NBSIR 78-1522

Characteristics of Incidental

Fires in the Living Room of A

Mobile Home

David P. Klein

Center for Fire Research

National Engineering Laboratory

National Bureau of Standards

Washington, D.C. 20234

September 1 978

Interim Report

* Sponsored principally by:

Division of Energy, Building Technology and Standards

Office of Policy Development and Research

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development

'C Washington, D.C. 20410

100

, U56

78-1522

/178

NBSIR 78-1522

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CHARACTERISTICS OF INCIDENTAL

FIRES IN THE LIVING ROOM OF A

MOBILE HOME

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David P. Klein

Center for Fire Research

National Engineering Laboratory

National Bureau of Standards

Washington, D.C. 20234

September 1978

Interim Report

Sponsored principally by:

Division of Energy, Building Technology and Standards

Office of Policy Development and Research

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development

Washington, D.C. 20410

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

Dr. Sidney Harman, Under Secretary

Jordan J. Baruch. Assistant Secretary for Science and Technology

NATIONAL BUREAU OF STANDARDS. Erneat Ambler, Director
'

.
CONTENTS

Page

LIST OF FIGURES iv

LIST OF TABLES vi

Abstract 1

1. INTRODUCTION 2

2. EXPERIMENTAL DETAILS 3

2.1 Test Facility 3 2.2 Instrumentation 5 2.3 Test Specimens 8

3. TEST PROCEDURE 8

4. TEST RESULTS 9

4.1 Fire Development 9

4.2 Rate of Burning 12

4.3 Temperature 13

4.4 Incident Heat Flux 16

4.5 Smoke and Gas Concentrations 19

5. DISCUSSION 21

6. SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS 26

7. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 27

8. REFERENCES 28

TABLES 30

APPENDIX A. CHRONOLOGICAL SUMMARY OF OBSERVATIONS FOR SELECTED

TESTS 41

APPENDIX B. PLOTTED TEST DATA ILLUSTRATING CHANGES IN VARIOUS

MEASURED CONDITIONS 47

iii

!
LIST OF FIGURES

Figure

Figure

Figure

Figure

Figure

Figure

Figure

Figure

Figure

Figure

Figure

Page

1. Plan view of the mobile home test unit illustrating

dimensions A

2. Plan view of the mobile home test unit illustrating

sampling locations for experimental measurements 6

3. Photographs of a 16 kg (35 lb) upholstered chair and

a 6. A kg (1A lb) wood crib on the load platform prior

to ignition 10

Aa. Burn rates of 16 kg (35 lb) upholstered chairs and

6. A kg (1A lb) wood cribs (Ignition Characterization

Series) 1A

Ab. Burn rates of various size wood cribs (Ignition

Characterization Series) 1A

5a. Time-Temperature curves for the thermocouple 25 mm

(1 in) below the ceiling in the center of the living room for 16 kg (35 lb) upholstered chairs and 6. A kg

(1A lb) wood cribs (Ignition Characterization Series).. 15

5b. Time-Temperature curves for the thermocouple 25 mm

(1 in) below the ceiling in the center of the living room for various size wood cribs (Ignition Characterization Series) 15

6. Vertical temperature profiles in the center of the

living room for selected ignition sources (Ignition

Characterization Series) 17

7a. Total incident heat flux, horizontal orientation,

0.6 m (2 ft) from the edge of the specimen, 0.9 m

(3 ft) above the floor for 16 kg (35 lb) upholstered

chairs and 6. A kg (1A lb) wood cribs (Ignition

Characterization Series) 18

7b. Total incident heat flux, horizontal orientation,

0.6 m (2 ft) from the edge of the specimen, 0.9 m

(3 ft) above the floor for various size wood cribs

(Ignition Characterization Series) 19

8. Total incident heat flux distributions, horizontal

orientation, at 0.9 m (3 ft) above the floor for

selected ignition sources (Ignition Characterization

Series) 20

IV
LIST OF FIGURES (cont'd)

Page

Figure 9a. Average smoke concentrations at the door to the

living room for 16 kg (35 lb) upholstered chairs

and 6.4 kg (14 lb) wood cribs (Ignition Characterization Series) 22

Figure 9b. Average smoke concentrations at the door to the living room for various size wood cribs and a waste container

(Ignition Characterization Series)... 22

Figure 10a. Oxygen concentrations in the center of the living room

for 16 kg (35 lb) upholstered chairs and 6.4 kg (14 lb)

wood cribs (Ignition Characterization Series) 23

Figure 10b. Oxygen concentrations in the center of the living room

for various size wood cribs (Ignition Characterization

Series) 23

Figure 11. Maximum 1-minute burn rate versus crib weight for each

size wood crib (Ignition Characterization Series) 24

Figure 12. Maximum temperature 25 mm (1 in) below the ceiling in

the center of the living room versus maximum 1-minute

burn rate for each size wood crib (Ignition Characterization Series) 24
LIST OF TABLES

Page

Table 1. Instrumentation Locations (Ignition Characterization

Series) 30

Table 2. Range and Limits of Error for Instrumentation (Ignition

Characterization Series) 31

Table 3. Design Specifications for the Standardized Wood Cribs

(Ignition Characterization Series) 32

Table 4. Test Conditions (Ignition Characterization Series) 33

Table 5. Summary of Selected Test Results (Ignition Characterization Series) 34

Table 6. Summary of Maximum Fuel Burning Rates (Ignition

Characterization Series) 35

Table 7. Summary of Maximum Temperatures Attained at Selected

Locations (Ignition Characterization Series) 36

Table 8. Summary of Maximum Total Incident Heat Flux Levels

Attained (Ignition Characterization Series) 37

Table 9. Summary of Selected Smoke and Gas Concentrations

(Ignition Characterization Series) 38

Table 10. Summary of Averaged Readings for Selected Types of

Incidental Fires (Ignition Characterization Series) 39

Table 11. Relationship Between Maximum Total Incident Heat Flux

on the Floor in the Center of the Living Room and

Maximum Average Temperature 25 mm (1 in) Below the

Ceiling in the Living Room for all Tests of Wood

Cribs and Upholstered Chairs (Ignition Characterization Series) 40
CHARACTERISTICS OF INCIDENTAL FIRES IN THE LIVING ROOM

OF A MOBILE HOME1

David P. Klein

Abstract

A series of fire tests was conducted in the corner of a mobile home living room. The corner was lined with interior

finish materials which did not contribute to the fires. The

test series was designed to examine the fire characteristics

of typical incidental (low intensity) fires which may be used

as the ignition source for tests to evaluate the effects of

interior finish materials.

This test series involved three types of source fires:

standardized wood cribs ranging in weight from 2.3 kg to

13.6 kg (5 lb to 30 lb), identically constructed upholstered

chairs, and polyethylene waste containers filled with crumpled

newsprint. Experimental measurements were made of burn rate,

temperature, heat flux, flame height, smoke density, and

concentrations of oxygen, carbon monoxide, and carbon dioxide.

Under the test conditions employed, it was found that

the fire severities for the several sizes of standardized

wood cribs fell between those for the polyethylene waste

containers filled with crumpled newsprint and the more

severe incidental fires produced by the 16 kg (35 lb)

upholstered chairs in terms of characteristics such as maximum temperature and heat flux levels, flame height,

and changes in oxygen, carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide

concentrations. Of the fires with wood cribs, it was found

that the fires with 13.6 kg (30 lb) standardized wood cribs

were most similar to the fires with 16 kg (35 lb) upholstered

chairs, although the peak burning rate was generally higher

for fires with upholstered chairs than for fires with wood

cribs. It was also found that the time to reach the period

of active burning was more reproducible for fires with wood

cribs than fires with upholstered chairs.

Key words: Chairs; compartment fires; crib fires; fire tests;

incidental fires; ignition source; mobile homes; repeatability;

source fires; upholstered furniture.

1This work was principally supported by funds provided by the Division

of Energy, Building Technology and Standards, Office of Policy Development and Research of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development

with supplemental funding by the Center for Fire Research at the

National Bureau of Standards.

1
1. INTRODUCTION

The work reported here is based on completion of a segment of a broad ongoing research program at the National Bureau of Standards to

investigate some of the characteristics which may affect the growth and

spread of fire in a single-wide mobile home. As part of the program,

full-scale fire tests were conducted in typical mobile homes to characterize fire growth potential as a function of the interior finish materials

used on the walls and ceiling in different areas throughout the mobile

home. These tests were designed based on a scenario in which an incidental

(i.e., low intensity) fire starts in the corner of a room and becomes

more severe by involving the interior finish materials on the walls and

ceiling. This scenario was based on examination of current residential

fire loss data. These data indicate that a large percentage of fires

occurring in residential occupancies are initially incidental in nature,

and that in many fires, especially those in mobile homes, the spread of

flame from the initial burning item appears to result from involvement

of the wall and ceiling materials [1-6].-

Incidental fires, such as might occur in a wastebasket or upholstered

chair, have been defined by Gross and Fang [7] as being of limited size,

duration, and energy content. For this study an incidental fire is

considered to be one that by itself does not cause flashover^ in the room in which it is burning. While an incidental fire does not cause flashover in a room, the ignition of nearby combustibles, including

interior finish materials, may result in a more severe situation,

including the possiblity of flashover. For this reason incidental fires

are frequently used when evaluating the effects of interior finish

materials used on wall and ceiling systems. Fang [10] has reported that

the essential characteristics of typical incidental fires, e.g. burning

time, temperature and heat flux levels, and the size and shape of the

flame, can be duplicated with reproducible fires from a standardized

wood crib (cross-piled pieces of wood) . Other researchers have noted

similar findings. Theobald and Heselden [11] concluded that fires from

wood cribs constructed of 40 mm (1.6 in) thick sticks are reasonably

representative of fires from various types of upholstered chairs and

other wood furniture which they tested. And it has been reported by

researchers at Underwriters Laboratories [12] that 1500 g (3.3 lb) wood

cribs constructed of 25 mm (1 in) thick sticks provided consistent,

reproducible ignitions of urethane-foam-padded upholstered chairs

weighing approximately 15 kg (33 lb) and provided ignition of wall

finish materials in a corner configuration without prior flame impingement on the ceiling.

2Numbers in brackets refer to the literature references listed at the

end of this paper.

^Flashover is defined here as a fire phenomenon in which the heated

upper surfaces of a room transmit sufficient radiation into the lower

part of the room to cause ignition of all combustible materials [8],

The term is synonomous with the phrase "total room involvement" [9].

2
In light of the complex and frequently unreproducible nature of

real-world fire situations, the maximum possible reproducibility in

initial fire build-up is desirable when conducting comparative fullscale fire testing. Experiments have demonstrated that the initial fire

development in a typical item of furniture such as an upholstered chair

may be considerably different from test to test, even when tested under

similar fire conditions [13], This is primarily due to the variation in

sequential involvement of portions of the burning item. The use of

reproducible incidental fires such as those afforded by standardized

wood cribs minimizes variation in initial fire build-up and thereby

allows a more precise evaluation to be obtained.

When using crib fires and other incidental fires to provide the

ignition source for evaluating the effects of interior finish materials,

it is of value to know the effects of the incidental fires themselves.

This report addresses the results of a series of tests which was designed

to examine the fire characteristics of some typical incidental fires in

the living room of a mobile home.

Several different types of incidental fires were tested in a corner configuration. The corner was chosen because the confinement of

the hot combustion gases and the reflected radiation from the walls

cause an increased fire severity in that configuration. Since the

intent of the tests was to develop data on the incidental fires themselves,

the room was designed not to contribute heat, flames or smoke to the

fires. In addition, no other combustible items were included in the

living room during the tests.

The objectives of this test series were:

1. To provide a comparison of the characteristics, such as burn

rate, temperature and heat flux levels, flame height, smoke

densities, and concentrations of oxygen, carbon monoxide, and

carbon dioxide, of fires with medium size upholstered chairs,

small waste containers filled with newsprint, and several

sizes of standardized wood cribs.

2. To obtain data on incidental fires resulting from the burning

of the upholstered chairs, waste containers, and wood cribs

in a compartment designed not to contribute to the fires, in

order to provide information for comparison with data on similar incidental fires in the same compartment lined with

combustible interior finish materials on the walls and

ceilings (see reference [14]).

2 . EXPERIMENTAL DETAILS

2.1 Test Facility

The tests were conducted in a typical single-wide mobile home whose

exterior dimensions were approximately 3.6 x 18.3 m (12 x 60 ft). The

mobile home included a living room and dining area, kitchen, bathroom,

3
4

Figure

1.

