Because This Different Interpretation It Is Possible That

DRAFT EGOLF POSITION PAPER EGP xx:2014

related test method testing to CEN/TS 1187 tm1

subject Burnt length of EPS insulation in a test specimen according to CEN/TS 1187, test method 1 reference of original query Meeting TC1 Minsk 2014-10-14

EGP for attention of CEN? Yes  No 

if yes, please state TC/WG/TG

action completed (add name and date)

Problem:

From the report of the EGOLF CEN/TS 1187:2012 ROUND ROBIN 2013 and the subsequent organized further investigation it appears that there are different opinions regarding the definition of burnt length and the definition of pyrolysis, regarding EPS used as insulation material. Some of the participants see the destroyed EPS insulation as burnt material and some of the participants see the destroyed EPS insulation as damaged material. Because this different interpretation it is possible that - laboratory X will says the results comply with the requirements mentioned in the EN 13501-5 - laboratory Y will say the results does not comply with the requirements mentioned in the EN 13501-5.

The discussion concerning burnt and/or damaged material go back years. The problem is that the interpretation of the burnt and/or damage length has to performed after the test is finished. During the test it is not possible to see the behavior of the EPS because it is covered with a roof waterproofing sheet.

According to CEN/TS 1187 (and EN 13501) burnt material is material that has been destroyed by combustion or pyrolysis

The relevant classification criteria according NEN-EN 13501-5+A1 for test 1 is as follows: - maximum burned length external and internal < 0,800 m

EGOLF Secretary General, Laval Consulting, La Chavade, Quartier Laval, 07230 Planzolles, France [email protected] Tel: + 33 (0)4 75391018

CEN/TS 1187:2012 gives the following definitions regarding burnt and/or damaged material:

3.17 internal damage Extent of damaged material in each layer inside the specimen, measured from the edges of the projection of the ignition source in the upwards and downwards directions with respect to the pitch of the roof

3.3.1 damaged material including melting Material that has been burnt, charred, melted or otherwise visually changed by heat Note Discolouration and soot deposits should not be regarded as damage. Areas of the roof covering surface in which combustion has not occurred should not be regarded as damaged (e.g. areas which have only become shiny or only have tiny occasional holes or bubbles).

3.3.2 damaged material not including melting Material that has been burnt or otherwise visually changed by heat, excluding melting Note Discolouration and soot deposits should not be regarded as damage. Areas of the roof covering which have only become shiny or only have tiny occasional holes or bubbles should not be regarded as damaged.

3.18 fire spread within the roof internal fire spread Maximum burnt length measured from the upper edge of the projection of the ignition source in the upward direction and from the lower edge in the downward direction of each layer for sloped roofs, and in any direction for horizontal roofs

3.4 burnt material Material that has been destroyed by combustion or pyrolysis

The EN-ISO 13943:2000 - Fire safety - Vocabulary (ISO 13943:2008) gives the following definitions regarding burnt length:

4.31 burned length maximum extent in a specified direction of the burned area (4.30)

4.30 burned area that part of the damaged area (4.59) of a material that has been destroyed by combustion (4.46) or pyrolysis (4.266), under specified conditions Note: The typical units are square metres (m2).

4.46 Combustion exothermic reaction of a substance with an oxidizing agent (4.246) Note: Combustion generally emits fire effluent (4.105) accompanied by flames (4.133) and/or glowing (4.168).

4.266 pyrolysis chemical decomposition of a substance by the action of heat Note 1: Pyrolysis is often used to refer to a stage of fire (4.96) before flaming combustion (4.148) has begun. Note 2: In fire science, no assumption is made about the presence or absence of oxygen.4.28 burn, intransitive verb undergo combustion (4.46)

4.96 fire process of combustion (4.46) characterized by the emission of heat and fire effluent (4.105) and usually accompanied by smoke (4.293), flame (4.133), glowing (4.168) or a combination thereof Note: In the English language the term “fire” is used to designate three concepts, two of which, fire (4.97) and fire (4.98), relate to specific types of self-supporting combustion with different meanings and two of them are designated using two different terms in both French and German. The image which often becomes visible after disassembling the test specimen is as follows

The destroyed EPS as shown in the photos above must interpreted as burnt or damaged. Until know we (EGOLF) could not agree if this is burnt or damaged.

Test 1 according CEN/TS 1187 is the only test method which has internal fire spread as a classification criteria according EN 13501-5. Test 2, test 3 and test 4 are talking about damaged length, external fire spread or extend of flame spread.

Solution:

Changing the classification criteria according 13501-5 from

- external and internal fire spread upwards < 0,700 m; - external and internal fire spread downwards < 0,600 m; - maximum burned length external and internal < 0,800 m; - no burning material (droplets or debris) falling from exposed side; - no burning/glowing particles penetrating the roof construction; - no single through opening > 25 mm²; - sum of all through openings < 4500 mm²; - lateral fire spread does not reach the edges of the measuring zone; - no internal glowing combustion; - maximum radius of fire spread on ‘horizontal’ roofs, external and internal < 0,200 m. into the following

- external fire spread upwards < 0,700 m; - external fire spread downwards < 0,600 m; - maximum burned length external < 0,800 m; - internal damage length upwards < 0,700 m; - internal damage length downwards < 0,600 m; - maximum damaged length internal < 0,800 m; - no burning material (droplets or debris) falling from exposed side; - no burning/glowing particles penetrating the roof construction; - no single through opening > 25 mm²; - sum of all through openings < 4500 mm²; - lateral fire spread does not reach the edges of the measuring zone; - no internal glowing combustion; - maximum radius of fire spread on ‘horizontal’ roofs, external and internal < 0,200 m.