Nationel Bureau of Standards

Library, N. W. BIdg.

AUG 1 9 1952

4

Fire Tests of Wood-Framed Walls and

Partitions With Asbestos-Cement Facings

United States Department of Commerce

National Bureau of Standards

Building Materials and Structures Report 123
BUILDING MATERIALS AND STRUCTURES REPORTS

On request, the Superintendent of Documents, U. S. Government Printing Office, Washington 25, D. C, will place your name on a special mailing list to receive notices of new

reports in this series as soon as they are issued. There will be no charge for receiving such

notices. An alternative method is to deposit with the Superintendent of Documents the sum of $5,

with the request that the reports be sent to you as soon as issued, and that the cost thereof be charged against your deposit. This will provide for the mailing of the publications

without delay. You will be notified when the amount of your deposit has become exhausted.

If 100 copies or more of any report are ordered at one time, a discount of 25 percent is allowed. Send all orders and remittances to the Superintendent of Documents, U. S. Government Printing Office, Washington 25, D. C.

The following publications in this series are available by purchase from the

Superintendent of Documents at the prices indicated:

BMSl Research on Building Materials and Structures for Use in Low-Cost Housing * BMS2 Methods of Determining the Structural Properties of Low-Cost House Constructions. _ 100 BMS3 Suitability of Fiber Insulating Lath as a Plaster Base 15jt BMS4 Accelerated Aging of Fiber Building Boards 10(4 BMS5 Structural Properties of Six Masonry Wall Constructions 15^ BMS6 Survey of Roofing Materials in the Southeastern States 15(§ BMS7 Water Permeability of Masonry Walls * BMS8 Methods of Investigation of Surface Treatment for Corrosion Protection of Steel 150 BMS9 Structural Properties of the Insulated Steel Construction Co.'s "Frameless-Steel" Constructions for Walls, Partitions, Floors, and Roofs 100 BMSlO Structural Properties of One of the "Keystone Beam Steel Floor" Constructions

Sponsored by the H. H. Robertson Co 100 BMSll Structural Properties of the Curren Fabrihome Corporation's "Fabrihome" Constructions for Walls and Partitions 100 BMS12 Structural Properties of "Steelox" Constructions for Walls, Partitions, Floors, and

Roofs Sponsored by Steel Buildings, Inc 150 BMS13 Properties of Some Fiber Building Boards of Current Manufacture 100 BMS14 Indentation and Recovery of Low-Cost Floor Coverings 100 BMS15 Structural Properties of "Wheeling Long-Span Steel Floor" Construction Sponsored

by the Wheeling Corrugating Co 100 BMS16 Structural Properties of a "Tilecrete" Floor Construction Sponsored by Tilecrete

Floors, Inc 100 BMS17 Sound Insulation of Wall and Floor Constructions 200 Supplement to BMS17, Sound Insulation of Wall and Floor Constructions 50 Supplement No. 2 to BMS17, Sound Insulation of Wall and Floor Constructions 100 BMS18 Structural Properties of "Pre-fab" Constructions for Walls, Partitions, and Floors Sponsored by the Harnischfeger Corporation 100 BMS19 Preparation and Revision of Building Codes t BMS20 Structural Properties of "Twachtman" Constructions for Walls and Floors Sponsored

by Connecticut Pre-Cast Buildings Corporation 100 BMS21 Structural Properties of a Concrete-Block Cavity-Wall Construction Sponsored by

the National Concrete Masonry Association 100 BMS22 Structural Properties of "Dun-Ti-Stone" Wall Construction Sponsored by the W. E. Dunn Manufacturing Co 100 BMS23 Structural Properties of a Brick Cavity-Wall Construction Sponsored by the Brick

Manufacturers Association of New York, Inc 100 BMS24 Structural Properties of a Reinforced-Brick WaU Construction and a Brick-Tile

Cavity-Wall Construction Sponsored by the Structural Clay Products Institute. _ 150 BMS25 Structural Properties of Conventional Wood-Frame Constructions for Walls, Partitions, Floors, and Roofs 200 BMS26 Structural Properties of "Nelson Pre-Cast Concrete Foundation" Wall Construction

Sponsored by the Nelson Cement Stone Co., Inc 100 BMS27 Structural Properties of "Bender Steel Home" WaU Construction Sponsored by the Bender Body Co 100 BMS28 Backflow Prevention in Over-Rim Water Supplies 150 BMS29 Survey of Roofing Materials in the Northeastern States 200 BMS30 Structural Properties of a Wood-Frame Wall Construction Sponsored by the Douglas

Fir Plywood Association 150 BMS31 Structural Properties of "Insulite" Wall and "Insulite" Partition Constructions

Sponsored by The Insulite Co 250

•Out of print. tSuperseded by BMS116 iT, [List continued on cover page III]
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE • Charles Sawyer, Secretary

NATIONAL BUREAU OF STANDARDS • E. U. Condon, Director

Fire Tests of Wood-Framed Walls and

Partitions With Asbestos-Cement

Facings

Nolan D. Mitchell

Building Materials and Structures Report 123

Issued May 10, 1951

For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington 25, D. C.

Price 15 cents

Foreword

Walls and partitions that retard the spread of fii'e contribute to the safety

of nonfire-resistive buildings.

The performance of wood-framed walls and partitions with facings of asbestos-cement shingles or sheets, when subjected to fire tests under standard

procedures, is given in this paper. The information presented is intended to aid building authorities and regulatory agencies in evaluating the fii'e-resistance characteristics of constructions of these types and give the prospective builder

a basis for the selection of constructions that will meet given requirements

with respect to fire resistance.

E. U. Condon, Director.
CONTENTS

Page Foreword iii I. Introduction 1 II. Materials. _.. 1

1. Lumber 1 2. Metal trim 1 3. Facing sheets 1 4. Shingles 1 5. Gypsum boards and strips 2

6. Asbestos felt 2

7. NaUs 2

8. Mineral wool 2

9. Asbestos paper 2

III. Construction 2

1. Framework 2

2. Wood sheathing 2

3. Gypsum sheathings 2

4. Nailing J 3

5. Painting 3

6. Trim 3

IV. Equipment and method of testing 3 V. Results of tests ' 6

1. Partition with asbestos-cement sheet facing, no insulation 6

2. Partitions sheathed with gypsum boards and faced with asbestoscement sheets, no fill between studs 8

3. Partitions with asbestos-cement sheet facing, mineral-wool fill 8

4. Partitions Avitli asbestos-cement sheet facing, mineral-wool fill, and edges of studs sheathed with gypsum-board strips 9

5. Walls faced with asbestos-cement shingles 10

VI. Summary and discussion 13

TV
Fire Tests of Wood-Framed Walls and Partitions

With Asbestos-Cement Facings

Nolan D. Mitchell

Three walls and four partitions with asbestos-cement facings on wood frames were

subjected to fire-endurance tests and one wall and three partitions to fire and hose-stream

tests. The partitions had asbestos-cement sheet facings on both sides over differing in- ternal constructions. The edges of the studs of some of the partitions were lined with

asbestos paper or gj'psum-board strips. One partition had no insulation, four had mineral- wool batt fill between the studs; two had gypsum-board sheathing underlying the asbestos- cement sheet facings. The walls had matched diagonal sheathing, asphalt-saturated

asbestos felt, and asbestos-cement shingles as the exterior facings. The interior facings were of asbestos-cement sheets or asbestos-cement insulated sheathing. Three walls had

mineral-wool batt insulation between the studs. Fire-endurance limits for the partitions

ranged from 9 to 90 minutes. Failure by a limiting rise of temperature was not a determi- nant in any of the tests of the walls. The fire exposures ranged from 38 to 8.5 minutes.

