NBSIR 73-228

Summary of Flame Spread and

Smoke Generation Tests Conducted

for Operation Breal(tlirougli

John B. Ferguson

Center for Building Technology

Institute for Applied Technology

National Bureau of Standards

Washington, D. C. 20234

July 1973

Final Report

Prepared for Office of Policy Development and Research

Department of Housing and Urban Development

Washington, D. C. 20410

NBSIR 73-228

SUMMARY OF FLAME SPREAD AND

SMOKE GENERATION TESTS CONDUCTED

FOR OPERATION BREAKTHROUGH

John B. Ferguson

Center for Building Technology

Institute for Applied Technology

National Bureau of Standards

Washington, D. C. 20234

July 1973

Final Report

Prepared for Office of Policy Development and Research

Department of Housing and Urban Development

Washington, D. C. 20410

*

U. S. DEPARTMEIMT OF COMMERCE, Frederick B. Dent. Secretary

NATIONAL BUREAU OF STANDARDS, Richard W. Roberts, Director

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page

LIST OF FIGURES i

LIST OF TABLES ii

SI CONVERSION UNITS iii

ABSTRACT ^ v

1.0 INTRODUCTION 1

2.0 TEST METHODS 1

3.0 RESULTS 3

3.1 Wall and Ceiling Coverings 3

3.2 Kitchen Cabinets 4

3.3 Floor Coverings - Carpets 4

3.4 Floor Coverings - Other Than Carpets 5

4.0 DISCUSSION 5

5.0 REFERENCES 7

LIST OF FIGURES

Figures 3.1.1 and 3.1.2

Figures 3.1.3 and 3.1.4

Figure 3.2.1

Figures 3.3.1 and 3.3.2

Figure 3.4.1

Relative Frequency Distribution Wall and

Ceiling Coverings (Flame Spread)

Relative Frequency Distribution, Wall and

Ceiling Coverings (Smoke Generation)

Relative Frequency Distribution, Kitchen

Cabinets (Flame Spread)

Relative Frequency Distribution, Carpets

(Flame Spread and Smoke Generation)

Relative Frequency Distribution, Floor

Coverings Other Than Carpets (Flame Spread

and Smoke Generation)

i
LIST OF TABLES

Table 3.1 - Wall and Ceiling Coverings

Table 3.2 - Kitchen Cabinets

Table 3.3 - Floor Coverings, Carpets

Table 3.4 - Floor Coverings, Other Than Carpets

ii
SI Conversion Units

The conversion factors and units contained in this appendix are in

accordance with the International System of Units (abbreviated SI for

System International d'Unites). The SI was defined and given official

status by the 11th General Conference on Weights and Measures which met

in Paris in October 1960. For assistance in converting U.S. customary

units to SI units, see ASTM E 380, ASTM Standard Metric Practice Guide

available from the American Society for Testing and Materials, 1916 Race

Street, Philadelphia, Pa. 19103. The conversion factors for the units

found in this Standard are as follows:

Length

1 in = 0 .0254* meter

1 ft = 0. 3048* meter

1 mil = 0.001* in

Area

2 -4 2 1 in = 6.4516* x 10 meter

1 ft^ = 0.09290 meter^

Volume

1 in^ = 1.638 X

10~^ meter^

-3 3

1 liter = 1.000* x 10 meter

Mass

1 grain = 6.479 x 10 ^ kilogram

-2

1 ounce-mass (avoirdupois) = 2.834 x 10 kilogram

1 pound-mass (avoirdupois) = 0.4535 kilogram

*Exactly

iii
Pressure or Stress (Force/Area)

2 1 inch of mercury (60°F) = 3376 newton/meter

2

1 pound-force/inch (psi) = 6894 newton/meter

Energy

1 inch-pound-force (in-lbf) = 0.1130 joule

Plane Angle

-2

1 degree (angle) = 1.745 x 10 radian

Power ' ' •

•

'

1 watt = 1.000* X

10"^ erg/second

Temperature

°C = 5/9 (Temperature °F - 32)*

^Exactly

iv
Summary of Flame Spread and Smoke Generation

' Tests Conducted for Operation BREAKTHROUGH

by

John B. Ferguson

Building Fires and Safety Section

Center for Building Technology

ABSTRACT

This document is a listing of the flame spread and smoke generation

results of a range of materials that were tested as part of the Operation

BREAKTHROUGH housing evaluation program. The test results reported

here were obtained under differing conditions and should not be considered

the results of a comprehensive and unified research program for evaluation

of interior finish materials. Tables of test results and a brief

discussion of the results are presented for walls, ceilings, kitchen

cabinets and floor coverings.