Plan

view

of

the

mobile

home

test

unit

illustrating

dimensions.
and three bedrooms (see figure 1) . The dimensions of the living/dining

room were approximately 7.5 m (24 ft 5 in) long and 3.5 m (11 ft 4 in)

wide with a net usable floor area of 23.6 m^ (254 ft^). The ceiling

height in this room and throughout the mobile home was 2.1 m (7 ft). A

ceiling-high partition constructed of cement asbestos board and covered

with 13 mm (0.5 in) thick Type X gypsum wallboard was built in front of

the kitchen area to protect it from the effects of the test fires. The

other three walls and the ceiling of the room were also lined with 13 mm

(0.5 in) thick Type X gypsum wallboard mechanically fastened to the wall

studs and ceiling truss system. Additional protection in the northwest

corner where the ignitions occurred was provided by 13 mm (0.5 in) thick

sheets of calcium silicate (CaSi03 ) marine board^ which were installed

over the gypsum. The calcium silicate board extended from floor to

ceiling and outward 1.2 m (4 ft) from the corner on both the north and

east walls, and covered a 3.0 m^ (32 ft^) area of the ceiling in the corner. Calcium silicate board is an inorganic board that contributed no heat, flames, or smoke to the fires. Since none of the fires left the corner area the effect was a noncontributing compartment.

The exterior wall system of the mobile home consisted of nominal 51

x 76 mm (2x3 in) hemlock studs, 406 mm (16 in) on center, with 64 mm

(2.5 in) of single thickness paper-faced glass fiber insulation in the

wall, and painted aluminum siding mechanically fastened on the exterior.

The roof was constructed of painted aluminum sheeting mechanically

fastened to a system of wood bow-string trusses, 406 mm (16 in) on center and insulated by 76 mm (3 in) of glass fiber above a polyethylene

vapor barrier. The floor covering in the room was 3.1 mm (0.13 in)

thick vinyl asbestos taken from a continuous 3.6 m (12 ft) wide roll and

stapled to the 19 mm (0.75 in) thick particle board subfloor. The room contained six windows, each 660 x 762 mm (26 x 30 in) in size. Two each

were located in the west, north, and east walls. The room contained no furnishings

.

2.2 Instrumentation

Figure 2 is a diagram showing the locations where test parameters

were measured. Table 1 lists each sampling location and its type of

measurement. Table 2 lists the range and sensitivity of the instrumentation.

Temperature measurements were taken with 47 thermocouples located

throughout the mobile home. The thermocouple trees located in the

center of the living room and bedroom #1 and the set of three thermocouples

located 0.9 m (3 ft) above the floor of the living room at horizontal

^Manufacturer's specifications for the calcium silicate board are:

density = 46 lb/ft^

specific heat = 0.34 Btu/°F/lb at 800°F

thermal conductivity = 0.93 Btu in/ft^/°F/hr at 800°F

5
N

TEMPERATURE

T-^ = Thermocouples 211, 188, 132 cm above floor

T 2 = Thermocouples 211, 188, 132, 91 cm above floor

T 3 = Thermocouples 211, 188, 132, 91, 46, 2.5 cm above floor

T

4 = Thermocouples 92 cm above floor; 61, 122, 183 cm from specimen

INCIDENT HEAT FLUX

R^ = Transducer at floor level

R2 = Transducers 92 cm above floor; 61, 122, 183 cm from specimen

R

3 = Transducers at wall surface 92 cm and 183 cm above floor,

transducer at ceiling level centered over specimen

WEIGHT LOSS OF SPECIMEN

L = Strain gage load cell

GAS CONCENTRATIONS

Gj_ = CO, CO 2

, O 2 sampled 1.5 m above floor

G

2 = CO, O 2 sampled 1.5 m above floor

SMOKE CONCENTRATION

SM = Horizontal smoke meter at 0.6, 1.2, 1.8 m above floor

with path length of 0.8 m, and vertical smoke meter at

ceiling with path length of 0.46 m

SMOKE DETECTOR

SD = Commerical ionization type smoke detector positioned

18 cm below ceiling on inside corridor wall

Figure 2. Plan view of the mobile home test

unit illustrating sampling locations

for experimental measurements.

6
distances of 0.6, 1.2, and 1.8 m (2, 4, and 6 ft) from the specimen were

0.61 mm diameter (24 gage) Chromel and Alumel wires enclosed in glass

fiber insulation with bare beaded ends. The remaining thermocouples

were 0.91 mm diameter (20 gage) Chromel and Alumel wires packed in

mineral insulation and enclosed in a 3.150 mm (0.124 in) diameter Inconel

702 sheath with a grounded junction.

Measurements of incident heat flux were taken with nine watercooled Gardon-type total incident heat flux transducers. Two were

installed in the north wall flush with the wall surface immediately

adjacent to the test specimen, one was installed in the ceiling, again

flush with the surface, directly above and with a downward view in the

direction of the flame plume, and three were located 0.9 m (3 ft) above

the floor in the living room, with a horizontal view of the flame plume,

at 0.6, 1.2, and 1.8 m (2, 4 and 6 ft) away from the specimen. The

remaining three were located in the floor at the north and south ends of

the corridor and the center of the living room, each with an upward

view.

Levels of smoke density were measured at two locations, one at the

south end of the corridor and one at the north end next to the entrance

to the living room. All the smoke meters operated by continuously

measuring the attenuation of a collimated beam of light from a tungsten

lamp impinging on a photo tube. At each location three horizontally

aligned smoke meters were positioned at 0.6, 1.2, and 1.8 m (2, 4, and 6

ft) above the floor. These meters were designed to measure the smoke

stratification in the upper part of the corridor. The path length of

each of these meters was approximately 0.8 m (30 in). In addition, at

each location, one vertically aligned smoke meter was positioned midway

between the corridor walls to measure smoke obscuration along a path

from 610 mm (24 in) below the ceiling to 152 mm (6 in) below the ceiling.

In order to determine the rate of weight loss of the specimen

during a test, each specimen was positioned on a water-cooled, strain

gage load cell located in the northwest corner of the living room.

Continuous sampling of gas concentrations was made at 1.5 m (5 ft)

above the floor in the center of the living room and at the south end of

the corridor at the entrance to bedroom if 1. These gases were filtered

through glass fiber to remove soot and particulate matter, chilled in an

ice bath to condense water vapor, and passed through an infrared gas

analyzer to measure concentrations of CO and CO2

. Measurements of O 2 concentrations were made with chemical oxygen cells.

Indicator specimens of crumpled newsprint were placed on the floor

of the living room at distances of 0.6, 1.2, and 1.8 m (2, 4, and 6 ft)

from the specimen. Based on previous work [15], the crumpled newsprint

was used to provide information on the time of involvement of combustible

items in the room as a result of the incidental fire.

7
A commercially available, A.C. powered, ionizat ion- type residential

smoke detector was placed at the north end of the corridor. The detector

was located on an inside wall, approximately 229 mm (9 in) below the

ceiling and 381 mm (15 in) from the entrance to the living room.

Graphic documentation for the tests was provided by 35 mm color

slides and black and white video tape. In addition, visual observations

were recorded on a tape recorder and transcribed after each test.

Signals from all the instruments were collected every 10 seconds on

a multiple-channel data acquisition system and were recorded on magnetic

tape in order to be processed by computer. In addition, data from 24

thermocouples, the heat flux transducers, the gas analyzers, and the

load cell were simultaneously recorded either on strip chart or multipoint recorders.

2.3 Test Specimens

The specimens tested were upholstered chairs, all weighing approximately 16 kg (35 lbs), 0.3 kg (12 oz) polyethylene waste containers (9 liter

(9.5 quart) capacity) filled with approximately 227 g (0.5 lb) of crumpled

newsprint, and 2.3 kg (5 lb), 6.4 kg (14 lb), 9.1 kg (20 lb), and 13.6 kg

(30 lb) standardized wood cribs. The upholstered chairs were of the same design and were produced by the same manufacturer. Each was con- structed of a wood frame with polyurethane foam and cotton batting, and

covered with rayon fabric. The seat cushion was also polyurethane foam

covered with rayon fabric. The chairs were stored in a test building

until their weight stabilized. Temperature and relative humidity in the

test building were maintained at 75 + 5°F and 35 + 10%, respectively.

The wood cribs consisted of pieces of hemlock arranged in layers, with

each layer placed at a right angle to the previous one. In addition,

two bottom layers of two sticks each were included to support the crib

above a pan of heptane. All the cribs were conditioned at 21 °C (70 °F)

and 50% relative humidity until the moisture content and the resulting

change in weight had stabilized. Because the tests were conducted in a mobile home located outdoors, the moisture content, when measured at

test time with an electric resistance moisture meter, varied slightly,

ranging from 6.3 to 9.5%. The cribs were designed so that after con- ditioning their final weight would be at least as great as the weight

specified. Weight adjustments could then be made by removing one or more sticks from the top. Design specifications for the cribs are summarized in table 3.

In addition to the above specimens, tests were conducted using pans

of 54 mL and 150 mL of heptane, the amounts used to ignite the wood

cribs. These tests were for calibration purposes only and were of short

duration due to the limited amount of fuel used.

3. TEST PROCEDURE

Prior to the start of a test, the temperature and relative humidity

inside and outside the mobile home were recorded. Table 4 summarizes

8
this information. The interior environment of the mobile home was maintained at as constant a level as possible using the central heating

system and a dehumidifier as required. However, due to the wide range

of exterior conditions during the testing period, some variation in the

interior conditions was experienced.

In tests using an upholstered chair, the chair was positioned

diagonally in the northwest corner of the living room on the weighing

platform so that the back of the chair was approximately 25 mm (1 in)

from both the north and west walls. A 0.3 kg (12 oz) polyethylene waste

container (9 liter (9.5 quart) capacity) filled with approximately 227 g

(0.5 lb) of crumpled newsprint was placed on the floor adjacent to the

left arm of the chair, and the newsprint was ignited by remote electrical

activation of a wooden match.

In tests using only the waste container and newsprint, the waste

container was placed in a five-sided wire mesh enclosure. The dimensions

of the enclosure base were approximately 305 x 356 mm (12 x 14 in) and

the four sides were each approximately 127 mm (5 in) tall. The enclosure

was designed to prevent any newsprint from falling from the weighing

platform, which was approximately 254 mm (10 in) above the floor.

Dripping of molten polyethylene from the weighing platform was prevented

through the use of a 13 mm (0.5 in) thick sheet of marine board, approximately 1.2 m (2 ft) square, which was placed between the mesh enclosure

and the top of the weighing platform. The newsprint was again remotely

ignited with a wooden match.

In tests using a wood crib, the crib was positioned on the weighing

platform so that two of its sides were approximately 25 mm (1 in) from

both the north and west walls. The base of the crib was approximately

254 mm (10 in) above the floor. A metal pan, either 203 x 203 x 25 mm (8x8x1 in) containing 150 ml of heptane, or 127 x 127 x 25 mm (5 x 5 x 1 in) containing 54 ml of heptane, depending on the crib size, was placed under the crib and was again remotely ignited. Figure 3 shows an upholstered chair and a 6.4 kg wood crib, both in their position in the corner configuration.

Prior to ignition, all exterior doors and windows were closed to

provide an initially static atmosphere. The doors leading into bedrooms

# 2 and #3 and the bathroom were also closed. The door to bedroom #1 was

left open.

4. TEST RESULTS

4.1 Fire Development

Fire development during the tests of upholstered chairs was characterized by an initial period of build-up, a period of active burning,

and a decay period when the majority of the fuel had been consumed and

the flame plume had degenerated into flamelets no greater than 100-150 mm

(4-6 in) high above the fuel surface.

9
10

load

platform

prior

to

ignition.
Typically, Ignition of the newsprint in the waste container resulted

in a flame 0.3-0. 6 m (1-2 ft) above the top of the waste container.

This flame impinged on the exterior fabric of the left arm of the chair

igniting it within 45 sec - 2 min. At the same time, the polyethylene

waste container began deforming and melting away (at approximately one minute into the test) and by four to seven minutes into the test no longer significantly affected the development of the chair fire.

Although the general tendency was for the fires to burn from left

to right across the chairs, there was some variation in the sequential

involvement of the various surface areas of each chair. The period of

active burning gnerally began at approximately the time the polyurethane

foam inside the left arm of the chair became involved. This burning

continued to increase until the flame reached maximum height and intensity.