Limits by failure under load for the walls ranged from 32 to 79 minutes. Failure from impact of the hose stream occurred in one of three tests of the partitions and in the single hose- stream test of a wall.

I. Introduction

The use of asbestos-cement shingles as the exterior coverings of wood-frame houses and buildings is of common occurrence in rural and semirural areas, and in urban locations where buUding

regulations permit. Asbestos-cement sheets have

been used recently in housing projects as the interior facings of walls and on both sides of partitions.

Because no data on the fire resistance of such constructions were available, tests were conducted

at the National Bureau of Standards to establish

the fire-endiu'ance limits and the fu'e-resistance

characteristics of asbestos-cement materials suit- able for low- or moderate-cost types of construction. With the purpose of securing data on both interior and exterior constructions, seven partitions

and four walls, all with asbestos-cement facings on wood frames, were tested. Interior facings were of asbestos-cement sheets. The exterior fac- ings of the walls were of asbestos-cement shingles over wood sheathing. Several kinds of mineral-wool

insulating materials were used in the tests. Fom*

partitions and three walls were subjected to fire- endurance tests, and three partitions and one

wall to fire and hose-stream tests. With the ex- ception of the partitions subjected to the hosestream test, all of the walls and partitions were

tested under load.

II. Materials

1. Lumber

The framing of both the walls and the partitions was made of 2- by 4-in. nominal size No. 1 common

Douglas fir. The dressed and matched sheathing

was No. 2 common North Carolina or Vu-ginia

pine, in. thick by SK-in. face width. The

trim, for the most part, was "B or better" grade

Western pine.

2. Metal Trim

The vertical joints of each section of three partitions and of the interior facings of three walls

had cover strips of chromiiun- plated aluminum

alloy.

3. Facing Sheets

The asbestos-cement facing sheets were of com- mon commercial quality. The full-sized pieces were 4 ft wide by 8 ft long by in. thick. One

face of the sheets was smooth, the other had a somewhat rough texture. Included were sheets

from four manufacturers. The insidated sheathing boards Avere 4 ft wide by 8 ft long by /i6 in. thick, made up of /le-in. cane fiberboard faced on

one side with %-'m. thick asbestos-cement sheet.

The asbestos-cement sheets used in these tests were similar to those described as Type I in Federal Specification SS-S-283, entitled Sheets; flat, asbestos-cement.^

4. Shingles

The wood-grained asbestos-cement siding shingles, having rough siu'faces simidating the grain of

split cypress, were supplied by two manufacturers

in dimensions 24 in. by 12 in. by ?32-in. nominal

thickness.

The shingles used in these tests complied with

Federal Specification SS-S-346a, Siding (shingles

' Federal Specifications mentioned in this paper are obtainable from the Superintendent of Documents, Government Printing Office, Washington

26, D. C, for 5 cents each.

1
and clapboards) ; asbestos-cement, and had )^-in.- diameter holes punched for nailing.

5. Gypsum Boards and Strips

The gypsum-board strips used for lining the

edges of the studs, facing the joints between the

frame and test frame of the furnace, were cut from %-in. -thick gypsum lath and from K-in. -thick

gypsum wallboard. The gypsum boards used as sheathing under the asbestos-cerAent sheet facings

of the partitions in two tests were /s-in. and K-in.- thick gypsum wallboards and ^2-in. -thick gypsum

sheathing boards.

6. Asbestos Felt

Asphalt-satiu"ated asbestos felt applied between

the diagonal sheathing and shingles of the exterior

sides of the walls weighed 14 to 15 lb/ 100 ft^ Weather strips, 4 and 3 in. wide by 12 in. long cut from smooth-surfaced roll roofing weighing approximately 30 lb/100 ft^, were laid under the

vertical joints between shingles of the same course.

7. Nails

Several types and sizes of nails were used in the

application of the facmg sheets. Joints to be

covered by trim had, for the most part, flat-head

nails. The heads of naUs used in locations not

covered by trim were countersunk or driven flush. Most of the sheets were nailed with l}2-in. nickelplated nails having 0.06-in. square wire shanks

twisted one tm'n in a length of eight or nine times

their thickness. The number of nails per pound

was about 715. Common wire nails for edge

nailing and finish nails for intermediate nail- ing used on some sheets were 6d. The shingles were naUed with 4d galvanized nails in the

covered portions, and with the l/4-in.-long 13/2- gage cadmium-plated, serrated-shank nails, fur- nished with the shingles, in locations exposed

to view.

8. Mineral Wool

The mineral wool employed, all in batt form, was supplied by local dealers. Thicknesses were

designated as "semithick" and "full-thick", or by

^similar terms, to difi^erentiate between the batts

of 2 in. and 3/2 in. nominal thickness. Most of the

batts were covered on one face with a waterproof

paper having edges extending about 1% in. beyond

the long edges of the batts. The weight of the

batts as received ranged from % Ib/ft^ to 1.2 Ib/ft^.

9. Asbestos Paper

The asbestos paper used as lining of the edges

of the studs of some partitions was cut in 4-in.- wide strips from }^-m.-thick roll material.

III. Construction

For the purposes of these tests, the partitions were divided into two sections, each being 8 ft long

and 10/3 ft high except those for the fire and

hose-stream test which were only 8 ft high.

Although the facmgs were alike on both sides of

each section, in some of the tests minor details

of the internal constructions of the sections

differed. The walls, which were of the same

dimensions as the partitions for the fire-endurance

tests, were also divided into two sections, so placed as to expose the shingled side of one

section and the interior facing of the other to the fire. 1. Framework

All structural framework was made of 2- by

4-in. scantlings. The studs were spaced 16 in. on

centers, and toe-nailed to top and bottom plates.

The four walls and fom* of the partitions had

blocks set between the studs at 2% ft above the

bottom to form supports for naUing the edges of the boards along a horizontal joint. Blocks were

omitted from the walls that were only 8 ft high

(see fig. 1). All the wood frames were bolted to the test frames with K-in. -diameter bolts through the top

SECTION ELEVATION Figure 1. Details of a -partition faced with asbestos- cement sheets.

and bottom plates. The bottom plates of the

partitions for fire-endurance tests and the plates

of the four walls were bolted to beams resting on

rocker plates on top of the pistons of four hydraulic

jacks. The partitions for fire and hose-stream

tests 3, 5, and 7 were buUt into a frame giving

restraint against expansion in the plane of the wall.

