- Author
-
Parker, W. J.
|
Brackett, D. C.
|
Willard, R. E.
|
Zile, R. H.
- Title
- Preliminary Investigation of the Effect of Humidity on the Ignition, Heat Release, and Smoke Density Tests for Typical Room Finishing Materials. Interim Report.
- Coporate
- National Bureau of Standards, Gaithersburg, MD
- Sponsor
- Department of the Navy, Washington, DC
- Report
-
NBSIR 73-139
March 1973
30 p.
- Distribution
- Limited Distribution Available from National Technical Information Services
- Contract
- N00024-69-F-5177
- Keywords
-
building materials; fire tests; heat release; ignition; smoke density
- Abstract
- Nine commonly used room finishing materials were subjected to the heat release and ignition tests under development at NBS and to the NBS smoke density test. Each material was tested with three different moisture contents representing 50% relative humidity (RH), 0% RH, and one intermediate RH value. The purpose of the tests was to (1) gain experience with the test methods under development in order to determine whether instrumental or procedural modifications are needed and (2) to examine the problem of testing a material at 50% RH and using it under much lower humidity conditions. Some procedural changes are recommended for both the ease of ignition and the heat release rate tests. The rates of heat release were found to be as much as 50% higher for the dried specimens than for those conditioned at 50% RH. The ignition times were found to decrease by as much as 50% after being dried.