos-cement board to approximately 100 for uncoated

wood and can be considerably greater for highly flammable materials.

A. 5 Flooring Radiant Panel Test

The flooring radiant panel test [12,13] measures the critical radiant

flux for flame spread of horizontally-mounted floor covering systems exposed

27
to a flaming ignition source in a graded radiant heat energy environment.

Critical radiant flux is the level of incident radiant heat energy on the

specimen surface at the most distant flameout point. The specimen can be

mounted over underlayment , bonded to a simulated structural floor or otherwise

installed in a typical and representative way.

The radiant energy source is a premixed air-gas fueled panel inclined at

30 degrees to and directed at a horizontally-mounted 22.2 cm (8.75 in) by

104.1 cm (41 in) specimen. The radiant panel generates an energy flux distribution ranging from a maximum of 1.0 W/cm^ (0.88 Btu/s/ft^) to a minimum of

0.1 W/cm^ (0.09 Btu/s/ft^) under the low panel temperature setting of between

490 to 510° C (914 to 950° F) and from 2.4 to 0.2 W/cm^ (2.1 to 0.18 Btu/s/ft^)

in the high panel temperature range of 660 to 680° C (1220 to 1256° F) . Test

results are reported as the critical radiant flux, W/cm^ , for flameout .

A. 6 Developmental Flame Spread Test

This test measures either horizontal flame spread in deck coverings or

the lateral flame travel along bulkhead and overhead interior finish materials

when exposed to a flaming ignition source under a prescribed range of irradiances. In the testing of deck coverings a 15.5 cm (6.1 in) by 80 cm (31.5 in)

specimen is mounted with its length perpendicular to a vertically oriented

premixed air-gas fueled radiant panel. The panel produces an energy flux

distribution ranging from 2.8 W/cm^ (2.5 Btu/s/ft^) on the edge closest to the

panel to 0.14 W/cm^ (0.12 Btu/s/ft^) at the far end of the specimen. For

bulkhead testing, a specimen, having the same dimensions, is positioned at a 90 or 45 degree angle with respect to the vertical radiant source, corresponding to the low and high irradiance exposures, respectively. The flux distributions along the sample surface range from 3.3 to 0.18 W/cm^ (2.9 to 0.16

Btu/s/ft'^) and from 7.0 to 0.14 W/cm^ (6.2 and 0.12 Btu/s/ft ^

) for these two

exposure settings, respectively.

Deck coverings would be mounted in their actual use installation and

orientation. Bulkhead and overhead sheathing would be tested in the vertical

position. Results are presented in terms of the critical radiant flux in W/cm^

for flameout .

A. 7 Potential Heat Test

The potential heat test [21] provides a quantitative measure of the total

heat released under typical fire exposure conditions without regard to the rate

at which the heat is released.

28
The heat of combustion, Q^, of a sample of the material measured by an oxygen bomb calorimeter, after it has been exposed to a "standardized fire"

(2 hours in a muffle furnace at 750° C ( 1382 ° F) ) , is compared with the heat

of combustion of an unexposed sample. The potential heat Q^, is given by

Q4- = Qm -

t m

R Q,

where R is the fractional weight remaining after the exposure.

Determinations may be made on simple materials, or on composite assemblies

of materials from which a representative sample can be taken and pulverized

into a homogeneous mixture.

29
Table

1.

Potential

heat

loading

for

berthing

quarters

<N

O

O o o o vDO

4J 4-t o O <r o o CN o

CO 4-1 o 00 o cyi o

(U CO x: 4-t (U 3 CN CO CN CN

•Hd 4-1 rH 1—1 d cO PQ

cO 3

•H

4-1 )-i

O <N I—1 vO vO CN CO r>.

ti (1) cu

B . . • . . . . OJ O, TO v3 00 <Ti CN O o CN

4J CO CO CN rH CN o r-H

,3

O o o OO o O

4J 1—

o o o o O o o

cO o m CM

m CN CO CN

(U 3

x: 4-t 4-t o 00 CO rH CO CN

•H CQ r-

1—

rH

d CO

CO 3 CO •H CO

4-J t-i e o o o o O o o d OJ o o o o O o o

0) D. C30 CO 00 •<} 00 'O’ rH

4Jo CO CJN vO

m

Pu CN I—

CN

do CD

u

•H

O rH o o 4J P'. CTv u CO

cO CTi rH CT> CN 00 o >o- oo

•H 1 1 rH CN rH rH

4-1 1 1 1 1 1 •H Q Pd Q hH H a 1 1 1 1 1 0) X dl X X X

C4

M l-H

M

HM

cn S s S s s

TO CO 3

CO 0)

X 4-1 r-4 d I—1 •K

M

d CO 4-1 cO 3 w

O

OJ

X D.