The decay period began at approximately the time the seat cushion and

back cushion were almost completely consumed with the right arm being

the only major source of fuel remaining in the chair.

The fire development of the 6.4, 9.1, and 13.6 kg wood cribs was characterized by similar periods of build-up, active burning, and decay.

However, the build-up period for the cribs was relatively shorter than

for the chairs. Typically, ignition of the heptane in the pan under the

crib resulted in combustion throughout the interior of the crib and a flame which extended 0.3-1. 5 m (1-5 ft) above the top surface of the

crib. Complete consumption of the heptane ranged from 1 min 35 sec to

2 min, and in most cases, the flame then receded somewhat in height.

Combustion continued, characterized by an increase in the intensity of

the fire as well as the height of the flame above the crib, until a maximum fire intensity and flame height were reached. At this point the

crib exhibited relatively steady burning over a period of at least

15 minutes before most of the fuel was consumed and the intensity of the

burning began to decrease.

Fire development was somewhat different with the 2.3 kg cribs,

which were contructed of smaller and more densely packed elements and

which used a lesser volume of heptane with less exposed surface area.

In these tests, the flame produced by the burning heptane was confined

in the interior of the crib for 1 min 35 sec (Test 11) and 1 min 45 sec

(Test 12) before appearing above the top surface. The heptane was completely consumed in 3 min (Test 11) and 3 min 15 sec (Test 12), at

which time the burning of the crib itself was not sufficient to produce

a flame above the. top surface. When a flame did become evident above

the top surface, at 6 min 10 sec and 6 min 20 sec, respectively, the

flame was unattached to the crib and was burning in the gas plume above

the crib. The flame became attached to the top surface at 7 min 10 sec

in both tests as the burning spread throughout the interior of the crib

and increased in intensity. The flame height then temporarily stabilized

until approximately 12 and 13 min, respectively, when the flame increased

to a maximum height and remained steady for a period of approximately

5 min in both tests until the fuel was nearly exhausted.

Summary information on maximum flame heights; test duration; and

11
time to smoke detector alarm, exhaustion of the heptane, and flame

impingement on the ceiling is presented in table 5. This information

was compiled from visual observations recorded by test personnel.

Determination of flame heights during the fires with upholstered chairs

was at times difficult due to the dense, black smoke produced during

these tests. Detailed chronological documentation of events for representative tests is provided in Appendix A.

Results from Test 4, involving a 6.4 kg wood crib, are not included

since that test was aborted immediately after the exhaustion of the

heptane due to failure of the heptane to fully ignite the crib. Apparently

a delay between the pouring of the heptane and its ignition resulted in

excessive evaporation. The crib design was used again in Tests 10 and

15.

4.2 Rate of Burning

The rate of burning was calculated as the measured weight loss of

the specimen over an interval of time and is expressed in g/sec.

Maximum rates of burning are presented in table 6. These burn rates are measured over 30-second and 1-minute intervals with each interval

beginning every 10 seconds throughout the test.

The maximum 30-second burn rate ranged from 2.4 to 12.3 g/sec for

the wood cribs, with the larger cribs experiencing the greater burn

rates; from 15.1 to 53.7 g/sec for the upholstered chairs; and from 1.1

to 1.4 g/sec for the waste containers. The maximum 1-minute rate ranged

from 2.2 to 12.2 g/sec for the cribs, from 13.2 to 39.2 g/sec for the

upholstered chairs, and from 0.9 to 1.1 g/sec for the waste containers.

For each of the wood cribs tested, the difference between the

maximum 30-second burn rate and the maximum 1-minute burn rate in each

test ranged from 0 to 9 percent of the 1-minute rate. For the upholstered

chairs, that difference ranged from 14 to 37 percent. And for the waste

containers the differences were 22 and 27 percent. The smaller difference

for the cribs indicates that these fires did not experience as marked a peak in rate of burning as did the fires with upholstered chairs or waste containers.

During the initial period of fire development the rate of burning

of the chairs was rather low. During the period of active burning, it

rapidly accelerated to a maximum rate, remained at that rate for a short

time, and then gradually decreased. The period of rapid rise occurred

approximately 5 min later in Test 3 than in Test 1 and approximately 1 min earlier in Test 3 than in Test 2. The variation in rate of burning

of wood cribs of the same weight was considerably less, as noted above.

Changes in the burn rate of the cribs occurred gradually, indicating a more stable burning. As might be expected, the maximum burn rate of the

wood cribs increased with crib size, with the larger (heavier) cribs,

containing more fuel and more exposed fuel surface, experiencing the

12
greater rates. Time histories of the rate of burning for the three

upholstered chairs and four 6.4 kg wood cribs are shown in figure 4a and

the histories of four cribs of different weights are shown in figure 4b.

These burn rates are measured over 30-second intervals. Time histories

of the burn rate, along with time histories of ceiling temperature and

total incident heat flux at three locations for each upholstered chair,

wood crib, and waste container are included in Appendix B.

4.3 Temperature

Summary data on maximum temperatures reached at various locations

in the mobile home are presented in table 7.

During peak fire conditions, the temperature measured at a location

25 mm below the ceiling in the center of the living room ranged from 90

to 260 °C for the tests with wood cribs (with the higher temperatures

being produced by the larger cribs) , from 236 to 335 °C for the upholstered

chairs, and from 57 to 107 °C for the heptane alone. The maximum temperature measured during the tests with waste containers filled with

newsprint was 37 °C.

The average upper room gas temperatures at 25, 250, and 810 mm (1,

10, and 32 in) below the ceiling were calculated by averaging the gas

temperatures at four locations throughout the living room at each of

these heights. During peak fire conditions the average temperature 25 mm

(1 in) below the ceiling ranged from 84 to 262 °C for the wood cribs

(again with the higher temperatures being produced by the larger cribs),

from 215 to 312 °C for the upholstered chairs, and from 47 to 83 °C for

the heptane alone. The maximum temperature measured during the tests

with waste containers was approximately 32 °C. Thus the differences

between the temperature below the ceiling in the center of the room and

the average temperature at the same height were small.

The newsprint indicator specimens placed on the floor of the living room did not ignite during any of the tests. Fang [15] has reported,

based on tests conducted in a 22 m^ (788 ft^) compartment, that, for the

purpose of estimating the conditions leading to room flashover (the

involvement of all combustible contents) , the average upper room gas

temperature necessary for spontaneous ignition of newsprint is 540 + 40°C.

(It should be noted that this average included low temperatures at the

mid-height of the room and that temperatures 25 mm (1 in) below the

ceiling in his tests almost always exceeded 600 °C.)

Time histories of the temperature measured 25 mm (1 in) below the

ceiling at the center of the living room are shown in figure 5a for the

three upholstered chairs and four 6.4 kg wood cribs, and in figure 5b

for four wood cribs of different sizes. The ASTM E-119 standard timetemperature curve [16] is also included to show the magnitude of these

incidental fires as compared to the expected exposure from a fully

involved room. The temperature produced by the fully involved room is

considerably more severe.

13
ELAPSED TIME (MIN)

Figure 4a. Burn rates of 16 kg (35 lb) upholstered chairs and 6.4 kg (14 lb)

cribs (Ignition Characterization Series)

.

ELAPSED TIME (MIN) 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25

ELAPSED TIME (MIN) Figure 4b. Burn rates of various size wood cribs (Ignition Characterization Series).

14

BURN

RATE

(G/S)

g

BURN

RATE

(G/S)
ELAPSED TIME (MIN)

ELAPSED TIME (MIN) Figure 5a. Time-Temperature curves for the thermocouple 25 mm (1 in) below the ceiling

in the center of the living room for 16 kg (35 lb) upholstered chairs and

6.4 kg (14 lb) wood cribs (Ignition Characterization Series).

ELAPSED TIME (MIN) 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 1 1 12 13 14 IS 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25

Figure 5b. Time-Temperature curves for the thermocouple 25 mm (1 in) below the ceiling

in the center of the living room for various size wood cribs (Ignition

Characterization Series)

.

15
As with the burn rate, temperatures measured 25 mm (1 in) below the

ceiling in the center of the living room during the tests of upholstered

chairs remained low during the initial period of fire development, but

increased rapidly to a peak temperature, remained at that peak for a short period of time, and then began decreasing as the fire entered the

period of decay. With the exception of the period just after the

heptane ignitor was completely consumed, the temperature produced by the

various size wood cribs did not experience sharp peaks. Rather, there

was a gradual increase in temperature over the course of about 15 minutes

followed by a gradual decrease.

Figure 6 shows typical vertical gas temperature profiles which

occurred in the center of the burn room for tests of all three upholstered

chairs, one of each type crib, and one waste container. These profiles

occurred at the time of maximum temperature 25 mm (1 in) below the

ceiling and illustrate the presence of vertical temperature stratification

in the living room as a result of heat released by the incidental fire

and cooling air supplied from outside the room.

4.4 Incident Heat Flux

Data on total incident heat flux measured at various locations in

the living room are summarized in table 8. These levels are the result

of combined radiative and convective heating.

Maximum incident heat flux levels measured 0.6 m (2 ft) from the

edge of the specimen and 0.9 m (3 ft) above the floor looking horizontally

at the specimen ranged from 0.24 to 1.32 W/cm2 (0.21 to 1.16 Btu/ft 2 sec)

for the different wood cribs, from 1.15 to 1.75 W/cm2 (1.01 to 1.54 Btu/ft 2 sec) for the upholstered chairs, and from 0.25 to 0.72 W/cm2 (0.22 to

0.63 Btu/ft 2 sec) for the heptane alone. The maximum levels measured

during the tests of waste containers were 0.10 to 0.12 W/cm2 (0.09 and

0.11 Btu/ft 2 sec). None of these incident heat flux levels is sufficient

to cause spontaneous ignition of ordinary combustible materials as a level of approximately 2 W/cm2 (1.76 Btu/ft 2 sec) is required.

Maximum incident heat flux measured on the exposed wall at approximately 25 mm (1 in) from the specimen, again at 0.9 m (3 ft) above the

floor and looking horizontally at the specimen, during tests of the 9.1

and 13.6 kg cribs, upholstered chairs, and 150 ml of heptane, were of

sufficient levels to cause ignition of combustible materials located at

that distance. These heat flux levels ranged from 3.46 to 4.48 W/cm2 (3.05 to 3.94 Btu/ft 2 sec) for the two types of cribs, from 2.51 to

4.80 W/cm2 (2.21 to 4.23 Btu/ft 2 sec) for the chairs, and from 2.97 to

4.06 W/cm2 (2.61 to 3.57 Btu/ft 2 sec) for the heptane.

Maximum incident heat flux levels measured at the ceiling looking

vertically down on the flame plume ranged from 0.64 to 4.32 W/cm2 (0.56

to 3.80 Btu/ft 2 sec) for the different cribs, from 1.66 to 4.20 W/cm2 (1.46 to 3 .70 Btu/ft 2 sec) for the upholstered chairs, and from 0.29 to

1.41 W/cm2 (0.26 to 1.24 Btu/ft 2 sec) for the heptane alone. Measured

16
HEIGHT

ABOVE

FLOOR

(m)

0 IOO 200 300 400 500

TEMPERATURE (°C)

Figure 6. Vertical temperature profiles in the center of the

living room for selected ignition sources (Ignition

Characterization Series)

.

|i 17
levels were 0.19 and 0.28 W/cm^ (0.17 and 0.25 Btu/ft^ sec) for the

waste containers.

Maximum incident heat flux levels measured at the floor in the

center of the living room were negligible during the heptane and waste

container tests, and measured levels were never greater than 0.20 and

0.28 W/cm^ (0.18 and 0.25 Btu/ft^ sec) for any of the tests with cribs

or chairs, respectively.

Plots of incident heat flux levels measured 0.6 m (2 ft) from the

edge of the specimen at 0.9 m (3 ft) above the floor (horizontal view) versus elapsed time are shown in figure 7a for the three upholstered

chairs and four 6.4 kg wood cribs, and in figure 7b for four wood cribs

of different size. As would be expected, the general trends of the heat

flux levels resulting from the burning item were similar to the trends

shown in the time histories of temperature (figures 5a and 5b).

