- Author
- Son, B. C. | Shoub, H.
- Title
- Fire Endurance Tests of Polywood on Steel Joist Floor Assemblies, With and Without Ceiling. Tests Number 492 and 497. Final Report.
- Coporate
- National Bureau of Standards, Gaithersburg, MD
- Sponsor
- Department of Housing and Urban Development, Washington, DC
- Report
- NBSIR 73-141, March 1973, 37 p.
- Distribution
- Available from National Technical Information Service
- Keywords
- fire tests | Operation Breakthrough | floors | joists
- Abstract
- Fire endurance tests were conducted on two floor/ceiling assemblies intended for use in modular housing. One assembly simulated the combination of the floor of an upper story module with the ceiling assembly of the module beneath; the other assembly, the floor of a first floor module over a ceilingless crawl or foundation space. The floors were of plywood deck with vinyl or carpet overlay on light gage steel "C" joists. In the floor-ceiling assembly, the ceiling was separately supported on its own joists, contained simulated HVAC* duct work and a layer of glass fiber batt insulation. During the tests which were conducted generally in accordance with the requirements of ASTM E 119-71, Fire Tests of Building Construction and Materials, the floors were loaded to represent the dead weight of structural parts bearing on them and a live load application of 40 psf. The test results are valid only for floors of similar construction loaded at or below the stress level developed by this loading. Failure of the floor with the protective ceiling assembly occurred by flame-through to the unexposed surface at 29 min., with extensive structural failure (collapse under load) following at 33 min. The unprotected floor over the crawl space had a flame through at 3 1/4 min., and structural failure following at 3 3/4 min. *(HVAC-Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning).