- Author
- Schneider, E. F.
- Title
- Burning Characteristics of Seams as Related to the Relative Potential Hazards Involved. Final Summary Report.
- Coporate
- Maryland Univ., College Park
- Sponsor
- National Bureau of Standards, Washington, DC
- Report
- Thesis; Final Summary Report, June 1975, 154 p.
- Keywords
- flammability | fabric flammability | FF 3-71 | test methods | char | burning time | ignition | heat transfer | garments | thermoplastic fabrics
- Identifiers
- seams; thermal behavior; thread
- Abstract
- This study was undertaken to investigate various factors which influence seam flammability and to determine whether or not the flammability of seams is potentially more or less hazardous than the unseamed base fabric. Initially, the flammability of various fabric-thread-seam combinations was investigated using the DOC FF3-71 test method to explore the effect these factors had on seam flammability. In the remainder of the study the potential hazards of seam flammability relative to unseamed base fabric were investigated employing additional test methods. These included the study of char area, burn time, different modes of ignition and heat transfer. It was found that representative garment seams may have equivalent flammability or perhaps be less flammable than unseamed base fabric providing that proper fabric-thread-seam combinations are employed. To minimize seam flammability, the data suggested that the thermal behavior of fabrics and threads should be matched, i.e., thermoplastic fabric-thermoplastic thread and nonthermoplastic fabric-nonthermoplastic thread. In addition to DOC FF 3-71, the other test methods employed were found to be especially useful in evaluating the relative potential hazards associated with seam flammability. Specifically, analysis of variance of the ignition data showed significant differences between the various modes of ignition and the flammability of unseamed and seamed samples. The investigation of heat transfer confirmed earlier findings of the importance of matching thermal behavior of fabric and thread.