ELAPSED TIME (MIN)

Figure 7a. Total incident heat flux, horizontal orientation, 0.6 m (2 ft)

from the edge of the specimen, 0.9 m (3 ft) above the floor

for 16 kg (35 lb) upholstered chairs and 6.4 kg (14 lb) wood

cribs (Ignition Characterization Series) •

18
Figure 8 shows a plot of incident heat flux measured 0.9 m (3 ft)

above the floor (horizontal view) versus distance from the flame plume.

Data from tests of all three upholstered chairs, one of each type crib,

and one waste container are included. These profiles occurred at the

time of maximum incident heat flux 25 mm (1 in) from the flame.

4.5 Smoke and Gas Concentrations

Summary data on minimum concentrations of oxygen, and maximum

concentrations of carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide measured in the

living room and in the corridor; and maximum concentrations of smoke

measured at the living room doorway and in the corridor are presented in

table 9.

The rate of smoke production during the tests varied appreciably.

Production tended, though, to be greater for the upholstered chairs than

for any of the other items tested. The smoke concentration measured at

the living room doorway 1.2 m (4 ft) above the floor varied from 2.0 to

2.1 OD/m for the chairs and from 0.1 to 1.5 OD/m for the wood cribs.

For the waste container it was less than 0.1 OD/m and for the pans of

ELAPSED TIME (MIN) 0 ! 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1 0 1 1 1 2 1 3 1 4 1 S 1 6 1 7 1 8 1 9 20 2! 22 23 24 25

ELAPSED TIME (MIN)

Total incident heat flux, horizontal orientation, 0.6 m (2 ft)

from the edge of the specimen, 0.9 m (3 ft) above the floor

for various size wood cribs (Ignition Characterization Series)

.

19

Figure 7b.

TOTAL

INCIDENT

HEAT

FLUX

(WATTS

PER

SQ

CM)
5

CVJE

o

X

ID

h-

<

LlJ X

LlJ Q

O

_J

<

I-O

DISTANCE FROM FLAME (m)

Figure 8. Total incident heat flux distributions, horizontal

orientation, at 0.9 m (3 ft) above the floor for selected

ignition sources (Ignition Characterization Series)

.

20
150 ml and 54 ml of heptane It was approximately 0.1 OD/m. Comparison

of data from the tests of wood cribs indicates that there did not appear

to be a simple relationship between peak smoke production and the size

of the crib.

Time histories of the average smoke concentration at the door to

the living room, calculated by averaging the output from the horizontal

smoke meters located 0.6, 1.2, and 1.8 m (2, 4, and 6 ft) above the

floor, are shown in figure 9a for the three upholstered chairs and four

6.4 kg wood cribs, and in figure 9b for four cribs of different size and

a waste container. The smoke produced by the chairs during their peak

burning period was black in color and the smoke produced by the cribs was gray. Average smoke concentrations, rather than the smoke concentration

at any one of the three smoke meters, was plotted since it was found to

be less prone to variation over the course of time, even though there was a general tendency for smoke concentration to be higher at the upper

measuring location.

Minimum concentrations of oxygen measured in the living room ranged

from 19.3 to 18.1 percent for tests with the upholstered chairs and from

20.4 to 18.5 percent during tests with the wood cribs. Minimum O 2 levels measured at the south end of the corridor ranged from 20.1 to

17.0 percent for tests with the upholstered chairs and from 19.9 to 15.1

percent for tests with the wood cribs. All O 2 samples were taken 1.5 m

(5 ft) above the floor. During every crib test and in two of the three

chair tests (Tests 2 and 3) , the minimum O 2 concentration measured at

the south end of the corridor was less than the minimum concentration

measured in the center of the living room. It is believed that gas

circulation patterns in the mobile home are the reason for this.

Time histories of O 2 concentrations sampled in the center of the

living room are shown in figure 10a for the three chairs and four 6.4 kg

cribs, and in figure 10b for four cribs of different sizes.

Maximum carbon monoxide concentrations sampled in the living room never exceeded 0.2 and 0.1 percent for tests with the chairs and cribs

respectively. CO concentrations sampled in the south end of the corridor never exceeded 0.1 percent. In all three chair tests and in all but one

of the crib tests, the maximum CO concentration in the living room was higher than that in the corridor. Maximum concentrations of carbon

dioxide never exceeded 4.2 and 5.0 percent for tests with the chairs and

cribs, respectively.

5. DISCUSSION

Much of the behavior of fires from the wood cribs and upholstered

chairs studied in this test series were comparable when analyzed in

relation to what might be expected during a fully developed room fire . under similar conditions. As is consistent with the concept of an incidental fire, full room involvement was not reached during any of the

tests

.

21
ELAPSED TIME (MIN) 0 1 2 3 4 S 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25

Figure 9a. Average smoke concentrations at the door to the living room for 16 kg

(35 lb) upholstered chairs and 6.4 kg (14 lb) wood cribs (Ignition

Characterization Series)

.

ELAPSED TIME (MIN)

ELAPSED TIME (MIN) Figure 9b. Average smoke concentrations at the door to the living room for various

size wood cribs and a waste container (Ignition Characterization Series)

.

22
2S

ELAPSED TIME (MIN) 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 11 25 T" T" T T

15

10

'Nr-\

OXYGEN CONCENTRATION

TEST 1 16 KG UPHOLSTERED CHAIR TEST 2 16 KG UPHOLSTERED CHAIR TEST 3 16 KG UPHOLSTERED CHAIR TEST 5 6.4 KG WOOD CRIB TEST 10 6.4 KG WOOD CRIB TEST 15 6.4 KG WOOD CRIB TEST 16 6.4 KG WOOD CRIB

T

J I I L

15

7 8 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 ELAPSED TIME (MIN)

10

Figure 10a. Oxygen concentrations in the center of the living room for 16 kg (35 lb)

upholstered chairs and 6.4 kg (14 lb) wood cribs (Ignition Characterization

Series)

.

25

>-

CD

10

ELAPSED TIME (MIN) 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1 0 1 1 1 2 1 3 1 4 1 5 1 6 1 7 1 8 1 9 20 21 22 23 24 25

Figure 10b. Oxygen concentrations in the center of the living room for various size

wood cribs (Ignition Characterization Series)

.

23
300

Oo) 3aniva3dW3i

Figure

11.

Maximum

1-minute

burn

rate

versus

Figure

12.

Maximum

temperature

25

mm

(1

in)

crib

weight

for

each

size

wood

crib

(Ignition

below

the

ceiling

in

the

center

of

the

living

Characterization

Series)

.

room

versus

maximum

1-minute

burn

rate

for

each

size

wood

crib

(Ignition

Characterization
Characteristics such as maximum temperature in the flame plume and

in the upper part of the living room, maximum incident heat flux, steady

burning flame height, decrease in O 2 concentration, and increase in CO

and CO2 concentrations for fires with the wood cribs fell within a range

defined by the severities of the fires produced by the waste containers

filled with newsprint and the fires produced by the upholstered chairs.

The most severe crib fires occurred with the largest (13.6 kg) cribs.

These fires were similar to fires with the upholstered chairs. The 2.3 kg

cribs produced fires which were more severe than fires with the waste

containers and newsprint but generally less severe than fires with the

6. A kg and 9.1 kg cribs. Fires with the 6.4 kg cribs generally fell

well within the spectrum of the fires examined and it therefore seems appropriate to use the 6.4 kg crib to represent a broad range of incidental

fire sizes and severities similar to those used in this test series.

Table 10 presents a summary of averaged results for the waste containers,

6.4 kg and 13.6 kg wood cribs, and 16 kg upholstered chairs.

It was found from replicate tests that the fires from wood cribs,

especially the 6.4 kg wood cribs, were fairly repeatable. The active

burning period of the wood cribs of all sizes tended to be at least as great as the active burning period of the upholstered chairs and, due to

the variation in fire development across the exterior fabric of the

chairs, their active burning period began at different times in each

test. Therefore, exposure of the nearby walls and ceiling to the

intense flame began at correspondingly different times during tests of

similar chairs but began at about the same time for tests of similar

cribs. For this reason, when using incidental fires as the ignition

source for tests designed to evaluate the effects of interior finish

materials used on the walls and ceiling, the more reproducible fires

from wood cribs would seem to be preferable to the fires from upholstered

chairs

.

Figure 11 shows the highest 1-minute burn rate plotted against the

crib weight for all tests of wood cribs. As indicated in the figure,

there is a direct relationship between crib weight and maximum burn

rate. Using linear regression analysis by the method of least squares

and assuming a curve that passes through (0,0), the following equation

was derived for the data points:

R = 0.00086 W (1)

where R is the maximum burn rate (in grams) measured over a 1-minute

interval and W is the initial weight (in grams) of the wood crib. The

coefficient of correlation for equation 1 is 0.99, indicating a close

approximation to the data points.

In figure 12, the maximum gas temperature 25 mm (1 in) below the

ceiling in the center of the living room was plotted against the maximum

1-minute burn rate for all tests of wood cribs. Again a proportional

relationship was indicated over the range of burn rates and temperatures

involved. The equation derived for the data points is:

J

25
T 17.41 R - 52.44 ( 2 )

where T is the maximum gas temperature (in °C) 25 mm (1 in) below the

ceiling in the center of the living room and R is the maximum burn rate

(in g/s) measured over a 1—minute interval. The coefficient of correlation for equation 2 is 0.99, again indicating a close approximation to

the data points. It is obvious that in this case temperature could also

be shown to be a function of initial crib weight.

Table 11 summarizes the measurements of the maximum total incident

heat flux H (in W/cm2

) at the center of the floor and the maximum average

air temperature T (in °C) 25 mm (1 in) below the ceiling in the living

room for all tests of wood cribs and upholstered chairs. Based on this

data, the following relationship can be formulated:

H = (0.45 + 0.08) oT4 (3)

where a is the Stef an-Boltzmann constant (in W/cm2

iC4 ). It should be

noted that this relationship is not general but applies only to the

particular room geometry and test conditions studied. From a number of

tests conducted in the same living room, Budnick [14] found that, for

tests in which flashover occurred, the minimum total incident heat flux

at the center of the floor was 1.5 W/cm2 (1.3 Btu/ft 2 sec) and the

minimum average air temperature 25 mm (1 in) below the ceiling was

600°C . That is.

H > 1.5 W/cm2 and T > 600

When T = 600 °C, then oT4 = 3.3 W/cm2

. If this value of oT4 is used in

equation 3, then

H = 0.45 x 3.3 = 1.5 W/cm2

This establishes a correlation between data obtained during flashover

and non-f lashover conditions.

6. SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS

The following conclusions are based on the results of a limited

number of fire tests conducted in the corner of a mobile home living room which was designed not to contribute to the fires. The objectives

of this test series were (1) to provide a comparison of the characteristics, such as burn rate, temperature and heat flux levels, flame

height, smoke densities, and concentrations of oxygen, carbon monoxide,

and carbon dioxide, of fires with medium size upholstered chairs, small

waste containers filled with newsprint, and several sizes of standardized

wood cribs, and (2) to obtain data on incidental fires resulting from

the burning of the upholstered chairs, waste containers, and wood cribs

in a compartment designed not to contribute to the fires in order to

provide information for comparison with data on similar incidental fires

in the same compartment lined with combustible interior finish materials

on the walls and ceiling. In addition, information was obtained on

26
incidental fires resulting from the burning of two different volumes of

heptane

.

Based on the results of the tests reported here, the following

conclusions are drawn:

1. Under the experimental conditions of this test series, an incidental fire resulting from the burning of a wood

crib up to 13.6 kg (30 lb) or a medium size upholstered

chair by itself did not result in conditions conducive for

full room involvement.

2. Characteristics of incidental fires such as maximum temperature and heat flux levels, flame height, and change in

carbon monoxide, cardon dioxide, and oxygen concentrations

were similar for a 13.6 kg (30 lb) wood crib and a typical

16 kg (35 lb) upholstered chair.

3. The period of active burning was more stable for fires with

wood cribs than for fires with upholstered chairs.

4. The peak burn rate was generally higher for fires with

upholstered chairs than for fires with wood cribs of

approximately the same weight.

5. The time to reach the period of active burning was more

reproducible for fires with wood cribs than fires with

upholstered chairs. For this reason, wood cribs may be

preferable to upholstered chairs for use as the ignition

source in tests designed to evaluate the effects of

interior finish materials used on the walls and ceiling.

6. Based on data from the tests of wood cribs, linear

relationships were determined between crib weight and

maximum burn rate, and between maximum burn rate and

maximum upper-air burn room temperature.