Key Words : Carpets; flame spread; kitchen cabinets; Operation

BREAKTHROUGH; smoke generation; wall and ceiling

V V

1.0 INTRODUCTION

The various housing systems In the Operation BREAKTHROUGH Program

of the Department of Housing and Urban Development were evaluated In

relation to the performance criteria recommended and presented In the

"Guide Criteria for the Evaluation of Operation BREAKTHROUGH Housing

Systems" [1]—^ . In many cases fire tests had to be conducted to determine

whether or not the recommended fire safety criteria were satisfied by

proposed building designs. The flame spread and smoke generation data

obtained from this testing were compared to the limits recommended In

the criteria.

In order to present the results of these tests on the multitude of

floor, wall and celling coverings, and kitchen cabinet materials submitted for evaluation In a comprehensive format, the Building Fires

and Safety Section of the Center for Building Technology has summarized

these .small scale fire tests performed for Operation BREAKTHROUGH.

The broad categories for reporting the test results are:

3.1 Wall and Celling Coverings

3.2 Kitchen Cabinets

3.3 Floor Coverings - Carpets

3.4 Floor Coverings - Other than Carpets.

2.0 TEST METHODS

The flame spread test method used was ASTM E 162, "A Standard

Method of Test for Surface Flammability of Materials Using a Radiant

—'^The numbers in brackets refer to the list of reference given at the

end of this paper.
Heat Energy Source"[2]. The ASTM E 84 method was called out in the Guide

Criteria. Because the Housing System Producer (HSP) was not always able

to provide NBS with E 84 flame spread ratings, and because of time

limitations, NBS tested materials according to the ASTM E 162 radiant

panel method. Flame spread tests are conducted to determine a flame

spread index number which reflects the rate of flame propagation over

the surface of a material. An inclined 6-inch x 18-inch specimen of

the material is situated in front of a radiant heat source (12-inch x

18-inch panel) . Ignition is induced near the upper edge and the flame

front progresses downward. A factor derived from the rate of progress

of the flame front (ignition properties) and another relating to the

rate of heat liberation by the material under test are combined to

provide a flame spread index. :

•

:

The smoke generation test method used and called out in the Guide

Criteria is described in NBS TN 708, "Interlaboratory Evaluation of the

Smoke Density Chamber Test Method," Appendix II, by T. G. Lee, December

1971[3]. The material systems are subjected to smoke generation tests

by measuring the progressive attenuation of a light beam passed through

the smoke aerosol within the enclosed smoke chamber. The smoke level

is reported in terms of specific optical density, a dimensionless attenuation coefficient which defines the amount of smoke accumulated from

a specimen of unit surface area in terms of its photometric obscuration

over a unit path length within a chamber of unit volume[4]. The

specimens are cut into 3-inch x 3-inch sizes. The tests involve a

2 thermal irradiation exposure of 2.5 W/cm normal to the exterior surface

of a test specimen, and are performed under both flaming and nonf laming
(smoldering) exposure . To induce open flaming a small pilot natural gas

diffusion flame is applied at the base of the specimen.

Specific optical density, Ds , is a property of a specimen of

given thickness, and represents the optical density measured over unit

path length (L) , within a chamber of unit volume (V) , produced from a

specimen of unit surface area (A). Thus,

where T = percent light transmission, and D is normally referred to as

3 "optical density." For the standard test chamber, V = 18 ft , A = 0.0456

2 ft , and L = 3 ft. The change in Ds with time should depend only on the

thickness of the specimen, its chemical and physical properties and

exposure conditions . [4]

Standard conditioning procedures were followed for both test

methods. These conditions are 24 hours at 60°C (140°F) and then to

equilibrium at 23°C (73°F) and 50% R.H.

