- Author
-
Wittasek, N. B.
- Title
- Analysis and Comparison of Marine Fire Testing Regulations and Procedures.
- Coporate
- Worcester Polytechnic Inst., MA
- Report
-
Thesis
1996
168 p.
- Keywords
-
fire tests
|
regulations
|
fire resistance testing
|
heat flux
|
thermocouples
|
furnaces
|
heat transfer
|
exposure
|
measurement uncertainties
- Identifiers
- furnace testing and real world fires; thermal measurement error; temperature sensing elements; background of 46 CFR 164.007 and 164.008; background on IMO A.754(18) and A.517(13); marine fire testing regulations; furnace heat transfer background; furnace design and thermal exposure; test unit design and thermal exposure; thermal sensor design and placement; furnace harmonization
- Abstract
- The use of large scale furnace apparatus for the testing of construction assemblies has been the subject of considerable debate because of numerous as of yet unresolved application, interpretation, and design issues which sometimes lead to undesirable variations in test results. The marine fire testing regulaitons described in IMO A.517(13), A.754(18) as well as 46 CFR 164,007 and 164.008 have been critically examined with the intent of highlighting potential sources of error with respect to standard heating curves, allowable deviaiton from time-temperature curves, failure criteria, furnace control, and other furnace conditions such as pressure or condensation levels. Measurement uncertainties arising from four previously conducted fire safety test procedures performed for the United States Coast Guard Research and Development Center have been examined. The influence of the furnace design, test unit design and application, and thermal sensor design and application on the thermal exposure was quantitatively assessed. Drawing from the improved understanding of the nature of thermal measurements and the thermal insult provided in construction assembly testing, background development of a furnace calibration unit has been offered.