ASTM E119 Fire Tests of Building Construction and Materials

Scope:

ASTM E119 test methods described in this fire-test-response standard are applicable to assemblies of masonry units and composite assemblies of structural materials for buildings, including bearing and other walls and partitions, columns, girders, beams, slabs, and composite slab and beam assemblies for floors and roofs. They are also applicable to other assemblies and structural units that constitute permanent integral parts of a finished building.

Test Procedure:

In ASTM E119, a sample of the test material or a pre-constructed portion of it, as in the case of walls, partitions, flooring, ceilings, and roofing, is placed in the test furnace. The orientation of the materials is either a vertical furnace as used in the case of walls, columns, and partitions, or a horizontal furnace as used in the case of floors, ceilings, and roofs. Under a timed evaluation, a mixture of gas and air is ignited and fed into the furnace assembly. For typical one or two-hour rating tests, the internal temperature of the furnace must rise according to pre-set temperatures. Standard temperature levels are 1300 °F after five minutes, 1400 °F after 15 minutes, and a minimum of 1550 °F after 30 minutes, and so on. After the test, materials are checked for their structural integrity, especially in the case of load-bearing assemblies.

Figure 1: Fire Resistance Test Furnace

Specimen size:

For ASTM E119 testing, the length of the column exposed to fire should not be less than 9 ft. (2.7 m)

Data:

The area exposed to fire is not less than 100 ft. (9 m2), with neither dimension less than 9 ft. (2.7 m).

Conclusion:

ASTM E119 test method is important to specify the burning characteristics of building materials. The durability and reliability of the material are tested and recommendations for its improvement are provided.