2. Wood Sheathing

The wood sheathing boards were applied

diagonally to the walls with one or two nails at each intermediate bearing and two naUs at each

end bearing.

3. Gypsum Sheathings

The end studs of sections of walls and partitions

that were to be tested under load were lined on

the side facing the open joint through the framing

with 3%- by %-in. gypsum-board strips, as shown

in figure 1.

2
To afford some degree of protection against

early ignition, strips of gypsum board were applied along the edges of the wood studs of two

partitions (tests 6 and 7) and three walls (tests 9, 10, and 11). These strips were 4 in. wide. For

the partitions they were of % in. thickness and for the Ulterior facmgs of the walls of tests 10 and 11

of K in. thickness. The wall in test 8 had in- sulated sheathing board for the interior facing.

The partitions in tests 2 and 3 had sheathing of

gypsum board over which the asbestos-cement

sheets were applied, the gypsum board on section

A being % in. thick and on section B, % in. thick.

4. Nailing

The nailmg of the facing sheets varied in minor

details as experience was gained in the work. The

sheets were drilled with holes usually of suitable

size to receive the various naUs used. The

drills were 0.087, 0.10, 0.12, 0.125, and 0.138 m.

in diameter. The facing of the partition for test

1 was nailed along the edges with 6d common

wii'c nails, which were countersunk. Intermediate nailing was done with 6d finish nails, also countersunk.

Most of the asbestos-cement sheets were naUed

with twisted square-wire nails with flat heads,

countersunk. These naUs usually were driven

into holes without being countersimk, but as the

holes were only slightly smaller than the nailhead diameter, a cone of material was not driven

from the back of the sheet when the head was set flush with the sheet surface.

5. Painting

The sheets of six specimens of this series were

finished with two coats of either clear varnish or rubbing varnish, or one coat of wax applied in

the form of a water emulsion. The wax was

polished when dry. The varnishes were rubbed

between coats with sandpaper and steel wool.

6. Trim

The wood trim was nailed in place and given

natural wood finish with clear varnish. The

chromium-plated metal strips had been fabricated

with nails spaced about 6 in. apart. The nailheads were fastened into dovetailed grooves along

the center of the back of the strip. These were

applied by driving the nails through the crack

between the edges of the sheets into the studs.

IV. Equipment and Method of

Testing

The tests were made with a furnace that ac- commodates walls 16 ft long and 8 or lO^'s ft high. The fom walls and foiu- of the partitions, those of lOK-ft height made with blocks

between the studs, were subjected to load during

the tests. The three partitions not subjected to

load (tests 3, 5, and 7) were subjected to tlio hose stream after fire exposure. One; of tlu; walls

(test 11) was also subjected to the hose-stream

test while under the same load applied during

the fire exposure. The load was applied by means of the hydraulic jacks set in the lower part

of the test frame, (see fig. 2). The full load

applied was 30,500 lb, or 360 Ib/in.^ of each stud.

The furnace was heated by 92 gas burners, all controlled by one large valve, with a separate /4-in. stopcock for each bm-ner. Nine thermocouples

of chromel-alumel wires were distributed throughout the furnace chamber to indicate temperatures.

Measurements for controlling temperatm-es to conform to a standard reference curve were made

at 5-min intervals during the first hour and at 10-min intervals thereafter. The required temperatm-es were 1,000° at 5 min, 1,300° at 10 min,

1,550° at 30 mm, 1,700° at 1 hr, and 1,850°F at 2 hr, corresponding to temperatures of 538°, 704°,

843°, 927°, and 1,010° C, respectively.

Deflections of a wall or partition from a plane

sm-face were determined at nine points by measming from the wall surface to vertical wnes stretched

opposite the center line and 4 feet each side of the

center line of the waU or partition.

Hose-stream tests were made by first exposing

the walls to fire and then projecting successively

against all parts of the heated surface the stream

from a l)s-in. Under^TOters' pattern playpipe

and fire-hose nozzle supplied with water at '30-

lb/in2. pressm'e through a 2}2-ui- rubber-lined

cotton fii'e hose. The water pressine was measured at the base of the playpipe with a gage connected through a /s-in. diameter opening normal to the direction of flow. The tests were conducted in accordance with the

Standard Specifications for Fire Tests of Building

Construction and Materials of the American

Standards Association No. A2-1934, except that

load was not applied to the three partitions subjected to the hose-stream test, and that each wall

and partition was divided into two panels, each

smaller than the minimum size prescribed.

Temperatures were measured at five locations on the unexposed surface of each panel (pomts P,

fig. 3), at either two or tkree points on the edges

of the studs toward the fire (points 1), and at the same nmnber of points in the spaces between the

studs (points 2), as indicated in the construction

sketches in figures 3, 9, and 10. The thermocouples on the unexposed surface were covered by

6- by 6-m. asbestos felt pads 0.4 in. thick. Those

toward the fire Avere laid in shallow grooves in the

edges of the studs before the facing materials were

applied. Air temperature in the testing room was

measm'ed with a mercmy-m-glass thermometer

at a point 12 ft from the center of the specimen.

Each partition with its test frame was placed to form one wall of the combustion chamber of the

furnace. Previous to starting the fire, stress was

applied to the wall or partition to be tested mider

load, such load remaining constant thi'oughout

3
SECTION LONGITUDINAL SECTION HALF ELEVATION

I'" 0 1 ^ 3 4. s ip 15' SCALE

Figure 2. Details of wall-testing furnace.

[A, furnace chamber; B, burners; C, thermocouple protection tubes; D, pit for debris; E, observation windows; F, air inlets; G, flue outlets and dampers, H, firebrick furnace lining; I, reinforced concrete furnace-shell; K, gas cocks; L, control valve; M, ladders and platforms to observation windows; N, movable

fireproofed test frame; O, loading beam; P, hydraulic jacks; Q, test wall; R, asbestos felted pads covering thermocouples on unexposed surface of test wall.]

the fire-endurance test, or until failure occurred.

When the wall or partition began to fail under

load, the pressure in the jacks was reduced to pre- vent collapse. Usually the test fires were continued beyond the time when the first criterion of

failure had been observed in order to determine

the subsequent behavior of the construction.

At the end of the fire-exposure period for the

fire and hose-stream tests, the test frame was

withdrawn from the furnace and the hose stream

applied to the hot surface of the specimen. The

tip of the hose nozzle was held approximately 20

ft away from the center of the specimen, and the

direction of the hose stream was changed slowly

and continuously to sweep the entire surface re- peatedly. The period of application of the hose

stream was VA min/100 ft^ of area of the wall. In addition to determining the fire resistance of
EOOO

1900

y_ 1800

1700 X

2 1600

IxJ ^ 1500 g 1400

1300

LlI

LlI 1200

tr

(S> MOO

UJQ 1000 2 900

LlI 800

cr^ 700 < 600 S 500 2 400

300 200

100

0

TEST NO I

A'aSBESTOS-CEMeiVT H

M

>-

'

\ \

Pa A B

/i

Iav f

1^

/1

?;

R

1

30 60 TIME IN MINUTES Figure 3. Furnace and -partition temperatures for partitions with no insulation between studs. Tests 1, i, and 3.

the walls and partitions in accordance with the

test procedure, the limits, as surface finish of the

asbestos-cement sheet facings or the shingled exterior facings over combustible framing, were

ascertained from the rise of temperature on the

edges of the studs toward the fire. These limits

are indicated on the graphs of figures 3, 9, and 10. The criteria of failure of bearing walls and

partitions are listed in paragraphs 13 (a), 13 (b),

and 13 (d) of the Standard Fire Test Specification.

