To judge existing fire test methods in use or those planned/proposed for use withexterior insulation and finishsystem (EIFS) products, a critical commercial/industrial accident scenario has been identified that involves storage adjacent to a building exterior having a 90 corner. The heat flux environment expected in the assumed accident scenario, as determined from the FM Approvals 50-ft. (15.25-m) Corner Test, is not reproduced by existing EIFS test methods, since these mostly involve flames issuing from a window opening. In the current study, the experience gained from testing two EIFS products in the 50-ft. corner has allowed practical procedures for the categorization of EIFS products to be recommended.
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2.
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3.
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4.
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5.
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6.
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8.
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9.
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10.
ASTM E 108. Standard Test Methods for Fire Tests of Roof Coverings, Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol. 4.07, 1996, American Society for Testing and Materials, West Conshohocken, PA, USA.
11.
Uniform Building Code Standard 26–9, Method of Test for the Evaluation of Flammability Characteristics of Exterior, Nonload-Bearing Wall Assemblies Containing Combustible Components Using the Intermediate-Scale, Multistory Test Apparatus, Test Standard of the International Conference of Building Officials, Whittier, CA, USA, 1997 Uniform Building Code, pp. 3-507–3-532.
12.
NFPA 285, Evaluation of Flammability Characteristics of Exterior Non-Load-Bearing Wall Assemblies Containing Combustible Components Using the Intermediate-Scale, Multistory Test Apparatus, National Fire Protection Association, Quincy, MA, USA, 1998.
13.
Draft BritishStandard, Fire Performance of External Cladding Systems – Part 1: Test Method for Non-Loadbearing External Cladding Systems Applied to the Face of the Building, Document No. 01/540504 DC, BritishStandard s Institute, London, UK, 4 April 2001.
14.
Uniform Building Code Standard 26-4, Method of Test for the Evaluation of Flammability Characteristics of Exterior, Non-load-Bearing Wall Panel Assemblies Using Foam Plastic Insulation, Test Standard of the International Conference of Building Officials, Whittier, CA, USA, 1994 Uniform Building Code, pp. 3-799–3-814.