7.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The author would like to express his thanks to Mr. E. Budnick, with

whom the concept and planning of the test series was developed; and

Mr. W. Bailey, Mr. J. Lawson, Mr. T. Maher, Mr. T. Prather, Mr. B. Ramey, Mr. S. Steel, Mr. C. Veirtz and Mr. M. Womble for their assistance

in the experimental work. This work was sponsored in part by the United

States Department of Housing and Urban Development.

27
8. REFERENCES

[1] Fires and Fire Losses Classified, 1975, Fire J., Vol. 70, No. 6,

17-19 (Nov. 1976).

[2] McKinnon, G. P., Editor, Fire Protection Handbook, Section 1,

National Fire Protection Association, Boston (1976).

[ 3 J Klem, T. J., Unpublished transmittal. Preliminary Analysis of Fire

Incidents in Mobile Homes, National Fire Prevention and Control

Administration, Washington, D. C.

[ 4 J California Fire Loss Experience, Mobile Homes/Travel Trailers vs

1 and 2-Family Dwellings, Calendar Year 1974, MH/RV Document

75-14, Committee on Mobile Homes and Recreational Vechicles,

National Fire Protection Association, Boston (May 1975)

.

[5] Stickney, C. W. , The Mobile Home Fire Protection Problem, a talk presented to the Fire Marshals Association of North America,

Nov. 1971 (Available from author)

.

[6] U.S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare, Report on the

Risk of Fire in Mobile Homes, prepared by Division of Community

Injury Control, Washington, D. C. (Available from author).

[7] Gross, D. and Fang, J. B., The Definition of a Low Intensity

Fire, Joint RILEM-ASTM-CIB Symposium Proceedings, Performance

Concept in Buildings, Vol. 1, Nat. Bur. Stand. (U.S.), Special

Publication 361 (1972)

.

[8] 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).

[9] Parker, W. J., and Lee, B. T. , Fire Buildup in Reduced Size Enclosures,

Nat. Bur. Stand. (U.S.), Special Publication 411 (Nov. 1974).

[10] Fang, J. B., Measurements of the Behavior of Incidental Fires

in a Compartment, Nat. Bur. Stand. (U.S.), NBSIR 75-679 (March

1975)

.

[11] Theobald, C. R. and Heselden, A. J. M. , Fully Developed Fires

with Furniture in a Compartment, Fire Research Station (U.K.),

Fire Research Note No. 718 (July 1968).

[12] Fact-Finding Report on Comparative Fire Testing of Two Mobile

Home Units with Representative Interior Finish Materials and

Furnishings, Underwriters' Laboratories, Northbrook, 111.,

File MH 10498 (Jan. 1977).

[13] Budnick, E. K. , Klein, D. P., O'Laughlin, R. , Mobile Home Bedroom

Fire Studies: The Role of Interior Finish, Nat. Bur. Stand. (U.S.),

NBSIR 78-1531 (Sept. 1978).

28
| 14] Budnick, E. K. , Mobile Home Living Room Fire Studies: The Role

of Interior Finish, Nat. Bur. Stand. (U.S.), NBSIR 78-1530

(Sept. 1978).

[15] 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)

.

[16] Standard Methods of Fire Tests of Building Construction and

Materials (ASTM E119-76), 1976 Annual Book of ASTM Standards,

Part 18, American Society for Testing and Materials, Philadelphia.

29
Table 1. Instrumentation Locations (Ignition Characterization Series)

TC 1 TC 2 TC 3 TC 4 TC 5 TC 6 TC 7 TC 8 TC 9 TC 10 TC 11 TC 12 TC 13 TC 14 TC 15 TC 16 TC 17 TC 18 TC 19

! TC 20

! TC 21

I TC 22

1 TC 23

j TC 24

; TC 25

j TC 26

j TC 27

I TC N> GO

| TC 29

j TC 30

i TC 31

| TC 32

> TC 33

, TC 34

1 TC as

! TC 36

: TC 37

I TC 38

i ic 39

i TC 40

! TC 41

I TC 42

| TC 43 TC 45

i TC 46 TC 47 HF 1 nr 2 HI 3 HF 18 HF 19 HF 20 HF 21 HF 22 HF 23 HSM 4 HSM 5 HSM 6 VSM 7 HSM 3 HSM q HSM 10 VSM 11 CO 13 C02 14 02 15 CO 16 02 17

L CELL

TC - Living room. north 211 cm above

TC - Living room, north 188 cm above

TC - Living room. north 132 cm above

TC - Living room. over specimen 211 cm above

TC - Living room. over specimen 188 cm above

TC - Living room. over specimen 132 cm above

TC - Living room, west 211 cm above

TC - Living room, west 188 cm above

TC - Living room, west 132 cm above

TC - Living room. east 211 cm above

TC - Living room. east 188 cm above

TC - Living room. east 132 cm above

TC - Living room, center 211 cm above

TC - Living room. center 188 cm above

TC - Living room, center 132 cm above

TC - Living room. center 91 cm above

TC - Living room, center 46 cm above

TC - Living room. center 2.5 cm above

TC - Living room. south 211 cm above

TC - Living room, south 188 cm above

TC - Living room. south 132 cm above

TC - Living room, south 91 cm above

TC - Living room. doorway 211 cm above

TC - Living room, doorway 188 cm above

TC - Living room. doorway 132 cm above

TC - I.iving room, doorway 91 cm above

TC - Living room. doorwav 46 cm above

TC - Living room. doorway 2.5 cm above

TC - Corridor, center 211 cm above

TC - Corridor, center 188 cm above

TC - Corridor, center 132 cm above

TC - Corridor, center 91 cm above

TC - Corridor, center 46 cm above

TC - Corridor, center 2.5 cm above- TC - Corridor, south 211 cm above

TC - Corridor, south 188 cm above

TC - Corridor, south 132 cm above

TC - Corridor, south 91 cm above

TC - Corridor, south 46 cm above

TC - Corridor, south 2.5 cm above

TC - Living room 0.9 m above floor, 0.6 in from specimen

TC - I.iving room 0.9 m above floor, 1.2 m from specimen

TC - Living room 0.9 m above floor, 1.8 m from specimen

TC - Bedroom 1, center 211. cm above

TC - Bedroom 1, center 188 cm above

TC - Bedroom 1, center 132 cm above

Incident heat flux - Living room, center, floor level

Incident heat flux - Corridor, north, floor level

Incident heat flux - Corridor, south, floor level

Incident heat flux - North wall, 0.2 m from corner, 0.9 m above floor

Incident heat flux - Korth wall, 0.2 m from corner, 1.8 m above floor

Incident heat flux - Living room, ceiling level, centered over specimen

Incident heat flux - Living room, 0.9 m above floor, 0.G m from specimen

Incident heat flux - Living room, 0.9 m above floor, 1.2 m from specimen

Incident heat flux - Living room, 0.S m above floor, 1.8 m from specimen

Horizontal smoke meter - Corridor, north, 0.6 m above floor

Horizontal smoke meter - Corridor, north, 1.2 it. above floor

Horizontal smoke meter - Corridor, north, 1.8 m above floor

Vertical smcke meter - Corridor, north, upper 0.46 m

Horizontal smoke meter - Corridor, south, 0.6 m above floor

Horizontal smoke meter - Corridor, south, 1.2 m above floor

- Corridor, south, 1.8 m above floor

Corridor, south, upper 0.46 m Center of living room at 1.5 m above floor Center of living room at 1.5 m above floor

Horizontal smoke meter Vertical smoke meter - CO

coi 02 - Center of living room at 1.5 m above floor

CO - South corridor at 1.5 m above floor

02 - South corridor at 1.5 m above floor

Load cell

floor

floor

floor

floor

floor

floor

floor

floor

floor

floor

floor

floor

floor

floor

floor

floor

floor

floor

floor

floor

floor

floor

floor

floor

floor

floor

floor

floor

floor

floor

floor

f ] oor floor

floor

floor

floor

floor

floor

floor

floor

floor

floor

floor

30
Table

2.

Range

and

Limits

of

Error

for

Instrumentation

(Ignition

Characterization

Series)

31
co

0) •Hd

a) cndo

Cl) -rl 43 d>

4J Cfl N d -H O d

m-i a) u

co

a

to o d

•H

C0

to cj u

•h

d

M-l

O

*H *H

CJ 44

0) -d

CU

C

cn to M d w

oo

•H CO CO 43

a; -h Q do• T3 ro oo

a) 13 i—i

43 T3

cd d) H N

•H

T3d

td TOd

®0

32
Table

4.

Test

Conditions

(Ignition

Characterization

Series)

CJ >n > 4J

to •H4J •H 00 CN CO rH CN 00 00 rH CN ON CO CM NO o cn rH rH m CO c CO •H 6^ m UO on in r^. NO m <r m <r CM NO CO UO UO o iH £

•H G 3

4-> Pi X •Hx»

£2o

CJ

CD p u

/^S <r CO CO CO CO on m cn 00 in O vO CM CO cn CO cn o 3 0 NO uo in LO NO nG UO <T lO <r in vD vO vO vD

•H 4-1 P cO g Pi

4-1 G

X

w

a

g CJ co CO CN <r uo 00 CO O'- n- ID 00 iH r>* G o CM CN rH i—

1

rH »H rH rH rH CM rH rH rH rH rH rH H N—

G

! > 4-1

COc

4J •H CN o 00 ID in UO in D> <r CO UO in UO UO

CO •He

EM> UO <r in <r <r CO <r in <r CO CO CO CO CO CO o rH s— G

•M Pi jzi •HHDc

ou

CD vO 00 CN 00 00 o 00 rH <r vD o o On o o iH rH iH rH

c> 3 o n- nG in m MO MO NO MO nO uo nD vO vD vD vD

•H 4-1 p CO g Pi

4-J G cM

CPB

G

/-V u

0 24 20 22 <r

iH 14 16 20 16 18 24 16 o

rH 21 rH

CN 21 16 16 16 16

E-i V

O

X CM

1

CO CO rH CN o m in MO 00 ON c CO ON vD

«—

1

iH rH i—

1

rH rH rH i—

1

\

1 1 1 CN

4-> COGH

j „

G

4J

COG

G G

E

0)

TJG

Pi OC G pi p

G

G

•r4P

CJ

O

•HP

CJ <

X•i“P

CJ w

•HP

CJ

•HP

CJ

C

G

4-1 CPG

U

CPG

4-1 4~>

Cfl H

cd •H

b£. cd 00 00 G 00 G 00 00 1 r! vO rH x •u CP CP Nd —

1

r— o a

-C CO G

O CO

>n H <r H rH D> 6 B

CP X o

CJ CM

• NO NO ON CO

rH UO Om

—

i
Table

5.

Summary

of

Selected

Test

Results

(Ignition

Characterization

Series)

P

j ”T

G

•H

4-J U

(U o m o o o c o o o o o O O o c cn m

u CO c a o c o c co C CJ o o O C c o ch m co CO 0

cz m o c c <r <r o o o o o o CN CN CN CN rH iH

•H rH CN r-i r—! i—

1

Cm CN CN C'J CN CN CN CN CN CN j £ 1 w -—

cu

4-J c

9

-

1 1 PG CX

AJ u G

a -h

•H r-i uG m O in co m C CA

<u *H a. C^ O rH CO <i C_ IT, £

•H & G

H p CU CO

' ' 1 1 i I 1 i 1 CN rH r-: o

C~ G G

•H£1 C o

tc E

fX. -N TJ G

rj fc <HG G Id

4-J r—

;

C'. |j- r-i rH CO m m m in CN CnI cn m 00 H 1 1 r-i <; <

h.