Criteria for nonbearing walls are given in paragraphs 15 (a), 15 (b), and 15 (d). Failure

criteria for incombustible facings, or surface

finishes, over combustible members are given in paragraphs 24 (a), 24 (b), and 24 (c), but are not

criteria of failure of a wall or partition. Paragraph 4 (d), defining the maximum limiting

temperature rise at one thermocouple, and paragraphs 9 (a) and 9 (b) relating to hose-stream

tests, are applicable to the tests of this report.

Excerpts from the Standard Fire Test Specification, including the pertinent sections, are as

follows:

4 (d) Where the Conditions of Acceptance place a

limitation on the rise of temperature of the unexposed

surface, the temperature end point of the fire endur- ance period shall be determined by the average of the measurements taken at individual points; excepting

that, if a temperature rise 30 percent in excess of the

specified limit occurs at any one of these points, the remainder shall be ignored and the fire endurance

IDeriod judged as ended.

9 (a) Where required by the Conditions of Acceptance, a duplicate sample shall be subjected to a fire- exposure test for a period equal to one-half of that

indicated as the resistance period in the fire-endurance

test, but not for more than one hour, immediately after which the sample shall be subjected to the impact,

erosion and cooling effects of a hose stream directed

first at the middle and then at all parts of the exposed

face, changes in direction being made slowly.

9 (b) The hose-stream test shall not be required in the case of constructions having a resistance period, indicated in the fire-endurance test, of one-half hour or

less.13 (a) The wall or partition shall have sustained the applied load during the fire-endurance test without

passage of flame or gases hot enough to ignite cotton

waste, for a period equal to that for which classification

is desired. 13 (b) The wall or partition shall have sustained the

applied load during the fire and hose-stream test as

specified in Section 9, without passage of flame, of gases hot enough to ignite cotton waste, or of the hose

stream, and after cooling but within 72 hours after its completion shall sustain a total load ecjual to the dead

load plus twice the superimposed load specified above.

13 (d) Transmission of heat through the wall or

partition during the fire-endurance test shall not have

been such as to raise the temperature on its unexposed

surface more than 250 degrees F (139 degrees C) above

its initial temperature.

15 (a) The wall or partition shall have withstood

the fire-endurance test without passage of flame or gases hot enough to ignite cotton waste for a period

equal to that for which classification is desired.

15 (b) The wall or partition shall have withstood

the fire and hose-stream test as specified in Section 9, without passage of flame, of gases hot enough to ignite cotton waste, or of the hose stream.

924041—51 2 5
15 (d) Transmission of heat through the wall or

partition during the fire-endurance test shall not have

been such as to raise the temperature on its unexposed

surface more than 250 degrees F (139 degrees C) above

its initial temperature. 24 (a) The finish shall have withstood the fire- endurance test, without passage of flame, or of gases hot enough to ignite the materials protected, for a

period equal to that for which classification is desired. 24 (b) The finish shall have withstood the fire and

hose-stream test as prescribed respectively for floors, walls, and partitions as specified in Section 9, without

passage of flame, of gases hot enough to ignite the

materials protected, or of the hose stream. 24 (c) Transmission of heat through the finish during the fire-endurance test shall not have been such as

to raise the temperature at its contact with the struc- tural members of the test panel or elsewhere on its unexposed surface more than 250 degrees F (139 degrees C) above the initial temperatures at these

points.

V. Results of Tests

In the sketches of specimens, figiu-es 3, 9, and

10, F shows the location of a furnace thermocouple

and indicates the fire-exposed surface of the test structure. Locations 1 and 2 P indicate thermocouples in the wall or partition. Thermocouples

at location 1 are on the edge of the studs immediately beneath the fire-exposed face of the specimen and so are in position to indicate when the

facing has allowed sufficient transmission of heat

to cause the limiting rise of temperature on the

stud, which is one of the criteria of failure of a sur- face finish over combustible framing members, paragraph 24 (c) of the standard fire test specification.

Thermocouples at location 2 are in the spaces

A

6

Figure 4. Designs of partiiions A to D, table 1, and walls E to G, table 2.

between the studs or next to any insulating materials applied in these spaces. Temperature rise at this location has no bearing on the criteria of

failure. Thermocouples at location P are on the

unexposed face of the specimen wall or partition,

and are protected from external atmospheric

effects by asbestos covering pads. These thermocouples indicate the criterion of failure by rise of

temperature on the unexposed surface.

The principal characteristics of the partitions

and the results of the tests are given in table 1 and

figures 3, 4, and 9, and those for the walls in table

2 and figures 4 and 10. In figures 3, 9, and 10, F is the furnace temperature, the adjacent broken lines indicate the

maximum and minimum furnace temperatures,

and the reference curve is the standard for furnace

temperatures. The subscripts A and B on the

temperature curves for the walls or partitions

indicate the location of the thermocouples by

section. Broken-line temperature curves, suf- fixed MAX, are the maximum observed temperatures at any one thermocouple in a section, not

necessarily from the same thermocouple at all times. Solid-line specimen temperatme curves show the average temperatures in a section at

1, 2, or P. Wliere AV follows the symbol for the

thermocouple location, the values used were the

averages for the thermocouples of both sections.

The legends pertain to the criteria of failure defined in the standard fire-test specification in- cluded in the foregoing section of this report.

1 . Partition With Asbestos-Cement Sheet Facing, No Insulation

The limiting temperature rise of 250 deg F

(139 deg C) on the unexposed face of this partition,

test 1, was reached at 9 min for section B, and at 10 min for section A. The limiting rise of 325

deg F (181 deg C) at one point on the surface was

reached at 10 min for both sections A and B. At

a joint on the unexposed surface, where one sheet

had bulged away from the stud, flames appeared

at 27 min after the start of the fire. Glow, which was observed on the chair rail of section A at 36

min, developed into fiame at 39 min. Other data

for tests 1,2, and 3 are shown in figure 3. Load

failures of sections A and B occurred at 35 and

38 min, respectively.

Although buckling of the sheets on the fire- exposed side pulled them loose from the nail heads

for lengths up to 30 in. along a few studs, only

two sheets broke up to the time that failure under

load occurred (see fig. 5). Buckling of sheets on

the unexposed side also pulled nail heads through

in a few locations, but no breaks were observed

in this test before the load failures. The deflec- tions of the midpoints of the two sections A and

B were 2.2 in. and 1.8 in., respectively, at 30 min

after the start of the test.

