Flame Spread of Carpet Systems Involved in Room Fires.
Flame Spread of Carpet Systems Involved in Room Fires.
(886 K)
Tu, K. M.; Davis, S.
NBSIR 76-1013; 42 p. June 1976.
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; Rush
Service (Telephone Orders Only) 800-553-6847;
Website:
http://www.ntis.gov
Order number: PB-256130
Keywords:
carpets; fire safety; flame spread; floor coverings;
flooring radiant panel test; ignition source; pill test;
room fires
Abstract:
This study was designed to test the hypothesis that
given a situation where a chair or other item of
furniture becomes the first item to burn in a room
(providing the ceiling and walls are noncombustible),
there is little reason to expect involvement of the
carpet in the fire beyond the immediate vicinity of the
buring object. Four small-sized carpet fire test and
eight full-scale burn room fire experiments were
conducted. Experimental data for temperature
distribution and incident heat flux to the floor
covering were measured in the rooms. General analysis
of the experimental results obtained shows this to be
the case. It also is evident that the critical radiant
flux of the floor covering system is predictive is the
extent of burning. From this study, carpet systems used
in rooms will not normally spread fire provided they
meet the requirements of DOC FF 1-70 (the pill test).
Building and Fire Research Laboratory
National Institute of Standards and Technology
Gaithersburg, MD 20899