4-1 p

. . . CN CN i~. C c i—1 rH rH m <—1 1—

1

rH C'J CN IN

<i <

fcl G C

•r; t -H G *r~l G

G G X £

•

G h C

O AJ •H c £ G

4-J C tX G

•H k: J;' CO IT) CA CO rH UO u“i r- c cn o m

a) 4-J J' CE '—

1

<r <- m m L

,r

i C^j co <r CN CO co co £

•H

c/) G <c <, <. < <, • • • • 0 P G co co r—i rH rH i—

1

r—. rH i—i i—

i

CN CsJ 1—

1

rH

[H cd C'J •H

XJ u t=

r< a

in a

f—*

t o g

G- cu

L, 1—

:

£ <

o:

V- O 1 *

c c G m cn xr vD <J C, o rH O. CO C'J rH * co CO NT c c

4-1 4-J a

CO co CO CO — i-i CO CN

1 CO CO co o*> K r“i

PC4 .. m lo co on

cu cu £ c e c c o cn cn o c C C o cr z c o c C C

e •r-i

•r-i G E H C1

1

|

C

«*'

4-> H CN CO co <3 i—

1

CN O uo UO r- og a. o 00 OA ac rCO r—i i—

i

t—1 i—

1

r- 1 r—

j

rH r—

1

rH rH C'J

CU

t-1

i

3T

- X cu /T rP X c G G 4—1 1-4 •H •H •H •H •H 03 P

£ CO G £ g G H U 4-J cd £ CU ca c CG CJ < w O U Cn 4-J cu CO 4-1 p G a

4—1 ^ CO *H cd CbJ CO G CO Cl) tx OJj & G M rH CO Cuj 4-» A: hZ C- x a H- tn bC O x c > > iH

i—1 £ CJ o co <1- H <t E-i rH bC E i—

i

P- co u • • • • • E

£> • CN bO aQ O'. co NJ- o 1—

1

LT3

1 °

1 10-

34

*For

tests

involving

cribs,

tie

height

of

the

flame

due

to

burning

heptane

vas

not

considered

**NA

designates

bot

Applicable

***NR

designates

Not

Recorded
Table

6.

Summary

of

Maximum

Fuel

Burning

Rates

(Ignition

Characterization

Series)

rH

CO CO>

In u

cu cu > 4-1 o c CN CN CN O' rH CN n- CO CN 00 vO rH c CN

(-1 03 TO ON cn rH o rH CN CN <d" LPl in in 00 00 rH CN

' - 03 03 cn rH cn

00 u 4-J 'W' p p

CO a

0) CO •H

4-1 <D IS

CO 1 iH

occ

•Hc

i-l 3

PQrH r—i 0) co P CO >

pt-l u

In 0) & CU 4-> P > c E o M rH rH <0 O' o CO in ON CO in cn

•HX TO X} CO in vO rH rH

1 CN CN in in in m 00 CO rH CN

CO <u c cn rH CO rH rH s u o

p o

CO cu

CO C/3 03 1 *c-> ocn

oz

4-1 rH CN CO CO rH CN o m m VO 00 ON o

CO rH rH rH rH rH rH rH rH rH rH CN

cu H

03

4-1 xi JO X3 X3 x>

03 CO >n •H •H •H •n •ri

l-i cO 03 In In >N In In 00 03 l-i Z e CJ CJ < CJ PC4 CJ CJ E -X 4-1 .rl •H

(U CO Cfl 00 CO 00 00 0) 00 03 00 00 u CO rH JT Xi 4J XJ XI CL xi a

rO

X! xs M rH O CJ e fn Jp cn c cn H H rH NO a • CJ • • • • • z> o CN X) nC O' co

rH

35
Table

7.

Summary

of

Maximum

Temperatures

Attained

at

Selected

Locations

(Ignition

Characterization

Series)

36
Table

8.

Summary

of

Maximum

Total

Incident

Heat

Flux

Levels

Attained

(Ignition

Characterization

Series)

37

*Actual

distance

approximately
Table

9.

Summary

of

Selected

Smoke

and

Gas

Concentrations

(Ignition

Characterization

Series) EOOX2

<D>OX<

Maximum

CO^

Living Room CNnt

X1

CO

r^- ro

—uz NC

CN CN

r-H r—1 X

CN

X

CN

NT

CN

'O

CN

3.7 3.6 3.7 5.0 CJ CJ 2 2

CJ CJ 2 2 X

in EO -X x X •X B E -H -X r-H

X rH

X

X

m o 3 E CJ CJ CJ CJ CJ CJ CJ CJ CJ CJ CJ CJ CJ

CJO E o o 2; 2. o o z 2 z 2 2 2 O

G 2 2 2 2 i—i

COO c (J j 3 c •H > X

CO 0£E E 2 •H O CN

X rH

X

X

XXX > o * •X CJ c; CJ • •X HC He -X •H CE O O o 4C * O j. •X 2 o 2 O G 2 O •x -X -X -X X

WOE o

CO

X CN o X

X Cb nt

X

XX

X

X NT NT

X 2 2 n nt E E •rH E 3 E c X o CJ Ob o> X X X Ob X X in in O G G O E CN O E CN rH rH X CN X X r-H X X <

1 X CN C'J CN CN

0) c COG

O

u E w O 3

•H

m E

cO •H o 00E E r—1

CN CO 2 NT NT CN CJ CJ CN in Obxm 2 2 o > o X Ob Ob o o o O o Ob o Ob x Ob x 2 O 2 G X CN CN C J CJ CN CJ X X X X CN CN £ E

CO Eh nt O'Xx uo CN in CN

X in Ob in

n CJ CJ

nn E E X CN CN 2: o i—i X o O X O G O G O G O G C o

XI o e E Ce E G O G C CJ J E o CJ IE

m CN CN

X CO CN

X CJ Ob

X NT 2 2 X CN

X

X X) CJ CJ • CJ E o < nt CN CN CN 2. X o o c C X r—( 1—1 o c G 2 c o O

•H

X o» E E

CO

W E E CO E E £ E w E E

<D 3 •HX

X

X nt o Ob

X

X

XX

G CN Ob in Ob

U

OG • CJ CJ Cj CJ CJ CJ E C/j o CN r-H CN 2 o o o X X o o o 2 2 2 2 O

CJ

o> xo

00e CC E m

X in

X 2 2 Cb 2 X O'

x

G

n

x

XX 2 x 3 E e e C i—• X CN CN CN o CJ X X O o o O G o o o o •H o o X o

cO Cn

G

•00 <D E >

•rH

O > Xj

•H < E E X CN o rH

X 2 CJ in

X NT CJ CJ CJ

X

X

x • • CJ CJ o J rH CN CN <N 1^-, X O o X o X o o O

G E E

cO E E O CO O •H

C3 CJ E E x <E CN CO

X ObXX

X in Ob

XX

G Ob

CJ CJ CJ CJ CJ CJ o CN CJ CN CN 2 o c o o O i—1 X x O 2 2 2 2 o2 <—1

CN

X

X NT

X CJ o in inX 2 X O. o x a<X 2 E X rH X X X X X X CJ

CO<u H

G

g E

GJ

Xp C0

X E E X

X

X

X •H CO E

<0 CO

G •H •H < cc E E CO

00 E E cO E E E E E CJ

GG

-X

G •H 3 •H CJ CJ

G CJ 0)

G 2 e E CO CO G- a. oc G X CO X 00 E 00 00 2 oo 2 00 ES E X i—1 G X E X. x. H H X X B

EH o O

X

B

X

X CJ

X NT NT

X

O

aX NT in

— o CNXX Ob i—

H

in

X

5^XO

CJoec

COe

<bueoo

CJ O

•H£

•Hco

T3

0)0) CO cc

-X

'U

0)E

•H

CO 4-) XooE

QJOEO

CJ

CO E

CO G

4c•X

38

***Essentialiy

unchanged

from

initial

condition
Table

10.

Summary

of

Averaged

Readings

for

Selected

Types

of

Incidental

Fires

(Ignition

Characterization

Series) ccu

T3coo

01 rH C

•fH *H O *H

t—i o

JM

03

r~iO CD U COc O CD

C)

»-> c O 3 C

T3 rH 3 C3 O *H U 4Jc

CC 0) U 05

CC CO o w * 4c

39
Table

11.

Relationship

Between

Maximum

Total

Incident

Heat

Flux

on

the

Floor

in

the

Center

of

the

Living

Room

and

Maximum

Average

Temperature

25

mm

(1

in)

Below

the

Ceiling

in

the

Living

Room

for

all

Tests

of

Wood

Cribs

and

Upholstered

Chairs

(Ignition

Characterization

Series)

x H

X 4-1 cG cG

CJ X

X o

cG c X n

X X

oHEC

•U

at

4-1o

oX CN £ OO in \D 00 CO <T CTn x rH CM o OO e c X X oc u CM rH T—

1

c o o o o o rH rH CN iH 3 0) p c c

E

•H

r—

i

X: o

T—

1

•H> '•w' O c O o o o o o c o c o o

CM CN o CO OO CO CO CM

<3- <r <r m

o o c o o o o c o c o o O

in

CUX

COX

<U 3

H

'£) CM 00 r^. r- o O' t-~ m CO VO CO

CD n <n rH rH rH o tH rH CM CM NT O o c o o o o o o O o o o

tc C*C CO E 01 /-N £

X O X c •H

0) O P •H i—1 > X 4-t •H

<d CG rH CL' to X 'w' CJ E e at P •H a £

E > E £ o

•H •rl 0) rH X H in 0)

tG CN PO

o

CM m m vC r— <r CN CO 00 rH CM X iH i—i CO <r 00 00 <r CO 1-'- m CO CN CN rH i—i rH rH X rH CM CM

oX

4-1 CO

<U H

cm cn cm m X

OO cr.

40

Note:

a

is

Stef

an-Boltzmann

constant
APPENDIX A

CHRONOLOGICAL SUMMARY OF OBSERVATIONS

FOR

SELECTED TESTS
MOBILE HOME IGNITION CHARACTERIZATION SERIES

TEST 3 16 kg (35 lb) Upholstered Chair

Time

(Min : Sec) Observation/ Even t

0:00

0: 14

0:25

0:30

0:34

0:45

0:55

1:12

1:35

2:45

3:05

4:25

5:10

5:40

5:45

6:10

6:50

6:55

7:00

7:15

7:40

7:55

8:35

10:10

10:15

10:45

10:55

11:15

11:25

11:30

11:35

11:55

12:00

12:10

12:25

12:50

13:15

Ignition of newsprint in polyethylene waste container

Flame from newsprint impinging on left arm of chair

Charring of left arm of chair

Flame height approximately 0.8 m (2.5 ft) above floor

Smoke detector alarm

Ignition of left arm of chair

Height of flame from newsprint and left arm of chair is

approximately 0.9 m (3.0 ft) above floor

Waste container beginning to melt away

Slight spread of. flame on left arm, scorch area approximately 0.3 m (1.0 ft) wide

Involvement of polyurethane foam inside left arm Waste container approximately 50% melted

Smoke visible from underneath chair

Flame height approximately 0.9 m (3.0 ft) above floor

Flame intensity increasing

Left rear of chair has become involved

Material dripping from chair

Waste container completely melted down

Increase in flame intensity as polyurethane foam in

left arm becomes more involved.

Charring of front left area of seat cushion

Flame height approximately 1.1 m (3.5 ft) above floor

Flame height approximately 1.2 m (4.0 ft) above floor

Entire left side of chair is involved or charred

Bottom of smoke layer approximately 0.9 m (3.0 ft)

above floor

Burn-through of left arm of chair

Flames from left arm are impinging on rear cushion

of chair

Involvement of left portion of rear cushion

Flame height approximately 1.2 m (4.0 ft) above floor

Flame height approximately 1.4 m (4.5 ft) above floor

Involvement of left portion of seat cushion

Flame height approximately 1.5 m (5.0 ft) above floor

Increase in flame intensity and smoke obscuration in

the living room

Flame height approximately 1.7 m (5.5 ft) above floor

Flame height approximately 1.8 m (6.0 ft) above floor

Left portion of rear cushion and left portion of seat

cushion fully involved - left portion of front of

chair becoming involved

Black smoke being produced

Involvement of right arm of chair

Involvement of entire rear portion of

42

chair
14:30

14:40

15:30

16:00

17:00

Burn-through of the rear cushion and seat cushion

Bottom of smoke layer approximately 0.3 m (1.0 ft)

above floor

Flame intensity decreasing

Rear of chair, left arm, and seat cushion almost

completely consumed

Termination of test

MOBILE HOME IGNITION CHARACTERIZATION SERIES

TEST 12

2.3 kg (5 lb) Wood Crib

Time

(Min: Sec) Observation/ Event

0:00

0:20

1:45

1:50

2:10

3:15

4:10

6:20

6:55

7:10

7:50

9:00

10:40

13:35

16:45

19:30

20:50

23:40

23:45

24:30

Ignition of heptane in pan under crib

Dark gray smoke, but no flames, being emitted from top

of crib

Flames visible above crib

Flame height 1.1 - 1.2 m (3.5 - 4.0 ft) above floor

Smoke detector alarm

Heptane completely consumed flames no longer visible

above crib, however, burning is present in interior of

crib

Bottom of smoke layer is approximately 1.5 m (5 ft)