M 4J

4-1 -3 00 3 3 W d (U •H d 3 rH 3 B CO o 4-1 rH (U 4-1 00 X

OJ OO o CO CO 3 HC

W

4-1

d 00

d 4-1 CJ 3 d 4-1

w 3 M •H d d 13 •H d •rl 4H 3 •H d 3 3

.d •H (U cO

d 4-1 4-1 3 d o rH rH

CO

X (U

O cO CO *(H 3 O 3 d •rH 'H TO o -d 1—

a, CO X) dO rH Pd

X

d 4-1

d (U o d

X 1—XX •H •fH

d PQ e-3 Q) o Pd rH

u o > 3 > 3 3

P4 o PQ

Q

30

*Based

ona

9.1x

9.1x

2.4m

(30x

30x8

ft)

high

space

with

one

insulated

bulkhead

and

all

four

bulkheads

painted

with a

0.61

mm

(24

mil)

coating

of

chlorinated

alkyd

enamel.
Table

2.

Potential

heat

loading

for

wardroom

and

lounge

areas

rfl -u <u •H M

iH c3 nj

cd 3

•H ^

^ ^ u

CJ (U 0)

0) O.'O u

o

PLi

u

cd

(U rC

cd •Hc

<uo

PL.

+J •H

PJ3u

0)

Pledo

•HLW

•rHCJ

<Ua

cn

N

y-i3

u

PQ

00

6

(U

4-1

ou

o o O o O o o o O O

o CM O o O m ro CM o o e

CM CO o 00 rH CO o <r

1—

1

CM Ip CM CO •

op

CT\ vO

cn

o

o

CO

CM cn

o

lO

«N

CSI

O

o

lO

o

cs

op

o o

o o

CM

rH m so

• • • m rH m

o o

o o

CM m

00 o CO 00

CM 00

CM CO

o o

o o

CM 00

CM 00

CMX

tH

(T.X

tP

CT\

td3

•H

OP

o O O O O O o o o o

o CM v£) O o o o o o o

o 00 \0 'd- 00 Ip LO

rp vO cr. CO in o

CM CM rp CM Ip CM

CJ p 00 P O O

o^ p t'. cn P in 1—

1

(JN 00 sr 'd- 00 00 00 CM CM P P P

1 Ip p 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 Ip p CP X H O H

CO CO 1 1 1 1 1

1 1 X X X X X

CO CO p p P p P

CO CO s s S s 2: •33

I—

1

1—

1

P

3 3 3 P

3 3 3 3

3 3 •P X.

#4 a Pli P a 3 P

CO 3 3 O 3

p p ^ rH 3 p P O

•iH p 3 p 3 3 3

3 •H O •H 3 P 3 3 3 3

CO XI m -i-i 3 •H p 33 3 3 4C X 33

00 O w 3 p 3 P •H 3 P O a 3 •P 3 3 3 3 3 3 '3 p 3 a 3 to 3 s

•H Ip TJ t3 3 t3 3 3 XI 3 P ^c p 3 3

x: CO X 3 O O P 3 3 P Ip P p 3 P P

(0 3 3 3 X o S O X 3 3 to 3 3 3 a, to •P P

•iH p P X 00 3 o 3 00 a. X 3 a 3 •P 3 3 P o

3 O U •H X *H X •H 3 p X •P X

CO 3 X tH > CL. Q o >

3 > u 3 3 p

Pt-i O o PO Q o

31

*Based

on

a

0.61

mm

(24

mil)

coating

on

two

bulkheads

(30

X

30

X

8

ft)

space.