6
Table 1. Sumtnary of fire tests of wood-stud partitions with asbestos-cement sheet facings.

All studs were 2- by 4-in. Douglas fir spaced 16 in. on centers.

Test and

section No.

lAIB.

2A.

2B.

3A3B.

4A.

4B.

5A.

SB.

6A6B. 7A.

7B.

Construction

Thick,

ness

4

4

44W

4%

Design:

Facings

Kind

Asbestos-cement .sheet.

.dot

Asbestos-cement sheet plus H'in. gypsum

board. Asbestos-cement sheet plus yi-in. gypsum

board. Same as 2A

Same as 2B

Asbestos-cemont sheet.

_do-

_d0-

.do. Asbestos-cement sheet; gypsum-board strios on edges of studs.

-dO-

_do.

.do.

Thick

ness

Insulation

Kind

None-

.do.

None between studs.

.do.

.do.

.do.

Full-thick mineralwool batts.

.do.

.do.

.do1 full-thick, 1 semithick mineral-wool

batt.

2 full-thick mineral- wool batts.

1 full-thick, 1 semithick mineral-wool

batt. 2 full-thick mineral- wool batts.

Weight

1.0

1.0

1.0

1.97

2. 26

2. 10

2.10

Test data

Kind of

test

Fire and

load.

.do.

.do.

-do.

Fire and

hose.

.do.

Fire and

load.

do

Fire and

hose. ....do

Fire and

load.

-...do

Fire and

hose.

...-do....-

Limits

Kind

Temp., avg.i. Temp., max.i Load , (Temp., avg...- <Temp., max... iLoad

ITemp., avg... <Temp., ma.x... [Load

ITemp., avg...

•^Temp., max... [Load

fFire exposure. iHose.. -.

fFire exposure. IHose

(Temp., avg-. <Temp., max-.

[Load iTemp., avg.. Temp., max.. Load

Hole through. do fTemp., avg. .

Temp., max... Load

(Temp., avg.-. ^Temp., max... [Load

/Fire exposure. \Hose

/Fire e-xposure. IHose

Time

1038

6464

62 None None

79452H

452^

Notes

30

30

IVio

Partition failed by rise of temperature on unexposedsurfacc. Flame on

unexposed surface ap- peared at 27 min.

1 Temperature limits not

J reached in 1 hr 30 min. IMet requirements for rat- / ing 1 hr, combustible. Met requirements for rat- ing as load-bearing I'A

hr, combustible. Met

requirements for rating

as nonload bearing I'/i hr, combustible.

Failed under load before limiting rise of surface temperature.

30-min. fire exposure; hose

applied. Do. Loading equipment failed. Load applied after fire test, 332 lb/in. 2 of studs.

) Loading equipment failed. Load applied after fire test, 344 lb/in2 of studs,

i Met requirements for 1 hr

fire resistance. (1 hr. combustible). Do.

' Temperaturolaverat'cs and iiia.xiiiiuni^, rcsprct ivrly, on the unexposed surface.-; mca.sinrd at points P, figures 3 and 9. • See figure 4.

FinuRE 5. Exposed side of nsbestos-ceinent sheet-faced pailition, no insulation, after failure under fire and load. Test 1.
Table 2. Summary of fire tests of uwod-stitd walls with ashcstos-cemcnt shingle and sheet facings

All studs were 2- by 4-in. Douglas fir spaced 16 in. on centers.

Construction

Thickness

5H

5ji

5%

Design '

Facings

Kind

D&M pine sheathing,

as bestos-felt and

asbestos-cement

shingles (e.xposed to

fire). Insulated sheathing

(unexposed side). fSame as 8A, but re- 1 versed. D&M pine sheathing, asbestos-felt and

asbestos-cement

shingles (exposed to

fire). Asbestos-cement sheet (unexposed side). G y p s u m - b 0 a r d

strips on edge oi

. studs. [Same as 9A, but re-

[ versed. Same as 9A

Same as 9B

Same as 9A

Same as 9B

Thickness

Vie

11/8

1%

Insulation

Kind

[insulated sheathing

[ only.

.do_

Full-thick mineral- wool batts.

_do^

1 Full-thick. 1 semithick mineral-wool

batt. _do )-

}....do_

}_...do_

Weight

1. 05

1.73

1. 73

1.7

1.9

Test data

Kind of

test

Fire and

load.

_do_

-do_

.._.do

_.-.do

...-do

Fire and

hose, with

load. --.-do

Limits

Kind

/Temp.-- - ILoad

(Temp

<Load

(.Flame through

ITemp-

\Load

fTemp

I Load (Temp

iLoad-- ITemp

ILoad

iFire exposure

.

[Hole through-

.

Fire exposure -

.

Time

None

34

None

32

33

None

51

None

42 None

74 None

79

38

None

Notes

Surface temperature limits

at points P, fig. 1(J, not reached in 38 min.

Do.

ITemporature limits not

/ reached in 1 hr.

Do.

ITemperaturc limits not

/ reached in 1 hr. 25 min. Do.

(Failed from impact of hose

/ stream in ?3 min.

(Section B did not fail in 2

1 min 24 sec hose-stream test.

1 See figure 4.

2. Partitions Sheathed With Gypsum Boards

and Faced With Asbestos- Cement Sheets, No

Fill Between Studs

One partition of gypsum-board sheathing and

asbestos-cement sheet facings, divided into two

sections (test 2) was subjected to the fire-en- durance test, and a partition of similar construction was subjected to the fire and hose stream

(test 3)

.

Section A in test 2 faced with %6-in. asbestoscement sheet over %-in. -thick gypsum-board

sheathing failed under load at 1 hr 2 min. Section

B of the same construction, but with Js-in. -thick

gypsum board failed, also under load, at 1 hr 19

min. The limiting temperature rise of 250 deg

F (139 deg C) on section A was reached at 1 hr

4 min, and the limiting temperature rise of 325

deg F (181 deg C) at one point was observed at almost the same time. The corresponding limiting rises of temperature on the surface of section

B were not reached before the gas fire was ex- tinguished at IK hr. Extrapolation of the observed rises indicated that these limits would

have been reached in approximately 5 more

minutes.

The deflections of the two sections of the partition in test 2 at their center points and under a load of 360 lb/in. ^ of stud area were 2.5 in. at 1 hr

for section A and 2.6 in. at \){ hr for section B.

Fire and hose-stream test 3, made with a partition construction similar to that of test 2, resulted

in the dislodgment of the sheets from the fire-ex- posed side when subjected to the impact of the hose

stream after a 45-min exposure to fire. However,

no hole through the partition developed nor did

any other type of failure occur (fig. 6). Section A

of this partition faced with /g-in. gypsum boards

and %6-in. asbestos-cement sheets is considered to have qualified for a fire-resist%hce rating of 1 hour,

combustible for both load-bearing and nonloadbearing partitions. As a load-bearing partition,

section B, with facings of /2-in. -thick gypsum wallboards and /{e-in. asbestos-cement sheets, by the same criterion qualified for the rating l)i hours,

combustible, and as a nonload-bearing partition,

1)2 hours, combustible.