above floor

Detached flame burning in gas plume above crib

Flame height approximately 0.9 m (3.0 ft) above floor

Flame now attached to top of crib flame height

approximately 1.1 m (3.5 ft) above floor

Bottom of smoke layer approximately 1.2 m (4.0 ft)

above floor

Flame height 1.2 - 1.4 m (4.0 - 4.5 ft) above floor

Bottom 1/4 of crib is glowing, rest is flaming

Lower 1/3 of crib is glowing, many sticks have collapsed

in interior of crib flame height 1.4 - 1.5 m

(4.5 - 5.0 ft) above floor

Lower 1/2 of crib is glowing, rest is flaming flame

height still 1.4 - 1.5 m (4.5 - 5.0 ft) above floor

Flame height approximately 1.2 m (4.0 ft) above floor

Most of interior of crib has collapsed flame height

1.1 - 1.2 m (3.5 - 4.0 ft) above floor

Flame height 0.8 - 0.9 m (2.5 - 3.0 ft) above floor

Crib has completely collapsed

Termination of test

43
MOBILE HOME IGNITION CHARACTERIZATION SERIES

TEST 15

6.4 kg (14 lb) Wood Crib

Time

Min: Sec Observation/ Event

0:00

0:15

0:29

0:30

0:40

0:55

1:15

1:35

1:45

1:48

2:00

2:17

2:17-8:00

8:00

9:00

9:00-13:30

13:30

13:50

14:00

14:30

15:30

15:40

16:45

17:20

17:55

19:05

19:25

20:00

Ignition of heptane in pan under crib

Flame height approximately 1.2 m (4.0 ft) above floor

Smoke detector alarm

Flame height 1.2 - 1.4 m (4.0 - 4.5 ft) above floor

Flame height approximately 1.5 m (5.0 ft) above floor

Flame height approximately 1.8 m (6.0 ft) above floor

Flame impingement on ceiling (flame height 2.1 m

(7.0 ft) above floor)

Flames receding from ceiling

Flame height 1.2 - 1.4 (4.0 - 4.5 ft) above floor

Heptane completely consumed

Flame height 1.1 - 1.2 m (3.5 - 4.0 ft) above floor

Flame height approximately 1.2 m (4.0 ft) above floor

No appreciable change in conditions or size of fire

Flame height approximately 1.1 - 1.2 m (3.5 - 4.0 ft)

above floor no significant change in visibility in room

Flame height approximately 1.2 m (4.0 ft) above floor

No appreciable change in conditions or size of fire

Flame height approximately 1.2 m (4.0 ft) above floor

Interior of crib beginning to collapse

Flame height approximately 1.2 m (4.0 ft) above floor

Flame height approximately 1.1 m (3.5 ft) above floor

Flame height approximately 1.1 m (3.5 ft) above floor

Flame more yellow, not as intense flame height

approximately 1.1 m (3.5 ft) above floor

Flame height approximately 1.1 m (3.5 ft) above floor

Flame height approximately 0.9 m (3.0 ft) above floor

Flame height approximately 0.9 m (3.0 ft) above floor

Flame height 150 - 200 mm (6.0 - 8.0 in) above top of

crib (approximately 0.6 m (2.0 ft) above floor)

Crib has collapsed throughout the center

Termination of test

MOBILE HOME IGNITION CHARACTERIZATION SERIES

TEST 18

9.1 kg (20 lb) Wood Cri b

Time

(Min: Sec) Observation/ Event

0:00

0:25

Ignition of heptane in pan

Flame height approximately

44

under crib

1.2 m (4.0 ft) above floor
0:35

0:37

0:55

1:35

2:50

3:10

3:15

3:40

4:15

4:15-10:15

10:15

10:50

11:25

11:50

12:20

13:25

14:20

15:15

15:20

15:50

17:05

17:40

18:30

19:35

20:00

Flame height approximately 1.5 m (5.0 ft) above floor

Smoke detector alarm

Flame impingement on ceiling (flame height 2.1 m

(7.0 ft) above floor)

Heptane completely consumed, reduction in flame height

to approximately 1.5 m (5.0 ft) above floor

Flame height 1.7 - 1.8 m (5.5 - 6.0 ft) above floor

Flame height 1.8 - 2.0 m (6.0 - 6.5 ft) above floor

Intermittent flame impingement on ceiling

Flame impingement on ceiling

Intermittent flame impingement on ceiling

No appreciable change in conditions or size of fire

Intermittent flame impingement on ceiling

Flame is more yellow, less intense

Collapse of a stick near bottom of crib

Bottom of smoke layer is approximately 0.6 m (2.0 ft)

above floor

Flames continuing to lose intensity

Bottom of smoke layer at floor level

Flame height 1.7 - 1.8 m (5.5 - 6.0 ft) above floor

Flame height 1.7 - 1.8 m (5.5 - 6.0 ft) above floor

Sticks at bottom of crib continuing to collapse

Smoke meters at door to living room are obscured from

view by smoke

Flame height 1.4 - 1.5 m (4.5 - 5.0 ft) above floor

Flame height 1.1 - 1.2 m (3.5 - 4.0 ft) above floor

Flame height approximately 0.3 m (1.0 ft) above top of

crib (approximately 0.8 m (2.5 ft) above floor)

Flame height 150-200 (6.0 - 8.0 in) above top of crib

Termination of test

MOBILE HOME IGNITION CHARACTERIZATION SERIES

TEST 20

13.6 kg (30 lb) Wood Crib

Time

(Min : Sec

)

Observation /Event

0:00

0:24

0:28

0:32

0:38

0:53

1:40

1:45

Ignition of heptane in pan under crib

Flame height approximately 0.9 m (3.0 ft) above floor

Flame height approximately 1.2 m (4.0 ft) above floor

Flame height 1.4 - 1.5 m (4.5 - 5.0 ft) above floor

Smoke detector alarm

Flame impingement on ceiling (flame height 2.1 m

(7.0 ft) above floor)

Heptane completely consumed, no decrease in flame

height

Flame impingement on ceiling

45
3:30

3:30-11:25

11:25

12:20

12:40

15:35

15:45

16:20

16:35

17:12

17:30

18:30

19:05

19:40

20: 35

20:45

21:30

22:00

Steady flame impingement on ceiling, flames are extending

out from corner approximately 0.9 m (3.0 ft) into

living room at ceiling level

No appreciable change in conditions or size of fire

Collapse of some sticks in interior of crib

Steady flame impingement on ceiling, flames are extending

out from corner 1.1 - 1.2 m (3.5 - 4.0 ft) into living room at ceiling level

Bottom of smoke layer is at floor level

Continuing steady flame impingement on ceiling, flames

are extending approximately 0.9 m (3.0 ft) into living room at ceiling level

Flames are becoming less intense

Intermittent flame impingement on ceiling

Flames are more yellow, less intense

Intermittent flame impingement on ceiling

Flame height approximately 2.0 m (6.5 ft) above floor

no impingement on ceiling

Flame height 1.7 - 1.8 m (5.5 - 6.0 ft) above floor

Flame height 1.4 - 1.5 m (4.5 - 5.0 ft) above floor

Flame height 1.4 - 1.5 m (4.5 - 5.0 ft) above floor

Flame height 1.1 - 1.2 m (3.5 - 4.0 ft) above floor

Sticks in interior of crib continuing to collapse

Flame height 1.1 - 1.2 m (3.5 - 4.0 ft) above floor

Termination of test

46
APPENDIX B

PLOTTED TEST DATA ILLUSTRATING CHANGES

IN VARIOUS MEASURED CONDITIONS
TOTAL

INCIDENT

HEAT

FLUX

(WATTS

PER

SO

CM)

TEMPERATURE

(DEC

C)

ELAPSED TIME (MIN)

ELAPSED TIME (MIN) FIGURE 81. GAS TEMPERATURE MEASURED IN THE UVNG

ROOM, AND THE BURN RATE OF THE UPHOLSTERED CHAIR.

ELAPSED TME (MIN)

Q 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 L D I 1 1 2 1 3 14 1 5 1 6 1 7 1 8 ] 9 2C 21 22 23 24 25

ELAPSED TIME (MIN) FIGURE 02. TOTAL INCIDENT HEAT FLUX MEASURED AT DIFFERENT LOCATIONS AROUND THE UPHOLSTERED CHAIR.

48

TOTAL

INCIDENT

HEAT

FLUX

(WATTS

PER

SQ

CM)
ELAPSED Time (MIN)

ELAPSED TIME (MIN) FIGURE B3. GAS TEMPERATURE MEASURED IN THE UVING ROOM, AND THE BURN RATE OF THE UPHOLSTERED CHAIR.

»

E-APSED Time (min)

Q 1 2 3 4 S 6 7 0 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 10 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 6.0 j

1 1 1 1 1 i 1 1 t r—- 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

1 1 i 1 1 1 S .

0

TEST 2

I- HEAT Flux, 25 MM FROM CHAIR (HF 18) i

L HEAT FLUX. CEILING OVER CHAiR (HF 20) I HEAT flux, 0,6 M FROM CHAIR (HF 21)

ELAPSED TIME (MIN) FIGURE B4. TOTAL INCDENT HEAT FLUX MEASURED AT DFFERENT LOCATIONS AROUND THE UPHOLSTERED CHAR.

49

TOTAL

INCIDENT

HEAT

FLUX

(WATTS

PER

SO

CM)

BURN

RATE

(°/ S)
TOTAL

INCIDENT

HEAT

FLUX

(WATTS

PER

SO

CM)

TEMPERATURE

(DEC

C)

ELAPSED TIME (MM)

Q ) 2 3 4 S 6 7 8 9 10 1 1 12 23 14 IS 16 17 18 39 20 21 22 23 24 2S

ELAPSED TIME (MM)

FIGURE B5. CAS TEMPERATURE MEASURED IN THE LIVING ROOM. AND THE BURN RATE OF THE UPHOLSTERED CHAIR.

E_A=SED 'ME (MIN)

1 2 3 4 S 6 7 8 9 10 II 12 13 14 IS IS 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25

ELAPSED TIME (MIN) FIGURE 96. TOTAL INCIDENT HEAT FLUX MEASURED AT different locations around the upholstered chair.

50

TOTAL

INCIDENT

heat

FLUX

(WATTS

PER

SO

CM)
TOTAL

INCOENT

HEAT

ELUX

(WATTS

PER

SO

CM)

TEMPERATURE

(DEC

C)

ELAPSED TIME (MIN) FIGURE 87. GAS TEMPERATURE MEASURED IN THE LJV1NC ROOM. AND THE BURN RATE OF THE WOOD CRIB.

ELAPSED Time (MIN)

o 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 2C 21 22 23 24 25^

.0 r

1 1 1

1 1 i

1 1

1 | !

'

I

I I I

i

I » I r I I 6 - 0

TES’ 5 HEAT FLUX, 25 MM FROM CRI8 (HF 18) HEAT FLUX, CEILING OVER CR'B (HF 20) HEAT FLUX, 0.6 M FROM CRIB (hF 21)

.0 - -5-0

.0

.0

b

F

i-rU

-*4.0

-I

-I—I 3 • O

I “I

-I

FIGURE 96. TOTAL INCIDENT HEAT FLUX MEASURED AT DIFFERENT LOCATIONS AROUND THE WOOD CRia

51

TOTAL

INCIDENT

HEAT

FLUX

(WATTS

PER

SQ

CM)
TOTAL

INCIDENT

HEAT

FLUX

(WATTS

PER

SO

CM)

TEMPERATURE

(DEG

C)

ELAPSED TIME (MIN)

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 1 1 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 J9 20 21 22 23 24 25

ELAPSED TIME (MIN) FIGURE 09. GAS TEMPERATURE MEASURED IN THE LIVING ROOM. AND THE BURN RATE OF THE WOOD CRIB.

ELAPSED TME (MIN)

1 2 3 4 5 5 7 8 9 1C 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25

ELAPSED TIME (MIN) FIGURE BIO. TOTAL INCIDENT HEAT FLUX MEASURED AT DIFFERENT LOCATIONS AROUND ThE WOOD CRIB.

S2

TOTAL

INCIDENT

HEAT

FLUX

(WATTS

PER

SO

CM)
TOTAL

INCIDENT

HEAT

FLUX

(WATTS

PER

SO

CM)

TEMPERATURE

(DEC

C)

ELAPSED TIME (MIN)

ELAPSED TIME (MIN) FIGURE 011. GAS TEMPERATURE MEASURED IN THE LIVING ROOM, AND THE BURN RATE OF THE WOOD CRIB.