**0ne

set

of

drapes

every

9.3

m^

(100

ft^).
Table

3.

Sununary

of

ignition

and

flame

spread

test

results

on

some

interior

finish

materials

nj +JC

(Ueao

rH

QJ>

Q) O

4-3 CO

CO

03 03 r—

£-• E 03 CM

fO

U 4J

X e X rM •r4 o3 D3 o

03 Pm 4-3 0) 1^ \ 03 •iM X P4 U 1—

P '—

Qa o3 o

CO P

Ti

fO

0) 

5ma,

inE (N

r3 I—I I—

1 w

IMfOcoQ

Q) x:

Q)U

(H C^^ Dm COX

U

03

O

0) 4-> U U

Oi 03 CO Dm

4J 0)

O

H

D -H

C fri 4-> CT' a H O ^ 4J -H 4mO <U -P B C

Q) -H 0

CO £h

O

03

O

in

CN

0>

4JC

03 BU

fd

i"o • O (0 rM

>1 03 > -H

03 }M S 0) P

(1) 03 £ ^ * o3 U 0»

03

U

a < P 0) ^ o

C7> 03 •H 4M

03

U & P

CO

4M

XI

<y» (No

0)cU

•H

O LO in

O o

inm o o o o O o

CO o o O o • • • CN CN • • rM rH rM O o 1CO CN B

53 rM 0U 0

0)c

03C

03

g

c*

•rM§

03

UIU] c < 2

>1

03 CM >103 CM

cd VO 4-3 03 VO

>1

4J rM

03

4-3 •H rH4J

•r4 rM •rMe

cd

rM < C rMc •iM C CO 03 CO 03

CO 03

a

U c o U 5 C c DM 03 •iM 03 •H fO

vO 0 -

03 Q rM

u 4M

CO rM

u 4-3 (0 <N rM rM

(N

m

vo

03 £ D x;

a

X >1 o S0 u

•fM

CJ» *»M

UU oCT> •H o

(3 0

03

03

•iM o O c 0 o 1-4 4J s < 2 2 <c 2 jC > X

<N ro

rMS m VO

ffl

4M 0) •H c

CO cd C CL, 03 Q tH

cd

:s o O ‘H

hJ

U

03

C 4-3 •H p

4-3 03 -H

03 4-3 CO CO

tn in I—

n, 0) H x: M 4J

0)

4-) (1) nJ H S (0

32

**Excluding

metal

substrate.
Table

3.

(Cont'd) 1^

Fu 4-1 0

rH 0 0 E-< 4-> 3 Tt 0 0 a 0

Q.

W

O ft rH W

<U>

<D a o

lOe

a, w

(0 --- u 4-1 ><; (ucsi •H td 3 4-) e

4J 0 rH (IJ o

•H

K (2 \

:d

Flame E

-162

Flame

Spread Index Is

Id •O

M § 0 0 O H a 0 4-1 i> 0 44 O 0 0 1—1

Id Pm

bnW Fm

•H iH

C

U 0)

O

•H 3 •i“l a Pm u

bO 3 ^ M O Xi U

4J *H (U P4 CO o OJ 4J ^ B 3 o •H O

(0

HU

fd u

ro Al

ro

<N

fO ro Al

inin o

00 o

(N

CN

O o o CM CM CM

rH rH rH A A A

CH * 0 4-1 in

m ro ro

44 0 MH CM CM ro ro

o;u \ • • • ft < X) o o o o

fH

4-1 0

Xi

u

Cn 0

•H 4H CM (N CM v£) 0 44 a rH rH S 3 o • • w \ O o O O

t7<

(0 in in

(0 c ro ro

Q) •H o O

O o 3 • • • • o o rH rH u

•rH X

E-i

g (J> CT> 0' g GO 00 • •

'*r<' • • in in o o <N CM

rd •H

<D +J

fdBos

0) rC

4->

x:so2

>1

XI

TI04-> oc0a00w0

*H

<44

4Ja0

is

e"o • u m 0 M Z 04J 0 0 0

•r4V404-J I 0 s

4J 3 0 g 3 c a t4 •H 3 a XI 3 0 • rH j r-l <0 0 3 -^ 3 0 =

•H

m

a tH vD 0 O r—I • • 0 O O S Z 3

•r4 3 —. O sn

<N

Xo 0 O o S 2 mM0

iH

T3 O 0 M3OMX•H

to

to

(d ^

fH

V

O 0)

