ASTM Int'l to Develop Standards for Insulating Concrete Form Systems, Intumescent Coatings
April 26, 2008 // Published as a news service by IHS
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ASTM International Subcommittee E06.21 on Serviceability, part of Committee E06 on Performance of Buildings is working on proposed standards for insulating concrete form systems and intumescent coatings.
Insulating Concrete Form Systems
Contractors, design engineers, architects and building officials are welcome to join insulating concrete form manufacturers and raw materials suppliers who are working on ASTM WK16256 - Specification for Flat Wall Insulating Concrete Form (ICF) Systems.
According to Sheldon Warman, technical director, ECO-Block LLC, and E06.21 member, ASTM WK16256 will provide minimum quality standards and ensure that an ICF will meet building code requirements.
Products that will be covered by ASTM WK16256 consist of molded expanded polystyrene insulation panels that are connected together by ties to form the ICF system.
"ICFs are rapidly gaining market share as a very energy efficient building envelope in both residential and commercial construction," said Warman. "ICFs can provide up to four hours of fire resistance, a high level of sound suppression and can be engineered to withstand severe hurricanes, tornados and earthquakes."
However, Warman said that, while there are currently more than 80 different ICF products on the market, it is not possible to look at the panels and know whether they contain flame retardants to ensure that flame spread and smoke development indices are within allowable code values.
"Building officials will use [ASTM] WK16256 as an enforcement tool whereby they can request that products meet the proposed specification as well as by architects to ensure that they specify ICF products that will conform to minimum standards," said Warman.
Testing Intumescent Coatings
The fire resistive intumescent materials industry grew rapidly in the last 10 years but there are no standards specific to the product category, according to ASTM International.
ASTM WK17060 - Test Method for Testing Intumescent Coatings is the first step in developing a series of standards for the industry.
"The fact that the products have a life safety function makes it imperative that standards be developed," said Rudy Jagnandan, senior development engineer, Isolatek International and a Subcommittee E06.21 member. "Currently, manufacturers use a variety of standards in making product claims. As a result, the user's ability to meaningfully compare materials based on physical performance is limited."
Proposed standards for intumescent coatings properties will be based on the following ASTM standards developed by Committee D01 on Paint and Related Coatings, Materials and Applications:
ASTM WK17060 will be used for the assessment of physical properties of intumescent coatings in the laboratory and field.
Lab tests will establish product claims and minimum performance levels while field tests will allow a measure against these claims and minimum levels.
Source: ASTM International.