ELAPSED "'ME (MIN)

3 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1 0 1 1 1 2 1 3 1 4 1 5 1 S 1 7 1 8 1 9 20 21 22 23 24 25

ELAPSED TIME (MIN) FIGURE 012. TOTAL INCIDENT HEAT FLUX MEASURED AT DIFFERENT LOCATIONS AROUND THE WOOD CRiB.

53

TOTAL

INCIDENT

HEAT

FLUX

(WATTS

PER

SO

CM)
ELAPSED TIME (MIN)

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 1 1 12 13 U IS 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25

ELAPSED TIME (MIN) FIGURE 013. GAS TEMPERATURE MEASURED IN THE LIVING ROOM. AND THE BURN RATE OF THE WOOD CRIB.

6.0

5-0

~r

ELAPSED 7’ ME (MIN) 10 l 1 12 13 14 ~~r T T T

16 —r~

t;st 12 HEAT PLwX. 25 MM PROM CRIB (HP '8) — HEAT PL^X, CEILING OVER CR‘B (HF 2C) HEAT pLlX, 0.6 M FROM CRI8 (hF 21)

is 19 20 2: 22 23 24 25

1 1 1 -1 6 .0

5-0

4.0 ’ 4 .0

3.0 -

<

UJr—2-0 K

-3.0

—• 2-0

B 1 -o h -I t .0

0.0 —L—lo.O

8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 ELAPSED TIME (MIN) FIGURE 014. TOTAL INCIDENT HEAT FJJX MEASURED AT DIFFERENT LOCATIONS AROUND THE WOOD CRIB.
600 T

ELAPSED TIME (MIN) 10 31 12 13 U 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 T T ~r T T T T 1 r

-160

TEST 13 TEMPERATURE. CENTER OF UV RM, 25 MM BELOW CEILNG (TC 13) BURN RATE OVER A 30 -SECOND INTERVAL

400 - - 50

40

300 -

i/> \o

a:3t—5

a 200

30 z

tr3

CD

ioo U

- 20

- 10

J L J L J L

10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 ELAPSED TIME (MIN) FIGURE 015. GAS TEMPERATURE MEASURED IN THE LIVING ROOM, AND THE BURN RATE OF THE WASTE CONTAINER AND NEWSPAPER.

6.0

1

T

5-0 h

ELA°SED t, ME (MIN)

2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1 0 1 1 1 2 I 3 1 4 1 S 1 6 1 7 18 19 20 21 22 23 t r—i

1 1 1 ; 1 1 1

1 • 1 1 1 1 ’

1 ’ r

TEST 13 HEAT FLUX, 0.3 M TROM CONTAINER (hF '8) HEAT FLJX. CEIJNG OVER CONTAINER (HF 20) HEAT FLUX. 0.6 M FROM CONTAINER (HF 21)

25 —! 6 .0

-5-0

FIGURE 916. TOTAL INCIDENT HEAT FLUX MEASURED AT DIFFERENT LOCATIONS AROUND THE WASTE CONTAINER.

55
TOTAL

INCIDENT

HEAT

FLUX

(WATTS

PER

SO

CM)

TEMPERATURE

(DEG

C)

GOO

400

300

200 -

100 -

ELAPSED TIME (MIN) 10 n 12 13 14 IS 16 17 18 IS 20 21 22 23 24 26

"i— —i60

r

~r T ~r T T T T T i—

r

T

TEST 14 TEMPERATURE. CENTER OF UV RM, 25 MM BElOW CEILING (TC 13) BURN RATE OVER A 30-SECOND INTERVAL - 50

40

•-T -'U'-'L.'-'U-- 4--~4.-'4. vl I _L J L

iw\o

- 30 p

20

- 10

10 13 12 13 14 IS 16 17 ELAPSED TIME (MIN) 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25

FIGURE 017. GAS TEMPERATURE MEASURED N THE LfVING ROOM. ANO THE BURN RATE OF THE WASTE CONTAINER AND NEWSPAPER.

ELAPSED T'ME (MIN)

0 1 2 3 4 s 6 7 8 9 1C 11 12 I 3 14 is 16 17 18 19 2C 21 22 23 24 25

ELAPSED TIME (MIN) FIGURE 010. TOTAL INCIDENT HEAT FLUX MEASURED AT DIFFERENT LOCATIONS AROUND THE WASTE CONTAINER.

56

TOTAL

INCIDENT

HEAT

FLUX

(WATTS

PER

SQ

CM)
TOTAL

INCIDENT

HEAT

FLUX

(WATTS

PER

SO

CM)

TEMPERATURE

(DEC

C)

B.APSED TIME (MIN)

ELAPSED TIME (MIN) FIGURE B19. GAS TEMPERATURE MEASURED IN THE LIVING ROOM, AND THE BURN RATE OF THE WOOD CRIB.

ELAPSED T: ME (MIN)

0 1 2 3 4 S 6 7 8 9 10 II 12 13 14 15 IS 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25

FIGURE B20. TOTAL INCIDENT HEAT FLUX MEASURED AT DIFFERENT LOCATIONS AROUND THE WOOD CRlB. 57

TOTAL

INCIDENT

HEAT

FLUX

(WATTS

PER

SO

CM)
TOTAL

INCIDENT

MEAT

ELUX

(WATTS

PER

SO

CM)

TEMPERATURE

(DEC

C)

ELAPSED TIME (MIN)

0 1 2 3 4 S 6 7 8 9 IQ I! 12 13 II 15 IS 17 IS 19 20 2t 22 23 24 25

ELAPSED TIME (MIN) FIGURE 82 1 . GAS TEMPERATURE MEASURED IN THE LIVING ROOM, AND THE BURN RATE OF THE WOOD CRia

ELAPSED t ME (MIN)

3 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1 0 1 1 1 2 1 3 1 4 : 5 1 S 1 7 1 8 1 9 20 21 22 23 24 25

ELAPSED TIME (MIN) FIGURE 922. TOTAL INCOENT HEAT FLUX MEASUREO AT DIFFERENT LOCATIONS AROUND THE WOOD CRIB.

58

TOTAL

INCIDENT

HEAT

FLUX

(WATTS

PER

SQ

CM)
TOTAL

INCIDENT

HEAT

FLUX

(WATTS

PER

SO

CM)

TEMPERATURE

(DEC

C)

ELAPSED TIME (MIN)

ELAPSED TIME (MIN) FIGURE B2L GAS TEMPERATURE MEASURED IN THE LIVING ROOM, AND THE BURN RATE OF THE WOOD CRIB.

ELAPSED * ME (MIN)

0 I 2 3 4 S 6 7 8 9 10 1 1 12 13 14 15 IS H 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25

.0 1

1

1 1 ; 1 1 r

1

1

1 1 1 r! : 1 1 1 1 r—i 1 1 |G.O

TEST 17 HEAT q_jx. 25 MM FROM CRfi (HE 18) HEAT FLUX. CEILING OVER CRIB (HE 20) HEAT FLUX. 0.6 M FROM CRIB (HE 21)

0 - - 5-0

ELAPSED TIME (MIN) FIGURE B24. TOTAL INCIDENT HEAT FLUX MEASURED AT DIFFERENT LOCATIONS AROUND THE WOOD CRIB.

59

TOTAL

INCIDENT

HEAT

FLUX

(WATTS

PER

SO

CM)
TOTAL

INClOENT

HEAT

FLUX

(WATTS

PER

SO

CM)

_

TEMPERATURE

(DEC

C)

ELAPSED TIME (MIN)

0 1 2 3 4 S 6 7 a 9 10 1 1 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25

ELAPSED TIME (MIN) FIGURE 025. GAS TEMPERATURE MEASURED N THE LIVING ROOM. AND THE BURN RATE OF THE WOOD CRIB.

ELAPSED TiME (MIN)

0 : 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 1 1 1 2 1 3 1 4 1 5 16 1 7 18 1 9 2 C 21 22 23 24 25

ELAPSED TIME (MIN) FIGURE 026. TOTAL INCIDENT HEAT FLUX MEASURED AT DEFERENT LOCATIONS AROUND THE WOOD CRIB. 60

TOTAL

INCIDENT

HEAT

FLUX

(WATTS

PER

50

CM)
TOTAL

INClOENT

MEAT

FLUX

(WATTS

PER

SO

CM)

TEMPERATURE

(DEC

C)

ELAPSED TIME (MIN) FIGURE 827. GAS TEMPERATURE MEASURED IN THE LIVING ROOM. AND THE BURN RATE OF THE WOOD CRIB.

elapsed time (min)

ELAPSED TIME (MIN) FIGURE 828. TOTAL INC CENT HEAT FLUX MEASURED AT DIFFERENT LOCATIONS AROUND THE WOOD CRIB.

61

TOTAL

INCIDENT

HEAT

FLUX

(WATTS

PEP

SO

CM)
TOTAL

INCIDENT

HEAT

FLUX

(WATTS

PER

SO

CM)

TEMPERATURE

(DEG

C)

elapsed time (min) 10 1 1 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25

to\o

ELAPSED TIME (MN)

FIGURE 829. GAS TEMPERATURE MEASURED M THE LIVING ROOM. AND THE BURN RATE OF THE WO00 CRIB.

ELAPSED "ME (MIN)

0 1 2 3 4 S 6 7 0 9 1 0 I 1 1 2 1 3 1 4 1 5 1 6 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25

ELAPSED TIME (MIN) FIGURE B30. TOTAL INCIDENT HEAT FLUX MEASURED AT different locations around the wood crib.

62

TOTAL

incident

heat

flux

(watts

per

SO

CM)
NBS-1 14A (REV. 7-73)

U.s. DEPT. OF COMM. 1. PUBLICATION OR RKPORT NO. 2. BIBLIOGRAPHIC DATA

SHEET NBSIR 78-1522

4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE

Gov ’t No.

Acc 3. Recipient’s Accession No.

5. Publication Date

Characteristics of Incidental Fires in the Living Room

of a Mobile Home

September 1978

6. Performing Organization Code

7. AUTHOR(S)

David P. Klein

9. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME AND ADDRESS

8. Performing Organ. Report No.

10. Project/Task/Work Unit No. NATIONAL BUREAU OF STANDARDS

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20234

7526389

11. Contract/Grant No.

12. Sponsoring Organization Name and Complete Address (Street, City, State, ZIP)

Sponsored principally by:

Div. of Energy, Bldg. Technology and Standards

Office of Policy Development and Research

13. Type of Report & Period Covered

Interim Report

14. Sponsoring Agency Code

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Wash., D.C.

15. SUPPLEMENTARY NOTES 2041U

16. ABSTRACT (A 200-word or less (actual summary of most significant information. If document includes a significant

bibliography or literature survey, mention it here.) A Series of fire tests W3S conducted in the Corner

of a mobile home living room. The corner was lined with interior finish materials

which did not contribute to the fires. The test series was designed to examine the fire

characteristics of typical incidental (low intensity) fires which may be used as the

ignition source for tests to evaluate the effects of interior finish materials.

This test series involved three types of source fires: standardized wood cribs

ranging in weight from 2.3 kg to 13.6 kg (5 lb to 30 lb), identically constructed upholstered chairs and polyethylene waste containers filled with crumpled newsprint.

Experimental measurements were made of burn rate, temperature, heat flux, flame height,

smoke density, and concentrations of oxygen, carbon monoxide, and carbon dioxide.

Under the test conditions employed, it was found that the fire severities for the

several sizes of standardized wood cribs fell between those for the polyethylene waste

containers filled with crumpled newsprint and the more severe incidental fires produced

by the 16 kg (35 lb) upholstered chairs in terms of characteristics such as maximum

temperature and heat flux levels, flame height, and changes in oxygen, carbon monoxide

and carbon dioxide concentrations. Of the fires with wood cribs, it was found that the

fires with 13.6 kg (30 lb) standardized wood cribs were most similar to the fires with

16 kg (35 lb) upholstered chairs, although the peak burning rate was generally higher

for fires with upholstered chairs than for fires with wood cribs. It was also found

that the time to reach the period of active burning was more reproducible for fires

with wood cribs than fires With upholstered chairs.

17. KEY WORDS (six to twelve entries; alphabetical order; capitalize only the first letter of the first key word unless a proper name; separated by semicolons) Chairs; compartment fires; crib fires; fire tests; incidental

fires; ignition source; mobile homes; repeatability; source fires; upholstered furniture.

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