Cd iH

(Xa • 3 O 4JC

•H

Id fN & . 3 O2

Xi

4J 0 3 4J •H 3

4J T) -H 0 4-1 U) U)

U) U) rH0 0

•H

X

U 4J 0

4-> 0 0 l4 S 0 K

33

*Excluding

metal

substrate.
Table

3.

(Cont'd)

CH c fH U (D O -H C O 73 03 & ^C

iH 0

(u +J •rH W •P

rH 0 03 f-H 03 Eh P 03 4J C 0 P c T3 0) •rH d

dJ 03 •rH P 0 E 0) M •rH X

CU 0 M 0 04 CJ

<—

c/> 0) 0 > Q>

<D

a

Q

4J

X

03

a

a) rH

3: Ci4

CM5

•D

(0

0)Ua

03U 4J

X

•H OJ 3 oX Ct.

X)

OJ 03

X E 0) q; d ^4 T3 ^ Q* C

Ct. C/)M

0^ 'O

u

03 o b 4J d V4 u

*H

Q4 <0

tL| C/^

U4 oV

4J (1) •H 3 C 1X4 CT* O

u

4J3 --

M-i -H 0) V4 cn o oE c

<D -H

O WHO 03 U « 03 U 0)

0)

H

a <

4J 0) J= u

03 •H 4-j 03 U S 0w

fH 1 rH r CM s H • C

03 in

m

H in 0

>n CM CM CM c s 0 • 0 • (A • p z 0 0 m 0 ks 0 0 0 (1> in

iH CU <N •»—' '»-r P •«pr Q, CM

03p « P p (A

u • •rH • 0) 0 0) E 0) E 0) E «0 0 P a a Q. u a 0 Si u 0 *—

0) e u

u IH (A

p <D 03 E 03 03 < u E

03 £h

u

D

u v£>u VO VO

H 0 S fH • fH • rH • fH fH

0) 0) 0 0) •H 0 0) >1 0 0) >1 4)

CT* T3 \o 0> 0 4> 0 0) c 0) 34 VO o;

•rH •rH • p

p

C P 0 c p •H c P U • p

X E 0 (0 0 (0 3 0 CA > 0 CA < 0 CA 0 • • • • • 0> CM m in 0 rH rH #H pH

34

'Materials

used

in

the

Navy

compartment

fires

[2]

are

denoted

by

No.

1,

or

are

unnumbered

while

the

No. 2

materials

are

the

substitute

materials.
Table

4.

Heat

release

rates

of

some

Interior

finish

material

0)

V 4J O' C4 S 0) 3C M I « s Io —

O' fN

0> > _ g< ~

0) a>

5- 4J O' s <D 3 m ^ 5 C 14

j:: -H 0) ^ ^ s > s <

0>H <a

<i) > ^ c< -

0> 0» ^ S- j -P O' rvj 0) 3 (Q E M C p C 5 i: -H fl) V, 3 s: > s

II

So

(p ^

O' <N ^ E U L > ^ « 0) ^ <P 4J O' rs

0> 3 m S U C U 0 £ *f4 0) \ 6^ S > S

<P 4J

€ 3 3 C e H

•H S

(UO' <N

JO

g

p o

<p \ ^ 2 o 3 z o 3 z

(V S

4J

rO vD C O

(0

O c z

01 Q r-4 c o

0) z Q 3 g O 6 P

J3 i g

>1

i-t ^ 0 'O

0« • o C (U 0 a» p

CM

w

S.2 c0 rH

0)

Q> 0) fH 4J •H (A

e*

U) S 0 in

4J CM U • H) o

ua

U)

p

2!, 31 P O

<0 P

>,CM P • O O <

35
30 rE

o

O

QCO

u.O

L4J CD

aLU

CD

O

CC

LJJ CD

<I—CO

a

TIME. min.

