- Author
- Quintiere, J. G.
- Title
- Some Factors Influencing Fire Spread Over Room Linings and in the ASTM E-84 Tunnel Test.
- Coporate
- National Bureau of Standards, Gaithersburg, MD
- Journal
- Fire and Materials, Vol. 9, No. 2, 65-74, June 1985
- Report
- CIB W14/85/18 (USA),
- Keywords
- correlation | flame spread | flammability tests | energy transfer | room fires | tunnel tests
- Abstract
- An examination of the correlative relationship between room fire intensity (temperature) and flammability data for materials, ASTM E-84 flame ratings and energy release rate from calorimetry devices is presented for fire spread on linings. The results of the analysis show the significance of two model of flame spread--wind-aided and opposed-flow spread. The factors important in these spread modes are considered from approximate solutions developed for turbulent flow. As the importance of energy release rate to flame spread in the tunnel test (E-84) and in upward or wind-aided spread is illustrated. The results suggest a possible reason why the ASTM E-84 ratings may not be applicable to the performance of low-density combustible linings in wall fires. In the analyses, flame radiation has not been considered. Also the interpretation of energy release rate data for difference scale and orientation effects has been ignored. These two factors must ultimately be addressed.