3. Partitions with Asbestos-Cement Sheet

Facing, Mineral-Wool Fill

The partition in test 4 failed under load at 40

and 46 min for sections A and B, respectively. The

limiting rise of surface temperatures was reached

at 42 min at one point on section A, and the aver- age rise on section B was reached at 46 min. The

limiting rise of 250 deg F (139 deg C) as the aver- age of five locations on the surface of section A

occurred at 48 min. Glow was observed on the

surface of section B at 46 min.

8
FiouRE G. Exposed si(le oj partition with gypsum sheathing under asbestos-cement sheets after 4-5 min

exposure to fire followed by hose stream,. Test 3.

At 30 min after the start of the test, the midpoint of section A had deflected 2.2 in. away from

the fire. The corresponding deflection of section B

was 2.0 in. Each had deflected 1.4 in. farther at 36 min and another inch at 40 min.

A partition of similar construction except for asbestos-paper Uning on the edges of the studs of one section (test 5) failed in 1 min from impact of

the hose stream following a 30-mm exposure to

fire. The impact of the stream forced the sheets

off the countersunk nail heads of the unexposed

surface, the sheets having been broken and dis- lodged very quickly from the fire-exposed surface on application of the stream. The depth of char

observed on the edges of the studs toward the fire varied from ^2 to % in., and was estimated to average about % in. This resulted from a 30-min

exposure of the wall to fire. No noticeable efl^ect was observed in the asbestos paper on the edges of

the studs, probably because the fire exposure was

terminated before any limiting criterion of fire resistance was attained (see fig. 7).

4. Partitions With Asbestos-Cement Sheet

Facing, Mineral-Wool Fill, and Edges of

Studs Sheathed with Gypsum-Board Strips

The partitions for tests 6 and 7 had 4-in.-wide

strips of %-in. -thick gypsum board tacked along

both edges of the wood studs before the asbestoscement sheet facing was applied. The spaces

between the studs of section A were filled with

two thicknesses of mineral-wool batts, one ply

being of full-thick batts and the other of semithick batts. Section B had two plies of full- thick batts.

Fig UKE 7. Unexposed side of partition with mineral-wool

fill after failure under load. Test A.

9
After the first 13 min of test 6, only section A

of the partition was subjected to load and that to the extent of 210 lb/in. ^ of the wood studs. After

the fire exposure of 1-hr 32-min duration had been

terminated, and the pump that had failed was

repahed, section A was subjected to a load of 13,750 lb, or 332 lb/in. ^ of the studs, and section

B to 14,200 lb, or 344 Ib/in.^ of the studs, before

failiu-e occm-red.

Failure hy a temperature rise of 325 deg F (181

deg C) at one point of section A of the partition

of test 6 occurred at 1 hr 19 min and on section

B at 1 lir 22 min. The limiting rise of 250 deg F

(139 deg C) as the average of five locations was

reached at 1 hx 23 min on section A and at 1 hr 31

min on section B. Deflections of the midpoints of

sections A and B toward the fire at 1 hr 25 min

were 0.6 and 0.7 in., respectively. There was only

minor cracking of the facing sheets on the unex- posed surface. Figure 8 shows the face' of the

partition after 1-hr 32-min exposure to fire. The fire and hose-stream test of a similar

partition (test 7) resulted in dislodgment of the

facing sheets and gypsum-board strips from the

exposed side and of the mineral-wool batts from

between the studs, but no holes were broken

through the sheets on the unexposed face. Except

for size of panel, this partition met the requirements for the fire-resistance rating, 1 hour, combustible. Data for the partitions with mineral-wool fill between the studs, tests 4, 5, 6, and 7, are shown

in figure 9.

5. Walls Faced With Asbestos-Cement Shingles

Three walls with asbestos-cement shingles on

one side and asbestos-cement sheets on the other were subjected to fire-endm-ance tests, and one

wall to a fire and hose-stream test. Each wall was divided into two equal sections, section A

having the shingled face exposed to the fire, and

section B with the sheet-faced side so exposed.

All three walls subjected to the fire-endurance

test failed by buckling of the studs under load.

The limiting rise of temperature as measured by

thermocouples under asbestos pads on the unex- posed sm'face was not attained during the fire exposure in any of the three tests, the fires of which were continued for periods of 38 min, 1 hr,

and 1 hr 25 min for tests 8, 9, and 10, respectively.

Data for the walls (tests 8, 9, 10, and 11) are shown in figure 10. The wall having the interior facing of a composite insulated sheathing board and with no

mineral-wool fill between studs, nor strips of gypsum-board lining the edges of the studs (test

8), failed in section B after a 32-min exposure to

fii'e and in section A after a 34-mm exposure (see

fig. 11).

The wall having the edges of the studs lined

with 4-in. by %-in. -thick gypsiun-board strips before the asbestos-cement sheets were applied, and

with a single-layer fill of full-thick batts of mineral

wool weighing 1.05 Ib/ft^ (test 9) failed under

load in section B after a 42-min exposure and in

•section A after a 51-min exposure to fire. Fully

two-thirds of the cross-sectional area of the studs

10
TIME IN MINUTES Figure 10. Furnace and wall temperatures for walls with asbestos-cement shmgles. Tests 8, 9, 10, and 11.

was charred in the 1-hr fire-exposure period. The

deflection away from the fire of the midpoint of

section B was 1.9 in. at 36 min, and of section A,

2.9 in. at 45 min (see fig. 12).

The wall in test 10, similar to that in test 9 but

with Jo-in. -thick gypsum-board strips on the edges

of the studs, and insulated between studs with

two layers of mineral-wool batts weighing a total

11

of 1.73 Ib/ft^, failed under load in section A at 1 hr 14 mill, and in section B at 1 hr 19 min. At 1 hr 10 min, the deflections of sections A and B

were 2.8 and 2.7 in., respectively.

The wall in test 11 was similar to the wall in

test 10, except that the semithick mineral-wool

batts in the second of the two layers of batts wej-e

different, one fill having a total weight of 1.7 and

the other a weight of 1.9 lb/ft". This wall was ex- posed to the test fire for 38 min, and then subjected to the impact of a fire-hose stream for 2 min 24 sec. A part of one of the asbestos-cement

facing sheets was torn away from the studs of

section A after a 40-sec application of the hose

stream. Other pieces of asbestos-cement sheet were broken away in rapid succession until little except the piece applied horizontally below the

chair rail remained. It can be assumed that this sheet, too, would have been torn away had it not

been held at both edges by wooden trim in addition to the regular nailing to the studs.

None of the asbestos-cement shingle covering

of section B was dislodged by tlie hose stream.

