ASTM E119 Standard Test Method for Fire Testing of Building Construction and Materials

The ASTM E119 Test aims to evaluate the fire resistance state of structural element components, whether they maintain their structural integrity at certain temperatures, or the time it takes to exhibit both properties during a predetermined test exposure.

Due to fire and safety rules, there are a number of building materials, cables, furniture and other building products that must receive a fire resistance rating before they can be used or installed. ASTM E119 is one of the most useful materials tests regularly used by fire and flammability testing laboratories to obtain ratings for all these products.

EUROLAB is highly qualified to perform the ASTM E119 fire test to comprehensively assess the length of time certain test materials can passively contain fire while maintaining the integrity of their structural purpose.

Performing the test procedures in ASTM E 119 is the assessment of the "duration" of building materials and assemblies that may contain fire, maintain structural integrity, or both. Types of assemblies to be tested include load-bearing walls and partitions, columns, floors and roofs, beams and protective membranes. Special requirements must be met for these building products to produce a successful (valid) result. These conditions are called “admission conditions”. Admission requirements outline what makes a test successful. If these conditions are not met, the tested material or assembly will fail.

The fire resistance of building materials is determined and determined according to the standard time-temperature curve. In this temperature-controlled environment, building materials get their hourly scores. During testing, certain benchmark temperatures are reached within a controlled time. While the test cannot fully represent every environment in which a fire can occur, it serves as a relative measure of the fire resistance of test materials when exposed to standard fire conditions.

To perform the ASTM E119 test, a sample or pre-made portion of the test material is placed in the test furnace, as in the case of walls, partitions, flooring, ceilings, and roofing. Depending on the direction of the materials, vertical furnaces are used in walls, columns and partitions, and horizontal furnaces are used in floors, ceilings and roofs. 

The test exposes a test sample to a standard fire that is controlled to achieve certain temperatures for a specified period of time. Where necessary, a specific standard fire hose flow applied according to Practice E2226 is applied following fire exposure. The test provides a relative measure of the fire test response of similar structural members under these fire exposure conditions. Exposure is not representative of all fire conditions because conditions vary with the amount, nature and distribution of fire load, ventilation, compartment size and configuration, and changes in compartment heat sink properties. Differences from test conditions or test specimen structure such as size, materials, mounting method also affect fire test response. For these reasons, variation in on-site construction practice needs to be evaluated.

Building materials and assemblies can be subjected to two types of tests, fire resistance testing and hose flow testing. Depending on the type of mounting being tested (floor, wall, column, etc.), there may be a requirement for a load to be applied. To pass successfully, the assembly or material must support the load for as long as it is exposed to the fire. The hose flow test is done to measure the "impact, erosion and cooling effects" of a hose flow on the heated surface of the test material. The types and duration of testing required will depend on the acceptance conditions of the material being tested.

EUROLAB, together with its accredited laboratories and expert team with state-of-the-art technology, helps you get precise and fast results within the scope of ASTM E119 test.