The aim of this European Standard is to define a harmonized procedure for the classification of reaction to fire of construction products. This classification is based on the test procedures listed in this manual. Fire reaction achieved by elements of structure and other forms of construction is classified in accordance with BS EN 13501-1, excluding power, control and communications (which are covered by BS EN 13501-6).Specifically, the following products are covered under BS EN 13501-1 (within their end use):
•Construction products
•Floorings
•Linear pipe thermal insulation products
BS EN 13501-1:2018 is not a testing standard, but it specifies which tests are to be conducted for which classification, and the required results for each class.
Classifications
EN 13501-1 divides building materials to 7 classes according to their reaction to fire:
•A1 –Non-combustible materials, do not contribute to the development of a fire
•A2 –Materials with limited combustibility, do not contribute to the development of a fire
•B –Combustible, limited contribution to fire
•C –Combustible, minor contribution to fire
•D –Combustible, contributesto fire
•E –Combustible, will only resist a small flame for a few seconds
•F –Materials that have not been classified or have not met minimum requirements of class E
Which tests are required for each class?
Conditioning (EN 13238:2010)
Each product tested must be conditioned prior to testing until it satisfies one of the following criteria:
•Constant mass –the samples are weighed every 24h. If the difference in mass after 2 consecutive weightings is less than 0.1% or 0.1g (whichever is greater) the samples are considered conditioned
EN ISO 1182:2020–Non-combustibility
Required for class: A1, A2
This test identifies products that will not, or not significantly, contribute to a fire, regardless of their end use.
This fire test has been developed to select construction products which produce a very limited amount of heat and flame when exposed to temperatures of approximately 750 °C.
The test specimen shall be taken from a sample which is sufficiently large to be representative of the product and shall be cylindrical with a volume of 76 ± 8 cm3and diameter of 45mm and a height of 50 ± 3mm.
For non-homogenous/layered product –each component or layer must be tested separately.
A minimum of 5 samples must be tested for classification.
After conditioning the samples must be dried in an oven at 60±5 °C for 20-24h.
Prior to testing each sample is weighed to an accuracy of 0.01g.
The samples are then inserted into a furnace that has been stabilised at 750±5 °C for a minimum period of 30 min. The following data is recorded:
•Temperature of the furnace
•Temperature of the specimen centre and surface
•Any sustained flaming (3s or longer)
The sample is then removed, allowed to cool, and weighed again.
The test report will show:
•Mass loss (%) of each sample
•Temperature rise of each sample
•Any sustained flaming
For classification purposes the result is the mean of 5 samples.
EN ISO 1716:2018–Heat of combustion (Calorific value)
Required for class: A1, A2
This test determines the potential maximum total heat release of a product when completely burned, regardless of its end use.
This method determines the absolute value of the heat of combustion for a product without accounting for inherent product variability.
The mass per unit area of each non-substantial component must be provided by the client or calculated in the lab.
A minimum of 50g from a homogenous product or substantial component and 10g from any non-substantial component is to be sampled, ground into a fine powder and conditioned.
After conditioning a 0.5g sample is selected and placed in a crucible inside the pressurised vessel (bomb), together with combustion aids if necessary (benzoic acid or paraffin oil). The bomb is then filled with 99.5% pure oxygen to a pressure of 30MPa. The bomb is inserted into the testing apparatus which fills with water and the sample is ignited. The test apparatus measures the rise in temperature of the water and calculates the calorific value of the sample, taking into account any combustion aids.
A total of 5 samples of each component are tested.
The report will show the calorific value of each component in MJ/kg, MJ/m2 for each non-substantial component, and the total calorific value of the product as a whole.
EN ISO 11925-2:2020–Single flame source (Small flame)
Required for class: B,C,D,E
This method specifies a test for determining the ignitability of products by direct small-flame impingement under zero impressed irradiance using vertically oriented test specimens.
The test specimens are cut from a sample which is representative of the product to be tested –it is tested as a whole assembly. When a substrate is used a specimen must be tested with a substrate representative of the end-use application.
The samples must be conditioned.
Each specimen is 250±2mm long and 90±2mm wide.
The samples are tested with 2-3 exposure conditions to a 20mm flame:
•Surface exposure – 40mm above bottom edge
•Edge exposure –at the bottom of the specimen
•Side exposure –at the bottom of the specimen on the side (under certain specimen conditions)
6 samples must be tested in each exposure–a total of 12-18 samples.
The flame is applied for 15 or 30s, depending on the classification sought.
The pass/fail criteria for classification is spread of flame to 150mm from the application of the burner flame.
EN 13823:2020 –Single Burning Item test (SBI)
Required for class: A2, B, C, D
This procedure specifies a method of test for determining the reaction to fire performance of construction products when exposed to thermal attack by a single burning item (SBI).
The test specimen consists of 2 vertical wings forming a right-angled corner. The dimensions of the wings are:
•The long wing: 1500mm high ×1000mm long
•The short wing:1500mm high × 495mm long
•The maximum thickness shall be no more than 200mm. If the product is thicker than 200mm, then thickness shall be reduced on the unexposed side.
The samples must be conditioned, a minimum of 3 samples must be tested.
The extraction is set to a volume flow of 0.6±0.05m3/s.
Each test specimen is then fixed in the trolley and is exposed to a flame from a burner placed at the bottom of the corner. The flame is obtained by combustion of propane gas and gives a heat output of 30.7±2kW.
The flame is applied for 20 minutes.
The test apparatus measures the following:
•Temperature of exhaust gases
•Volume flow in the exhaust
•Light attenuation (for measurement of smoke density)
•O2and CO2 mole fraction of the exhaust gases.
These quantities are recorded automatically and are used to calculate the Heat Release Rate (HRR) and Smoke Production Rate (SPR). A visual observation is also measured for flaming droplets and horizontal spread of flame.
HRR is used to calculate FIGRA (fire growth rate) at 0.2 and 0.4MJ, and SPR is used to calculate SMOGRA (smoke growth rate).
The test report will show:
•THR600s–total heat release over the first 600s
•FIGRA0.2MJ – fire growth rate at 0.2MJ
•FIGRA0.4MJ – fire growth rate at 0.4MJ
•LFS – lateral flame spread
•TSP600s – total smoke production over the first 600s
•SMOGRA –smoke growth rate
•Flaming droplets
Note that if the heat release rate had not achieved 0.2 or 0.4MJ, there will not be FIGRA0.2MJ or FIGRA0.4MJ.
Classification report
The classification report shall include:
•ID number and date of report
•Identification of the owner of the classification report
•Identification of the organisation issuing the report
•Details of nature of the product, including commercial names
•Details of the product itself
•Tests carried out-including the lab that performed the tests, the name of the sponsor and ID numbers of the reports, summary of the results
•Classification and field of application
What does the classification look like?
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