ASTM E84

Scope title: surface flame spread

ASTM E84 is a standard published by ASTM International (ASTM). It publishes material, product and test method standards; it is the body most often turned to in corrosion, mechanical and materials testing.

• Interior wall and ceiling lining materials
• Insulation materials and sandwich panel surfaces
• Acoustic panels and suspended ceiling elements
• Decorative wood, composite and textile finishes
• Cable trunking and service covering materials

• It is the basis of interior finish classification in the IBC and IRC building codes
• NFPA 255 and UL 723 are equivalent publications defining the same test arrangement
• The corresponding framework in Europe is EN 13501-1 classification; the test arrangements differ
• For certain classes of material, codes may require large-scale testing such as NFPA 286 or NFPA 285

1. 1Specimen preparationThe specimen is prepared to tunnel dimensions and set up to represent the end use installation; the substrate and mounting arrangement are recorded.
2. 2Tunnel calibrationThe arrangement is calibrated with reference materials; the index scale rests on that calibration.
3. 3The testThe specimen is mounted on the tunnel ceiling, the flame source is applied and flame advance and smoke density are recorded over the defined period.
4. 4Index calculationThe flame spread and smoke developed indices are calculated and normalised against the reference points.
5. 5ReportingThe indices, installation arrangement, observations and any melting/falling behaviour of the material are reported.

• EN 13501-1

  The European reaction-to-fire classification. A different arrangement and scale; the results cannot be converted.

• NFPA 286

  The room corner test. Preferred over E84 for materials that melt and drip.

• NFPA 285

  A large-scale test for facade systems; it assesses them as a system.

• UL 723 / NFPA 255

  Equivalent publications of the same arrangement; the results are mutually accepted.

To be usable, a report must carry the information below. An incomplete report may not be accepted in the supply chain or in an inspection even when its result is correct.

• The flame spread index (FSI) and smoke developed index (SDI)
• The specimen installation arrangement: substrate, mounting, thickness
• The behaviour of the specimen during the test: melting, falling, shrinking
• Tunnel calibration information
• The test duration and the observations
• The basis for any matching to a code class

• An ASTM E84 result cannot be converted into an EN 13501-1 class; the two systems work with different test arrangements and scales.
• The result is valid together with the way the specimen was installed in the test arrangement; a different installation requires reassessment.
• The method has limits for materials that melt and drip; for such products the room corner test (NFPA 286) is preferred.
• The indices are relative; they should not be interpreted as absolute physical quantities.
• SDI gives no information about the TOXICITY of the smoke; it measures only optical density.
• The class designation comes from the code; the laboratory reports the indices and the class assignment is matched by the code.

Published by

ASTM

Serial number

E84

Part

without partition

Codes in the library without release year is kept. The current version changes over time; If the year is specified in your specification, that version is taken as basis, if not specified, the most current version is applied.

• Test
• Standard-Based Tests
• Fire Testing
• Fire Testing
• Construction Materials Testing

Standard texts are copyright of the relevant organization; test condition, sample and acceptance criteria cannot be fitted here.

Basis: The ASTM E84 Steiner tunnel arrangement and the FSI/SDI indices it produces together with the relative scale of those indices; the NFPA 255 and UL 723 equivalence; its non-convertibility with EN 13501-1 and the NFPA 286 / 285 alternatives.

• ASTM E119
• UL 94
• EN 13501-1
• ISO 4589
• ISO 5660
• EN 13501
• UN 38.3
• RTCA DO-160
• IEC 60529
• UNECE R10