In the testing of carpeting, the complete carpet and underlayment

system was tested. This procedure was followed because the underlayment has been found to have a significant effect upon small scale test

results for carpeting. Refer to tables 3.1, 3.2, 3.3 and 3.4, respectively,

for the descriptions of the materials tested and for the test results.

The relative frequency distribution of these results Is displayed in

figures 3.1.1, 3.1.2, 3.1.3, 3.2.1, 3.3.1, 3.3.2, and 3.4.1.

3.0 RESULTS

3. 1 Wall and Ceiling Coverings

Refer to table 3.1 and figures 3.1.1, 3.1.2 and 3.1.3. It can be

observed from the figures that both glass-reinforced polyester-surfaced

3
panels and cellulose-based boards have essentially the same range of

flame spread and smoke generation test values.

The Operation BREAKTHROUGH Guide Criteria flame spread recommendation for normal habitable areas, other than exit areas and hazardous

areas, was 200. Virtually all the glass reinforced polyester-surfaced

panels and cellulouse-base panels tested had flame spread values reported

of less than 200. The Operation BREAKTHROUGH Guide Criteria recommendation for smoke generation for normal habitable areas was 450. Most

specimens tested had maximum values of specific optical density for

smoke generation of less than 450.

3.2 Kitchen Cabinets ' •

' -

'

Refer to table 3.2 and figure 3.2.1. It is clear from the frequency

distribution for flame spread of kitchen cabinet doors and end panels

that the range of values and variety of materials tested and reported

was large. It appears that the thicker the cabinet material, the lower

the flame spread rating. Smoke generation tests were not run for

kitchen cabinets in Operation BREAKTHROUGH as no smoke generation criteria

were recommended. This is due to the fact that kitchen cabinets generally

involve only a small part of the wall area of a kitchen. Moreover, the

primary fire safety problem associated with kitchen cabinets has been

considered to be their ignitability by kitchen range fires. To minimize

testing, based on the fact that early in the Operation BREAKTHROUGH

program consistently low flame spread test results were obtained for

melamine and vinyl clad kitchen cabinets, in the latter stages of the

program similarly coated specimens were not considered to require

testing for compliance with the recommended flame spread criterion.
3.3 Floor Coverings - Carpets

Refer to table 3.3 and figures 3.3.1 and 3.3.2. The majority of

carpets tested in the Operation BREAKTHROUGH program had reported flame

spread values in excess of 200 (which is again the Operation BREAKTHROUGH

Guide Criteria recomendation for flame spread)

No broad statement can be made in a comparison of Olefins and

Polyamides, other than to say that for the smoke generation tests conducted, the Polyamide carpets had a wider range of smoke generation

values than did the Olefins, which were centered in the same 200 to 350

range as the Polyamide carpets (see figure 3.3.2).

It should be pointed out, however, that the burning characteristics

of carpets are perhaps most greatly affected not by the type of carpeting

alone but also by the type of underlayment material used, the kind of

adhesives employed, and the nature of the structural substrate.

3.4 Floor Coverings - Other than Carpets

Refer to table 3.4 and figure 3.4.1. No general conclusions can

be drawn concerning the category of Floor Coverings Other Than Carpets,

all of which were vinyl floor coverings, due to the small number of

specimens tested.

4.0 DISCUSSION

In evaluating the test data one should be mindful of factors which

prohibit statistical analysis techniques based upon ideal random sample

selection. One reason is that true random sampling is impossible to

obtain due to test specimens being cut from the same parent specimen.

5
The materials tested and reported here are not necessarily typical

of all the materials eventually used in Operation BREAKTHROUGH. For instance, materials with unacceptably high test results were either product

improved or were replaced in the program with specimens that did pass

the appropriate tests.

For further information on the test methods used, and to obtain

flame spread data and smoke generation test data for further comparison,

refer to references 4 - 7 in the bibliography.

