ASTM E2574/E2574M-11

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An American National Standard
Designation:E2574/E2574M–11
Standard Test Method for
Fire Testing of School Bus Seat Assemblies
ThisstandardisissuedunderthefixeddesignationE2574/E2574M;thenumberimmediatelyfollowingthedesignationindicatestheyear
of original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval.
A superscript epsilon (´) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
1. Scope 2. Referenced Documents
1.1 This is a fire-test-response standard. 2.1 ASTM Standards:
1.2 This test method assesses the burning behavior of D5132 Test Method for Horizontal Burning Rate of Poly-
upholstered seating used in school buses by measuring specific mericMaterialsUsedinOccupantCompartmentsofMotor
fire-test responses when a school bus seat specimen is sub- Vehicles
jected to a specified flaming ignition source under normally E176 Terminology of Fire Standards
ventilated conditions. E1537 Test Method for Fire Testing of Upholstered Furni-
1.3 The ignition source is a gas burner. ture
1.4 This fire test is primarily useful to distinguish products E1590 Test Method for Fire Testing of Mattresses
that, when exposed to an ignition source, will become fully E2061 Guide for Fire HazardAssessment of Rail Transpor-
involved in fire from other products that will not. tation Vehicles
1.5 Dataareobtaineddescribingtheburningbehaviorofthe E2067 Practice for Full-Scale Oxygen Consumption Calo-
seat assemblies from a specific ignition source until all burning rimetry Fire Tests
has ceased. E2257 Test Method for Room Fire Test of Wall and Ceiling
1.6 This test method does not provide information on the Materials and Assemblies
fire performance of upholstered seating in fire conditions other F1550 Test Method for Determination of Fire-Test-
than those conditions specified. Response Characteristics of Components or Composites of
1.7 The burning behavior is visually documented by photo- Mattresses or Furniture for Use in Correctional Facilities
graphic or video recordings, whenever possible. after Exposure to Vandalism, by Employing a Bench Scale
1.8 The values stated in either SI units or inch-pound units Oxygen Consumption Calorimeter
are to be regarded separately as standard. The values stated in IEEE/ASTM SI 10 American National Standard for Metric
each system may not be exact equivalents; therefore, each Practice
system shall be used independently of the other. Combining 2.2 National Safety Council Standard:
values from the two systems may result in non-conformance School bus seat upholstery fire block test, approved by the
with the standard. National Conference on School Transportation as part of
1.9 This standard is used to measure and describe the the National Standards for School Buses and National
response of materials, products, or assemblies to heat and Standards for School Bus Operations
flame under controlled conditions, but does not by itself 2.3 Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards:
incorporate all factors required for fire hazard or fire risk FMVSS 222 School Bus Passenger Seating and Crash
assessment of the materials, products or assemblies under Protection, U.S. Code of Federal Regulations, Title 49,
actual fire conditions. Transportation,SubtitleB,ChapterV,Part571,SubpartB.
1.10 Fire testing is inherently hazardous. Adequate safe- FMVSS 302 Flammability of Interior Material, U.S. Code
guards for personnel and property shall be employed in of Federal Regulations, Title 49, Transportation, Subtitle
conducting these tests. B, Chapter V, Part 571, Subpart B
1.11 This standard does not purport to address all of the 2.4 NFPA Standard:
safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the
responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro-
For referenced ASTM standards, visit the ASTM website, www.astm.org, or
priate safety and health practices and determine the applica-
contact ASTM Customer Service at service@astm.org. For Annual Book of ASTM
bility of regulatory limitations prior to use.
Standards volume information, refer to the standard’s Document Summary page on
the ASTM website.
Available from National Safety Council (NSC), 1121 Spring Lake Dr., Itasca,
This test method is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee E05 on Fire IL 60143-3201, http://www.nsc.org.
Standards and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee E05.17 on Transporta- Available from Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing
tion. Office, Washington, DC 20402.
Current edition approved Dec. 15, 2011. Published January 2012. DOI: 10.1520/ Available from National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), 1 Batterymarch
E2574_E2574M-11. Park, Quincy, MA 02169-7471, http://www.nfpa.org.
Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959, United States.
E2574/E2574M–11
NFPA286 Standard Method of Tests for Evaluating Contri- 5.6 It is clear that those seat assemblies that exhibit little or
bution of Wall and Ceiling Interior Finish to Room Fire no flame spread, short times to flame extinction and little mass
Growth loss in this test are likely to exhibit improved performance in
an actual fire situation compared to seat assemblies that burn
3. Terminology
vigorously and have high mass loss.
3.1 For definitions of terms used in this test method asso-
5.7 This test is primarily useful to distinguish products that,
ciated with fire issues, refer to the terminology contained in when exposed to these fire conditions, will become fully
Terminology E176.
involved in fire from other products that will not.