It was discovered after the hose-stream test that

the holes for nailing the asbestos-cement sheets

had been made with a 0.1 18-in. -diameter drill. When the casing nails, having heads 0.143 to 0.146

in. in diameter, were driven flush, cones were broken out from the back of the sheet around the

nails, thus leaving the sheets with little support

from the nail heads. A drill 0.130. in. in diameter was used on other sheets nailed in place the same

as those for the test panel. No wood trim was

applied over the nail heads. These did not break

cones from the back of the sheets. The panels

withstood a hose-stream test at 30- and 40-lb/in.^ pressures, but the sheets were broken away when

the pressure was raised to 50 lb/in.-

VI. Summary and Discussion

The framework of the partitions and walls was

the common type wood-stud partition frame.

Eight frames had blocks fltted between the studs

to form supports for the edges of the sheets at horizontal jomts.

The asbestos-cement sheets were of the common

commercial grades produced by four manufacturers. No distinction was made among them as

to use, nor were any consistent differences in results noticeable in the tests. The attachment

of the sheets to the studs in a manner that would

leave the nail heads flush with the surface was

difficult. It is believed that a different type of

j attachment, or at least holes made with a comI bined drill and countersink of a size suitable for the nail used, would be advantageous.

The low resistance to fire of a partition faced

I with /i6-in.-thick asbestos-cement sheets only, and

! with no insulation between studs or on the edge of

the studs, was due to heat transmission through

the sheets, and warpage of the sheets to allow

flames to issue on the unexposed face. The varnishes and waxes used as surface finishes on the specimens had no noticeable effect on the

results. Mineral-wool fills made decided improvement

in fire resistance of walls and partitions, particularly with reference to heat transmission. The

use of two thicknesses of mineral-wool batts and

strips of gypsum board to protect the edges of the

studs gave 1-hr resistance to fire before the limiting temperatures were observed on the unexposed

surface. This type of construction failed in the

fire and hose-stream test. The tests of partitions sheathed with gypsum

boards over which Ke-in- asbestos-cement sheets were applied gave the best results in this series. Such construction with /g-in. -thick gypsum board

gave a performance indicating a fire-resistance

rating of 1 hour, combustible and withstood the

hose-stream test after a 45-min fire exposure.

Similarly, the partition with /o-in. gypsum-board

sheathing and faced with /le-in. asbestos-cement

sheets gave a performance to indicate a rating of

Iji hours, combustible as a load-bearing wall, or

1/i hours, combustible as a n onload-bearing wall. The partitions with facings of asbestos-cement

sheets over gypsum-board sheathing had somewhat

greater fire resistance, as determined from limiting

rise of temperature on the unexposed face, than

partitions with gypsum lath and plaster facings of approximately the same thickness.^ In test 2 of

this series, a section of a partition made with

/16-in. asbestos-cement sheets over %-m. gypsum

board did not reach a limiting rise of temperature

in a fire exposure of 1 lir 30 min. Partitions with

plaster facings over several types of gypsum lath

and having a total lath and plaster thicloiess of

% in. on each side, attained limiting rises of temperature in times ranging from 47 min to 1 hr 29 min.

The wood-stud walls covered with asbestoscement shmgles over asbestos felt, applied on

dressed and matched wood sheathing and faced on the interior side with asbestos-cement sheets,

failed under load at 32, 42, and 74 min for those

with cane fiberboard, single fidl-thick batt, and

one full-thick plus one semithick batt insulations,

respectively. The latter type, after being subjected to fire for 38 min, failed in the hose-stream

test. This failure, as was similarly noted for the

partitions, could be attributed in part to improper

or unsuitable iiaUmg of the boards.

It was difficult to secure the asbestos-cement

sheets to the studs in a manner that would leave

their smooth surfaces mibleniished without at the same time inipairmg the strength of the

attachment. The method of nailing was a contributing factor to the failure in fire tests and also

in the fire and hose-stream tests. Careful nailing

in countersunk holes would obviate this difficult}'

2 Fire Tests of Wood- and Metal-Framed Partitions, BMS71, National Bureau of Standards (1941).

13
The adoption of a more suitable method of attaching the sheets would also allow their use in many

types of construction, especially as outer protective covering for gypsum board. The good per- formance of this combination, as shown herein,

arises from the high structural and fire-resistant

characteristics of the asbestos-cement sheets and

the insulating properties of the gypsum boards.

Such construction may be expected to demonstrate

fire resistance superior to that of gypsum lath

and plaster of equal or even somewhat greater

thickness.

Acknowledgment is made to those manufacturers of asbestos-cement sheets and shingles who

supplied the materials used for facings of the

specimens, and to S. H. Ingberg, former Chief of

the Fire Resistance Section of the National

Bureau of Standards, who planned and supervised the tests. The author expresses appreciation for the assistance given by other members

of the present Fire Protection Section.

Washington, September 29, 1950.

U S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE: 1951

li

i
BUILDING MATERIALS AND STRUCTURES REPORTS

[Continued from cover page ii] BMS32 Structural Properties of Two Brick-Concrete-Block Wall Constructions and a Concrete-Block Wall Construction Sponsored by the National Concrete Masonry

Association 15(4 BMS33 Plastic Calking Materials 15^ BMS34 Performance Test of Floor Coverings for Use in Low-Cost Housing: Part 1 15^ BMS35 Stability of Sheathing Papers as Determined by Accelerated Aging * BMS36 Structural Properties of Wood-Frame Wall, Partition, Floor, and Roof Constructions With "Red Stripe" Lath Sponsored by The Weston Paper and Manufacturing Co 10^ BMS37 Structural Properties of "Palisade Homes" Constructions for Walls, Partitions, and

Floors, Sponsored by Pahsade Homes * BMS38 Structural Properties of Two "Dunstone" Wall Constructions Sponsored by the W. E. Dunn Manufacturing Co 10j5 BMS39 Structural Properties of a Wall Construction of "Pfeifer Units" Sponsored by the Wisconsin Units Co 10{5

BMS40 Structural Properties of a Wall Construction of "Knap Concrete Wall Units" Sponsored by Knap America, Inc 15j5 BMS41 Effect of Heating and Cooling on the Permeability of Masonry Walls * BMS42 Structural Properties of Wood-Frame Wall and Partition Constructions with "Celotex" Insulating Boards Sponsored by The Celotex Corporation 15(5 BMS43 Performance Test of Floor Coverings for Use in Low-Cost Housing: Part 2 15j5 BMS44 Surface Treatment of Steel Prior to Painting 10^5 BMS45 Air Infiltration Through Windows 15«5 BMS46 Structural Properties of "Scot-Bilt" Prefabricated Sheet-Steel Constructions for Walls, Floors, and Roofs Sponsored by The Globe-Wernicke Co * BMS47 Structural Properties of Prefabricated Wood-Frame Constructions for Walls, Partitions, and Floors Sponsored by American Houses, Inc 20(i BMS48 Structural Properties of "Precision-Built" Frame Wall and Partition Constructions

Sponsored by the Homasote Co 15(5 BMS49 Metallic Roofing for Low-Cost House Construction 20^ BMS50 Stability of Fiber Building Boards as Determined by Accelerated Aging 10(4 BMS51 Structural Properties of "Tilecrete Type A" Floor Construction Sponsored by the