6
5.0 REFERENCES

[1] "Guide Criteria for the Evaluation of Operation BREAKTHROUGH Housing

Systems, NBS-10200 - 4 Volumes (NTIS Accession Numbers PB-212055,

056, 057 and 058).

[2] "A Standard Method of Test for Surface Flammability of Materials

Using a Radiant Heat ' Energy Source," ASTM E 162, Annual Book of

ASTM Standards, Part 14, pp. 500-511.

[3] Lee, T. C, "Interlaboratory Evaluation of the Smoke Density

Chamber Test Method: NBS TN 708, Appendix II, December 1961.

[4] Gross, et al, "Smoke and Gases Produced by Burning Aircraft

Interior Materials," NBS Building Science Series 18, February 1969.

[5] Gross, et al , "Method for Measuring Smoke from Burning Materials,"

Special Technical Publication No. 422, the American Society for

Testing and Materials, 1967.

[6] Gross, D. and Loftus, J., "Flame Spread Properties of Building

Finish Materials," ASTM Bulletin No. 230, May 1958.

[7] Marcy, John F. and Johnson, Richard, "Flaming and Self -Extinguishing

Characteristics of Aircraft Cabin Interior Materials," Report

NA-68-30, for the Federal Aviation Administration, July 1968

(AD 673 084, available from NTIS).

7
RELATIVE FREQUENCY DBTRIBUTION^

WALL AND CEILING COVERINGS

QLASS REINFORCED POLYESTER

SURFACED PANELS

X CELLULOSE BASED BOARDS
RELATIVE FREQUENCY DISTRIBUTION

WALL AND CEILING COVERINGS

FLAMING

GLASS REINFORCED POLYESTER X NON-FLAMING

SURFACED PANELS

FLAMING

CELLULOSE BASED BOARDS X NON-FLAMING

1 0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400 450 500 550-^

SMOKE GENERATION

FIGURE 3.1.3 n
RELATIVE FREQUENCY DISTRIBUTION:

KITCHEN CABINETS

DOORS

X END PANELS

0 25 50 75 100 125 150 175 200 225 250 275

FLAME SPREAD

FIGURE 3.2.1

10
RELATIVE FREQUENCY DISTRIBUTIONCARPETS

0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400 450 500 550

SMOKE GENERATION

FIGURE 3.3.2
RELATIVE FREQUENCY DISTRIBUTION'

FLOOR COVERINGS OTHER THAN CARPETS

FLAME SPREAD

VINYL FLOOR COVERINGS ^ gMOKE GENERATION

1 1 0 25 50 75 100 125 150 175 200 225 250 275

FLAME SPREAD

SMOKE GENERATION

FIGURE 3.4.1

12
TABLE 3.1

WALL AND CEILING COVERINGS RESULTS

FRNUMBER SANfRLl. DESCRIPTION

SPECIMEN SPECIMEN THICKNESS DENSITY

(incites) (lb/ft-)

CATEGORY

No. Tested

F] ame Spread

No. Tested Smcke

Genera t : on

5736

3738

3744

5746

3748

3754

3755

3761

Glass reinforced polyester 0.085 panel [approximately 20°o glass and tetra brcmo phthalic anhydride flame retardant in polyester resin.

Glass reinforced polyester

panel (with tetra broir.o phthalic anhydride flame re- tardant in polyester resin)

Interior Specirren 0.082 Exterior Specimen 0.100 Paper honey comb sandvich

wall panel (using glass cloth and polyester resin,

having a double thickness

of 5/8 inch gypsum hoard

on one side for an interior surface, or having a single 5/8 inch gypsum

.board together with sand

and polyester resin for an exterior surface)

Interior Specimens 5 1/4 Exterior Specimens

Polyester resin and fiber- 4 3/8 glass composition sprayed

on 3/8 inch plywood (v.-ood stud partition filled in with two layers of foil faced

glass fiber insulation

sandwiched between two sheets

of 3/8 inch coated plywood.