Figure 1. Flame spread by E 162 test

36
Figure 2. Flame spread by E 162 test

37
52

48

44

E

o

LU 40

uLUQ. 36

GO

UL. c 32 LUCD

aLU 28

z

o

24 z

CD

S 20

occ

u_LU 16

C-3 Z

<J— 12 CO

a

0.5

- ^

1,0

E

o

O

<

a

<cc

oc.

8 -

2.0

3.0

4.0

5.0

6.0

NOTES:

1. NO FLAME SPREAD OBSERVED ON FIBROUS GLASS.

2. RAPID FLASHING (TOO FAST TO MEASURE) TO

MAXIMUM DISTANCE OF 10 cm ON LOW DENSITY

ACOUSTICAL PANEL

VINYL LAMINATE

4 -

7 0 LL-1 I I I \ I L ..1..LJ-LJ I I I L_l

0.05 0.1 0.5 1 5

TIME, min.

Figure 3. Lateral flame spread with developmental flame spread test

38
E

u

Ck- co

LLI CD

oLLI

CD

28

24

20

ACRYLIC CARPET

TIME, min.

Figure 4. Flame spread with flooring radiant panel

39
E

u

O

Q.

00

CD

a

occ

CD

<

h“

CO

52 -

48 -

44 -

40

36

o 32

28

o

z

—

^ 20

16

12

8

Figure 5. Flame spread along deck coverings with developmental

flame spread test

40
NBS-1I4A (REV. »-76)

U.S. DEPT. OF COMM. BIBLIOGRAPHIC DATA

SHEET

1. PUBLICATION OR REPORT NO. NBSIR 79-1714

4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE

Fire Buildup in Shipboard Compartments - Characterization

of Some Vulnerable Spaces and the Status of Prediction

Analysis

S. Publication Date May 1979

7. AUTHOR(S) B. T. Lee and W. J. Parker8. Performing Organ. Report No.

Ml IH«fiKt/Task/Work Unit No.

11. Contract/Grant No.

9. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME AND ADDRESS

NATIONAL BUREAU OF STANDARDS

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

WASHINGTON, DC 20234

12. SPONSORING ORGANIZATION NAME AND COMPLETE ADDRESS (Street, City, stete, ZIP)

Naval Ship Engineering Center

Naval Sea Systems Command

Department of the Navy

Washington, D.C. 20362

13. Type of Report & Period Covered Final

15. SUPPLEMENTARY NOTES

I I Document describes a computer program; SF-185, FIPS Softwiare Summary, is attached.

16. ABSTRACT (A 200^word or teas factual aummary of moat significant information. If document includes a aignificant bibliography or

literature survey, mention it here,) A review of shipboard fire incidents in the Navy over the past six years was made to determine the spaces of greatest vulnerability to fire and the most common

sources of ignition in these areas. Some of these compartment spaces are characterized with regard to their furnishing and interior finish materials. Their fire

loads are specified. The various factors which determine the extent and rate of

fire buildup in a compartment are discussed in terms of a simplified prediction

model. Although substantial progress has been made in developing a prediction model

for room fire development, a satisfactory treatment of flame spread on combustible

interior finish materials along with a better understanding of the effect of the fire

environment on fire buildup are needed. Meanwhile, criteria for choosing fire safe

materials must continue to rely on existing laboratory fire tests. The application

of laboratory fire tests on ignition, flame spread, and heat release rate to control

the use of interior finish materials aboard ship is explored. Test data on ignition,

flame spread, and heat release rate of typical shipboard materials are provided.

17. KEY WORDS Cs/x to twelve entries; alphabetical order; capitalize only the firat tetter of the first key word unless a proper name;

separated by aemieotona)

Fire growth; fire statistics; flame spread; fuel load survey; heat release; interior

finish; laboratory fire tests; material ignitability ; prediction model; shipboard

spaces.

18. AVAILABILITY (3 Unlimited

I I For Official Distribution. Do Hot Release to NTIS

I 1 Order From Sup. of Doc., U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, DC

20402, SD Stock No. SN003-003-

Order From National Technical Information Service (NTIS), Springfield, VA. 22161

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(THIS REPORT)

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