ASTM E119 fire resistance testing is an essential National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and International Building Code (IBC) test requirement for the assessment and evaluation of building and construction parts, materials, and finished goods. The purpose of the test is to evaluate pass/fail criteria and collect a critical time/temperature curve that defines a construction material’s fire resistance properties.
Fire resistance testing using the ASTM E 119 standard is crucial to establishing accurate fire-resistant ratings on materials such as flooring, structural building materials, textiles, and other products related to building construction.
ASTM E119 testing protocols are conducted within a large temperature-controlled chamber. After initial setup, thermocouples — thermoelectric monitoring devices consisting of two separate copper lead wires that monitor temperature — are connected to both sides of a given flooring material.
Again, the purpose of the test is to develop a time/temperature curve. This requires different exposure times at different temperatures. The controlled temperature at the start of the test must be 68°F. This is essential to ensure a natural time/temperature curve display.
Next, at the five-minute mark, the material is exposed to a temperature of 1000°F. The temperature is then raised to 1300°F at 10 minutes, 1550°F at 30 minutes, 1700°F at one hour, 1850°F at two hours, 2000°F at 4 hours and then 2300°F at the eight-hour mark. Readings are taken at specific intervals to develop a time/temperature curve.
While not often a requirement of flooring customers, some construction materials require a hose stream test after fire resistance testing. The purpose is to see how a given material – be it a wall or large panel used in construction – will respond to a hose blasting water at 30 PSI for one minute. In this particular portion of the test, a pass or fail is indicated by the wall or panel's ability to retain its structure without the water passing through the wall.
There are several applications for fire resistance testing within the flooring and construction industries. Ultimately, it’s not just about the fire resistance of a given material or finished good but ultimately about safety. Given the extensive application of flooring and construction materials for industrial and commercial buildings and residential buildings and homes, ASTM E119 is an absolute requirement that ensures flooring materials maintain their structures while being fire-resistant.
Depending upon the type of material or finished goods being tested, ASTM requirements may call for the application of a given load. The load-bearing capacity of the material is used to define the material’s overall strength while also assessing the material’s ability to endure exposure to heat/fire without the material or finished goods losing its structural integrity.
Several different pass/fail requirements depend on what’s being tested. In a real-world application, ASTM E119 defines a material’s ability to withstand a fire. This is essential to ensuring that a fire can effectively be contained in time for it to be put out. Whether it’s structural columns, walls, panels, beams, or flooring materials, their fire resistance ratings are essential.
The ASTM E119 test is just one of over 2,500 different test processes and standards our PJLA and NVLAP-accredited testing facility conducts. From testing international standards like ISO to testing American National Standards Institute (ANSI), ASTM, and an expansive range of OEM-accredited tests, Professional Testing Laboratory is relied upon for accurate test data and independent evaluations of raw materials, integrated assemblies, and finished products in multiple industrial, commercial and consumer-based industries.
Our independent, third-party testing laboratory in Dalton, Georgia is housed within a 30,000-square-foot facility and staffed with seasoned test engineers, chemists, and technicians with over 325 years of combined flooring, chemical cleaning, textile and vacuum testing, we ensure our customers get the very best in material qualification testing.
We take pride in helping customers validate and test their materials, assemblies, and finished goods with accurate test data and high repeatability of processes and results. Get in touch with us to request a quote within 24 hours for ASTM E119 for your materials — or any of our other testing services!