The plywood was spray coated with

Kith a layer of pigmented

polyester resin and fiberglass) . White vinyl cushion wall on vinyl*

paper*

plywood

film 1/16"+

3/8"

Exterior plywood, clear 1/2"

grain plywood (material used for the adjacent

walls in reentrant corners) . Laminate of gel-coated 13/16"

fiberglass on 3/4 inch plywood (smooth v'hite finish) Front Face (smooth side) Back Face (m.atter surface) Smooth and granular finishes

on 3/8" plywood and 3/8"

board (smooth white

finish on 3/8" plywood, and gray granular finish on 3/8" plywood; smooth white

finish on 3/8" wood base

fiber board and gray granular finisl; on 3/8" v/ood base

fiber board.)

3/8" plywood, sm.ooth white

finish 7/16

3/8" plywood, gray granular

finish

0.6 GRP

GRP

74 Flaming 2 Nonflaming 2 614 472

0. 80

0. 85

36

44 FlamingriiiAing 310

374

GRP

8.9

plywood

and sprayed

coating

=1.3 psf

8 Flaming

18 Flam.ing

GRP 58 Flaming

62

293

paper (v;ith 3/8 inch ply- wood backing)

1 . 7 Cellulose

Eased

2 7 lb/ft Cellulose

Eased

3.1 GPP

55

104

90

156

579 443

Cellulose

Eased

1.2 129

165

187

367

13
TABLE 3.1 (Continued) WALL AND CEILING COVERINGS

FRNUMBER

3768

377o"\ 3779J

SAMPLE DESCRIPTION

3/8" wood base fiber

board, smooth white

finish

3/8" wood base fiber

board, gray granular finish

Fiber glass polyester

with intumescent coating (white in color)

SPECIMEN SPECIMEN THICKNESS DENSITY CATEGORY

(inches) (lb/ft )

128

286

1/8

Gel coated fiberglass 25/32' laminate on 3/4" plywood

(front side, smooth white finish; rear side, a rough

finish)

Smooth side 3 Rough side

1.6

3.1

GKP

GRP

No. Tested

3771 1/16" Formica glued to 11/16

5/8" gypsum board (light

green)

3782 Exterior 3/8" plywood on 7/8 1/2" gypsum board (s tained

light green in color)

3783 Particle board with vinyl wall covering (flower

des ign)

Particle Board 1 1/8 Wall covering 1/64

3789 Fiber board ceiling tile 1/2 (fiberboard with inter- locking edges, white

surface exposed)

2.7

2.9

42.8

Cellulose

Based

Cellulose

Based

0.8 Cellulose

Based

3791 1/2 Inch Plyi\;ood ceiling

panel, with 1/16 inch layer of fiberglass resin

coating on each side. 3798 Plywood exterior wall panel

(latex painted)

3805 Polyester and chopped glass

fiber interior and exterior

surfacing material.

Interior

Exterior

3826 Glass reinforced plastic

interior panel

3827 Glass Reinforced plastic

exterior panel

White

Beige

3829 Interior wall partition

white asbestos, laminated

covering with polystyrene

inner panel

Asbestos covering only

3833 Polyester resin and fiber- glass composition

Brown, rough I Brown, rough II White, smooth

White, rough

5/8

5/8

.125

. 200

1/8

1.75

2.2

1/4

1/4

11/64

1/4

0.8

0.9

1 . 04

0 . 9

Cellulose

Based

Cellulose

Based

GRP

CRF

GRP

3.75 ib/ftGRP

63 lb/ft69 lb/ft78 lb/ft"

61 Ib/ftRESULTS

Flame No. Smoke

Spread MODE Tested Generation

128 2 260

286 2 255

5 3 342

93 Flaming 2 198 Nonflaming 2 384

95 Flaming 2 180 Nonflaming 2 262

18 3 99

86

63 2 260

32 Flaming 2 122 Nonflaming 2 333

60 Flaming 2 219 Nonflaming 2 522

72 Flaming 5 489 Nonflaming 2 506

99 2 98.5

147 2 138

7 Flaming 2 269 Nonflaming 2 206

47 Flaming 2 190

82 Flaming 2 208

55 2 207

30

Flaming 2 344 Nonflaming 2 364 Flaming 2 383 Nonflaming 2 464 Flaming 2 414 Nonflaming 2 90 Flaming 2 315 Nonflaming 2 264
TABLE 3.1 (Continued) WALL AND CEILING COVERINGS

NUMBEK

5 8 3 5

No . Flame

SAMPLE DESCRLFTION THICKNESS DENSITY CATEGORY Tested Spread MODE Tested Genera

( inchc s

)

(lb/ft )

Joint laminate 40% resin, . 200 62.4 Ib/ft^ CRP Flaming 2 337 exterior finish.