Tilecrete Co 10^ BMS52 Effect of Ceiling Insulation Upon Summer Comfort 15(5 BMS53 Structural Properties of a Masonry Wall Construction of "Munlock Dry Wall Brick"

Sponsored by the Munlock Engineering Co 10(5 BMS54 Effect of Soot on the Rating of an Oil-Fired Heating Boiler 10^5 BMS55 Effects of Wetting and Drying on the Permeability of Masonry Walls 10(5 BMS56 A Survey of Humidities in Residences 10(5 BMS57 Roofing in the United States—Results of a Questionnaire * BMS58 Strength of Soft-Soldered Joints in Copper Tubing 10(5 BMS59 Properties of Adhesives for Floor Coverings 15^ BMS60 Strength, Absorption, and Resistance to Laboratory Freezing and Thawing of Building Bricks Produced in the United States 30(5 BMS61 Structural Properties of Two Nonreinforced Monolithic Concrete Wall Constructions. 10(5 BMS62 Structural Properties of a Precast Joist Concrete Floor Construction Sponsored by

the Portland Cement Association 10^ BMS63 Moisture Condensation in Building Walls 150 BMS64 Solar Heating of Various Surfaces 10(5 BMS65 Methods of Estimating Loads in Plumbing Systems 15j5 BMS66 Plumbing Manual 35^

BMS67 Structural Properties of "Mu-Steel" Prefabricated Sheet-Steel Constructions for Walls, Partitions, Floor, and Roofs, Sponsored by Herman A. Mugler 15(5 BMS68 Performance Test for Floor Coverings for Use in Low-Cost Housing: Part 3 20(5 BMS69 Stability of Fiber Sheathing Boards as Determined by Accelerated Aging 10(5 BMS70 Asphalt-Prepared Roll Roofings and Shingles 200 BMS71 Fire Tests of Wood- and Metal-Framed Partitions 200 BMS72 Structural Properties of "Precision-Built, Jr." Prefabricated Wood-Frame Wall

Construction Sponsored by the Homasote Co 100 BMS73 Indentation Characteristics of Floor Coverings 100 BMS74 Structural and Heat-Transfer Properties of "U. S. S. Panelbilt" Prefabricated SheetSteel Constructions for Walls, Partitions, and Roofs Sponsored by the Tennessee

Coal, Iron & Railroad Co 200 BMS75 Survey of Roofing Materials in the North Central States 150 BMS76 Effect of Outdoor Exposure on the Water Permeability of Masonry Walls 150 BMS77 Properties and Performance of Fiber Tile Boards 100 BMS78 Structural Heat-Transfer, and Water-Permeability Properties of Five Earth-Wall

Constructions 250 BMS79 Water-Distributing Systems for Buildings 200 BMS80 Performance Test of Floor Coverings for Use in Low-Cost Housing: Part 4 150 BMS81 Field Inspectors' Check List for Building Constructions (cloth cover, 5 x 754 inches).. 300

•Out of print. [List continued on cover page iv]
BUILDING MATERIALS AND STRUCTURES REPORTS

[Continued from cover page iii] BMS82 Water Permeability of Walls Built of Masonry Units . 25^ BMS83 Strength of Sleeve Joints in Copper Tubing Made With Various Lead-Base Solders 15^ BMS84 Survey of Roofing Materials in the South Central States 15^ BMS85 Dimensional Changes of Floor Coverings With Changes in Relative Humidity and Temperature 10j5 BMS86 Structural, Heat-Transfer, and Water-Permeability Properties of "Speedbrik" Wall

Construction Sponsored by the General Shale Products Corporation 15j5 BMS87 A Method for Developing Specifications for Building Construction—Report of Subcommittee on Specifications of the Central Housing Committee on Research,

Design, and Construction 15jJ BMS88 Recommended Building Code Requirements for New Dwelling Construction With

Special Reference to War Housing * BMS89 Structural Properties of "Precision-Built, Jr." (Second Construction) Prefabricated Wood-Frame Wall Construction Sponsored by the Homasote Co 15j5 BMS90 Structural Properties of "PHC" Prefabricated Wood-Frame Construction for Walls,

Floors, and Roofs Sponsored by the PHC Housing Corporation 150 BMS91 A Glossary of Housing Terms 15^ BMS92 Fire-Resistance Classifications of Building Constructions 30^ BMS93 Accumulation of Moisture in Walls of Frame Construction During Winter Exposure 10^ BMS94 Water Permeability and Weathering Resistance of Stucco-Faced, Gunite-Faced, and

"Knap Concrete-Unit" Walls 15j5 BMS95 Tests of Cement-Water Paints and Other Waterproofings for Unit-Masonry Walls 25^

BMS96 Properties of a Porous Concrete of Cement and Uniform-Sized Gravel 10^ BMS97 Experimental Dry. Wall Construction With Fiber Insulating Board 10^ BMS98 Physical Properties of Terrazzo Aggregates 15^ BMS99 Structural and Heat-Transfer Properties of "Multiple Box-Girder Plywood Panels"

for Walls, Floors, and Roofs 15^ BMSlOO Relative Slipperiness of Floor and Deck Surfaces 10^ BMSlOl Strength and Resistance to Corrosion of Ties for Cavity Walls 10^ BMS102 Painting Steel 10(4 BMS103 Measurements of Heat Losses From Slab Floors 15^ BMS104: Structural Properties of Prefabricated Plywood Lightweight Constructions for Walls,

Partitions, Floors, and Roofs Sponsored by the Douglas Fir Plywood Association. _ 300 BMS105 Paint Manual With Particular Reference to Federal Specifications $L25

BMS106 Laboratory Observations of Condensation in Wall Specimens 150 BMS107 Building Code Requirements for New Dwelling Construction * BMS108 Temperature Distribution in a Test Bungalow With Various Heating Devices 100 BMS109 Strength of Houses: Application of Engineering Principles to Structural Design $1.50

BMSllO Paints for Exterior Masonry Walls 150 BMSlll Performance of a Coal-Fired Boiler Converted to Oil , 150 BMS112 Properties of Some Lightweight-Aggregate Concretes With and Without an Air-Entraining Admixture 100 BMS113 Fire Resistance of Structural Clay Tile Partitions 150 BMS114 Temperature in a Test Bungalow With Some Radiant and Jacketed Space Heaters 250

BMS115 A Study of a Baseboard Convector Heating System in a Test Bungalow 150 BMS116 Preparation and Revision of Building Codes , 150 BMS117 Fire Resistance of Walls of Lightweight-Aggregate Concrete Masonry Units 200 BMS118 The Stack Venting of Plumbing Fixtures 15(4 BMS119 Wet Venting of Plumbing Fixtures 200 BMS120 Fire Resistance of Walls of Gravel-Aggregate Concrete Masonry Units 150 BMS121 Investigation of Failures of White-Coat Plasters 250 BMS123 Fire Tests of Wood-Framed Walls and Partitions with Asbestos-Cement Facings 150

•Out of print