Flammability Assessment Methodology for Mattresses.
Flammability Assessment Methodology for Mattresses.
(11200 K)
Ohlemiller, T. J.; Shields, J. R.; McLane, R. A.; Gann,
R. G.
NISTIR 6497; 94 p. June 2000.
Available from:
National Technical Information Service
(NTIS), Technology Administration, U.S. Department of
Commerce, Springfield, VA 22161.
Telephone:
1-800-553-6847 or 703-605-6000;
Fax: 703-605-6900.
Website: http://www.ntis.gov
Order number: PB2000-106664
Keywords:
mattresses; flammability; methodology; beds (furniture);
bedding; fire spread; heat flux; heat release rate; fire
behavior; gas burners
Abstract:
This study addresses the fire behavior of bed
assemblies, including a mattress, foundation and
bedclothes. The focus is on development and application
of a reproducible means of simulating the thermal impact
which burning bedclothes materials impose on a mattress.
Twelve dtfferent sets of bedclothes were burned on top
of an inert mattress to obtain data on heat release
rate, flame spread rates and, to a lesser degree, heat
flux to nearby objects. Six of these sets were selected
for characterization of the heat flux patterns they
impose on an inert mattress surface. A unique, infrared
imaging technique was developed for this purpose. The
results, in terms of peak heat flux, duration and area,
were used to develop a pair of propane burners which
impose on the side and top of a mattress heat flux
patterns which mimic those imposed at a typical, fixed
location by burning bedclothes. These burners were
applied to a set of five mattress designs, including one
typical of current residential mattresses; the four
other designs included potentially less flammable design
elements to permit a wide range of fire behaviors. This
facilitated a broad assessment of the ability of the gas
burners to predict the fire behavior of mattresses. The
duration of the burner application was varied. Also, as
a check on the burner-induced behavior, the same
mattress designs were tested with one bedclothes
combination. All of the altered designs offered some
modification in fire behavior but they differed strongly
in overall effect. The effects ranged from a delay in
the time to reach an undiminished heat release rate peak
to greatly reduced mattress involvement in the fire. The
burners successfully predicted the behavior of four of
the mattress designs. They failed to predict the fire
behavior (with burning bedclothes) of one design since
the bedclothes produced a phenomenon (internal
overpressurization and seam rupture) which the burners
did not produce.
Building and Fire Research Laboratory
National Institute of Standards and Technology
Gaithersburg, MD 20899