MAn"Fl ^mino 2 342 Joint Laminate, 41% resin .200 59 lb/ft Flaming 2 319 exterior finish

Nonflaniing 2 360 Polyester skin, 31% resin . 175 57 lb/ft 1 70 Flaming 2 266 exterior finish

2 244 Polyester skin, 341 resin .200 62.5 Ib/ft^ 1 80 Flaming 2 368 exterior finish Nonf laming 2 319 Polyester skin, 361 resin .200 64 Ib/ft^ 1 82 Flaming 2 298 exterior finish Nonf laming 2 304
TABLE 3.2

KITCHEN CABINETS

FRNUMBER

3772

3773

3784

3786

3790

3796

3792

SAMPLE DESCRIPTION

SPECIMEN SPECIMEN THICKNESS DENSITY

(inches) (Ib/ft^)

Kitchen cabinet doors with

plastic outer finish and paper honeycomb interior

(brown in color)

.

3/4 1.2

Outer plastic 1/16

Honeycomb paper 5/8

Kitchen cabinet end panels 7/8 with plastic and lacquer

finish on 1/8" poplar with

l-l/2"x3/4" white pine

batten (brown in color) . Panel 1/8

Particle board core door 1/2 and end panels; doors with

polyester laminate overlap

and panels with birch veneers.

Doors End panels

Simulated woodgrain kitchen

cabinet doors and end panels

(color-brown)

.

End panels Town house doors (end panels) 1/8 Scandinavian doors (doors) 7/16

Plywood kitchen cabinet doors 3/4 and end panels (door panels,

plywood, with dark brown

wood grain veneer- lacquer

finish; end panels, plywood

with dark brown wood grain

veneer)

.

Door panel

End panel

Plywood kitchen cabinets 3/4 door and end panels (rerun

of 3790) Doors

End panels

3/16" mahogany plywood kit- 3/16 chen cabinets, and end panels

with Melamine woodgrain

veneer on one side.

0.5

52 Ib/ft^

46 lb/ft

57.6 lb/ft:

75 lb/ft:

74.6 ib/ft2

2.2

1.8

2.0

,75

3810

3814

3825

3828

3/4" Plywood kitchen cabinet 3/4 door panel (color-light brown

finish)

.

Composition wood door panel 7/16

for kitchen cabinets with

1/32" wood grain veneer on both sides (color-dark stained

finish)

.

Particle baord with vinyl clad 5/8 walnut wood grain finish kit- chen cabinet doors (5/8") and

end (3/8") panels. Door panels

End panels

Particle board kitchen cabinet

doors and end panels (door panel

3/8" wood grain finish on both

sides; end panel 1/2" varnish

on both sides, wood grain on exterior)

.

Door panels End panels

3/8

1/2

2.2

2 .

6

2.0

26

22

16
TABLE 3.3 (Continued)

FLOOR COVERINGS (CARPETS)

FRNUMBER

3777

3778

3781

3797

3802

SAMPLE DESCRIPTION

SPECIMEN

THICKNESS

(Inches)

16 oz. 1001 continuous 19/32

filament nylon looped

carpet with polypropylene

and jute backing (color- blue and green)

.

Rug Under layment

1001 Continuous filament 19/32

nylon looped carpet with

polypropylene and jufe

backing (multicoloredgreen and black)

.

Rug

Under layment

100% nylon pile carpet with

3/8" jute backing, with 1/4"

rubberized hair underlay- ment on 3/4" plywood (color- green with sculpture pattern)

.

Rug 3/8 Jute 1/8

Underlayment

1001 Olefin fiber with jute 1/4 backing carpet (color-green)

100% nylon short loop pile

carpet with polypropylene

primary back and jute secondary

backing (tested with and without rubberized hair pad

underlayment)

.

