ASTM E2707 Tests Fire Penetration of Exterior Wall Assemblies
November 2, 2009 // Published as a news service by IHS
ASTM International released ASTM E2707, which addresses the enhanced exterior fire protection of structures in a wildland fire.
The standard is based on recommendations from the California Office of the State Fire Marshall and the International Wildland-Urban Interface Code.
ASTM E2707 - Test Method for Determining Fire Penetration of Exterior Wall Assemblies Using a Direct Flame Impingement Exposure is the first new standard developed by Subcommittee E05.14 on External Fire Exposures, part of ASTM Committee E05 on Fire Standards.
According to Howard Stacy, vice president and director of testing services at Western Fire Center, recommendations from the California fire marshall established performance criteria for a variety of materials to be used on exterior buildings, structures and detached accessory structures.
ASTM E2707 was designed to closely follow the test procedure of California SFM Method 12-7a-1.
The standard is intended to address one component of an exterior wildfire exposure - exterior walls exposed to direct flame impingement.
"The purpose of this standard is to provide a definitive set of procedures for the evaluation and measurement of the resistance to fire penetration of exterior wall structures," said Stacy. "The test is a practical attempt to simulate a case in which flammable materials - such as plants, trash, a deck or a shed that might be adjacent to a building - are ignited."
He said the test method provides data suitable for comparing the performance of vertically oriented materials, products or assemblies in exterior construction applications.
Users of the new standard will include product manufacturers in response to regulatory requirements and testing agencies. Stacy said the measurement science involved with the quantification of wildland fire exposures of structures and understanding the mechanism ignition leading to the loss of a structure is in the early stages of development.
"This test method, as it stands, is intended as a starting point and only measures the response to one type of ignition scenario - direct flame impingement," Stacy said.
"Refinements to the standard are being studied, including the addition of methodologies for the measurement of the impact of radiant heating coupled with direct flame impingement, the effect of ember exposure and heat release of the wall structure corresponding to potential spread of flame," he said.
A new task group within E05.14 is quantifying exterior fire exposures (ASTM WK25760 - Guide for Quantification of Fire Exposures), which will lead to the development of potential guides and practices for fire exposure metrics usable for the development of improved standards covering both urban and wildland environments.
In addition to these activities, there are two proposed new standards under the jurisdiction of Subcommittee E05.14 on the E05 Main Committee ballot: ASTM WK12052 - Test Method for Evaluating the Under-Deck Fire Test Response of Deck Structures and ASTM WK14401 - Test Method for Evaluating the Fire Test Response of Deck Structures to Burning Brands.
New activities started under E05.14 include:
- ASTM WK21343 - Test Method for Evaluating the Ability of Vents to Resist Entry of Embers and Flame Impingement.
- ASTM WK23700 - Test Method for Evaluating Roof Field Vent Response to Wind Blown Flame and Burning Ember Exposure.
- ASTM WK25760 - Guide for Quantification of Fire Exposures.
Source: ASTM International.