Rug 5/ 16' Pad 3/8

V.'ith hair pad

Without hair pad

1001 nylon yellow shag carpet

with double jute backing,

(tested with and without rub- berized hair pad underlayment)

.

SPECIMEN DENSITY

(Ib/ff^)

51.8oz/yd

36. 4oz/yd2

51.8oz/yd

36 . 4oz/yd2

53. 7oz/yd'^

34. 5oz/yd2

60oz/yd^

26oz

No. CATEGORY Tested

Polyamide

Flame Spread

439

No . Smoke MODE Tested Generation

162

Polyamide 482 184

Polvamide 180 267

Olefin

Polyamide

287

Flaming 2 Nonflaming 2 Flaming I Nonflaming 1

192

302 164

289

Rug Pad 3/8"

Kith hair pad

Without hair pad

Gold hi-lo carpet, rubber

backing- 1/2

With 5/8" plywood backing

Without 5/8" plywood backing

.75 to 1.0" 69 oz/yd^

26 oz/yd^

64 oz/yd

Flaming 2 Nonflaming 2 Flaming 1 Nonflaming 1

260 524

231 446

311 361

3806 Nylon carpet, level loop, poly- Polyamide propylene primary back, jute

secondary back. Dark blue 1/4 62.5oz/yd^

Light blue 5/16 76oz/yd2

3818 100% polypropylene fiber Olefin carpeting with woven jute

backing (color-black and gray or high density foam rubber backing; color- bronze and green)

With rubber backing and hair

underlayment .375 85.3oz/yd

With jute backing (no hair

pad) .300 57.7oz/yd2

Without jute backing and hair pad underlayment

With jute backing, adhered

to 1/4" asbestos board with

AP Green Insulation Adhesive.

3831 100% nylon continuous filament 9/32 69oz/yd^ Polyamide carpeting (orange, with 2 ply

backing of 3.5 oz. polypropylene

primary and 7 oz. jute secon- dary ply.)

222 154

264

306

584

485

536

154

203 Flaming

Nonflaming

193 183
TABLE 3.3

I

FLOOR COVERINfiS (CARPETS)

FRNUMBER

3747

3748

3756

3757

SAMPLE DESCRIPTION

SPECIMEN THICKNESS

(inches) (lb/ft'')

SPECIMEN DENSIT^

No. Flame CATEGORY Tested Spread

Olive gold, loop pile

with jute backing (mounted

on 3/8" plywood with carpet

adhesive. The carpet fiber

was unidentified "but may

have been polypropylene")

Carpet only

Nylon shag carpet with 1/4"

integral foam rubber backing (mounted on 3/8" plywood, 4 different colors

tested)

Shag 1 Rubber 1/4

Plywood . 3/8

Yellow gold

Blue Green

Brown gold Z Yellow green

1001 Nylon (20 oz) carpet 1 with jute backing; gold in color and mounted on 5/8"

plywood, on 3/8" foam under- layment

5/16 5Soz/yd2 Olefin 295

No . Smoke Tested Generation

238

Plywood

1001 Nylon (20 oz) carpet

with high density foam backing, gold in color,

1/8" 38 oz. foam under- layment, on 5/8" plywood

substrate

5/8

17/32

1-6 lb/ft Polyamide

293

518

20oz/y-d' Polyamide

323

288

324

308

246 714

2.4 Polyamide 270 658

3762

3766

3774

3775

3776

Foam 1/8

Continuous filament Olefin

loop carpet with jute backing; mixed colors of gold, green, and yellow with rub- berized hair pad under layment

Rug 3/16 Jute 1/16

Underlayment 1/2 Carpet and jute

without underlayment

Continuous filament Olefin 5/8 loop carpet with jute backing (mixed colors of gold, green, and yellow with rub- berized hair pad underlayment.

Rug

Underlayment

1001 Continuous filament

nylon shag carpet with

3/8" foam backing (blue and green in color)

51 . 3oz/yd'' Olefin 3 408 402

40oz.

Olefin 3 528

342

338

51 . 6oz/yd

44 oz/yd^

83 oz/yd^ Polyamide 2 260 325

Pile Foam1 1/4

3/8

100% Continuous filament

nylon looped carpet with

polypropylene and jute

backing (mixed colors, orange

and green)

Rug Jute backing

Underlayment

20 oz 1001 nylon clipped

loop carpet with polypropylene and jute backing

(color- green)

Rug

Underlayment

Polyamide 3 359 244

5/16 59.Soz/yd^

3/32

3/8 36.4 oz/yd"^

27/32" Polyamide 3 276 351

57. 6oz/yd

36.4oz/yd2

18
TABLE 3.4

FLOOR COVEE.IKGS (OTHER THAN CARPETS)

No . No

.

FR SPECIMEN SPECIMEN Test- Flame Test- Smoke NUMBER S.^L^IPLE DESCRIPTION THICKNESS DENSITY CATEGOSY ed Spread MODE ed Generation

(inches) (Ib/ft^)

3~80 Vinyl floor covering on 57/64 3 4 70 2 181 3/4" plyvood 1/64" vinyl

backed vith 1/16" card- board; color-light brown

and green with rough surface.

5795 Vinyl floor covering, color 0.065 42oz/yd^ 2 350 2 185 yellow, green, and brora

5802 Vinyl sheet fleering

Brand X - 0.075 57oz/yd^ , 2 528 Brand Y 0.075 35.9oz/yd- 2 244 3805 Vinyl floor covering 1/16" 7/16 1.7 2 72 2 767 thick, underla>Taent-3/8" flakeboard.

2 3832 Vinyl floor covering .150 75oz/yd 2 137 Flaming 2 617 (mounted on 1/4" asbestos • 2 545 board with adhesive)

.

19

U.r.. IM CT. C-l- C CMM. BIBLIOr.K'APHIC DATA

SHI FT

1. I'l; Hl.ICA l ION UHl'Oitl KO.

NBSTR 73-228

2. C.ov'i Acci '.sion No.

4. Ti l LI-: ANU M-liTl ! Lli

Summnry of Flame Spread and Smoke Generation

Tests Conducted for Operation BREzVKTHROUGlI

5. Kcci pi lilt' .". Accession N'(;.

5. J-'ublu a t loii I'.iic

i

6. Performing'. O: j'/inizati on (.-ocic7. AUTHOlUS)

John B. Ferf^uson

S. I'crforniin;^ O; j^.:n i zation NBSTR 73-228

9. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME AND ADDRESS

NATIONAL BUREAU OF STANDARDS

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

U'ASHINGTON, D.C. 20234

10. 1 'rojcc t/ Task/ ork Unii Na. /;618505

11. Contract/Grant No.

IAA-H-16-70

12, Sponsoring Organization Name and Address

Office of Research and Technology

Department of Housing and Urban Development

Washington, D.C. 20410

13. Type of Report & Period

• Covered

Final

14, sponsoring Agency Code

15. SUPPLEMENTARY NOTES

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

bibliography or literature survey, mention it here.)

This document is a listing of the flame spread and smoke generation

results of a range of materials that v.'ere tested under the Operation

BRZ/uCTKROUGH housing evaluation program. Tlie test results reported

h3r3 -vere obtained under differing conditions and should net be considered

the results of a comprehensive and unified research program for evaluation

of interior finish materials. Tables of test results and a brief

discussion of the results are presented for walls, ceilings, kitchen

cabinets arid floor coverings.

1 7. KEY WORDS (Alphabetical order, separated by semicolons) Carpets; flame spread; kitchen cabinets;

Operation BREAKTHROUGH; smoke generation; vjall and ceiling.

18. AVAILABILITY STATEMl-NT 19. SF.CLiRITY CLASS 21. NO. OF PAGES

(THIS REPORT)

3UNLIMITED.

UNCLASSIFIED

1 1 FOR OFFICIAL DISTRIBUTION. DO NOT RELEASE 20. SECURITY CLASS 22. Price TO NTIS. (THIS PAGE)

UNCLASSIFIED

I