3.2 Definitions:
6. Apparatus: Test Chamber
3.2.1 screening test, n—as related to fire,afire-responsetest
performed to determine whether a material, product, or assem-
6.1 General—The test chamber shall be either an actual
bly (a) exhibits any unusual fire-related characteristics, (b) has
section of a school bus or it shall comply with the cross section
certain expected fire-related characteristics, or (c) is capable of
requirements of 6.2.2. Fig. 1 describes the test chamber.
being preliminarily categorized according to the fire character-
6.2 Cross Section:
istic in question.
6.2.1 Use a test chamber that has the same cross section as
3.3 Definitions of Terms Specific to This Standard:
the body of an actual school bus, in which the seats are
3.3.1 newspaper, n—as related to this test method, standard
intended to be used, with a rear section on each end.
size double sheets of newsprint, with black print and no
6.2.2 Thetestchambercrosssectionshallbe2300 630mm
colored ink or surface treatment.
[91 6 1 in.] in width by 1900 6 80 mm [75 6 3 in.] in height.
3.3.2 paper bag, n—as related to this test method, a bag
6.3 The test chamber shall have a door, which is not
constructed of unbleached (brown, #30) kraft paper having
intended for use to provide ventilation, in the center of each
four sides and a bottom, with an open top, and held together
end of the test chamber. The door shall be 970 6 80 mm [38
with adhesive.
6 3 in.] in width by 1270 6 80 mm [53 6 3 in.] in height and
it shall include a latch to keep the door closed during the test.
4. Summary of Test Method
See Fig. 1.
4.1 A mock-up of a school bus is constructed with three
6.4 Length—The length of the test chamber shall be such as
rows of actual seats.
to allow three rows of seats at the minimum spacing recom-
4.2 A gas burner ignition source is used.
mendedbytheinstallerorasrequiredbyFMVSS 222.SeeFig.
4.3 Each test consists of two trials. In each trial a gas burner
1, Detail A.
ignition source is placed at a specified location to ignite the
6.4.1 In order for different types of seats to be able to be
middle row of seats and is ignited.
testedinthesamechamber,alengthtoleranceofplus1140mm
4.4 Adifferent gas burner is used for the top of the seat and
[45 in.] shall be allowed.
for the bottom of the seat.
6.5 Ventilation—There shall be two ventilation openings in
4.5 Once flame extinction has occurred, the time to flame
the test chamber, one at each end. Each opening shall have an
2 2
extinction, the extent of fire spread (within the seat and to the
opening area of 0.210 6 0.016 m [325 6 25 in. ]. The bottom
other seats if applicable) and the mass loss of the seat are
of the opening shall be 760 6 80 mm [30 6 3 in.] above the
assessed.
chamber floor.
6.5.1 There shall be no ventilation openings along the
5. Significance and Use
length of the test chamber.
5.1 In this test method fire test response characteristics of a
6.5.2 Thereshallbenoforcedairventilationsystem.Baffles
school bus seat assembly are assessed following ignition by a
shall be used to prevent wind from blowing directly into the
square gas burner.
ventilation openings.
5.2 This test method is similar in concept to a fire test
6.6 Camera View Area—A viewing area (such as an open-
currently used, and which has been in such use for many years,
ing covered with a glazing material) shall be provided at the
as the industry standard for flammability testing of school bus
midpoint of the chamber length for camera viewing. The
seats (see Appendix X1). However, in this test method the
opening shall allow the camera to view the seat parallel to the
paper bag has been replaced by a gas burner as the ignition
seat width. See Fig. 1.
source.
5.3 The US federal government has issued a flammability 7. Ignition Sources
test applicable to interior materials in road vehicles, FM-
7.1 Top of the Seat:
VSS 302. FMVSS 302 remains the only regulatory test for
7.1.1 For the top of the seat use the square gas burner
assessing fire-test-response characteristics of school bus seats.
described in Fig. 2, Fig. 3 and Fig. 4.
5.4 ASTM has issued Test Method D5132 in order to
NOTE 1—This is the same burner used in Test Method E1537.
provide a more standardized way of conducting FMVSS 302.
5.5 The test method described in this document provides a 7.1.2 Construct the 250 6 10 by 250 6 10 mm [approxi-
significantly higher challenge to school bus seats than the mately 10 by 10 in.] square burner of 13 6 1 mm [0.5 in.]
FMVSS 302 federal regulatory test.Therefore, any seat assem- outside diameter stainless steel tubing, with 0.89 6 0.05 mm
bly that performs acceptably in this test is likely to meet the [0.035 in.] wall thickness (see Fig. 2).The front side shall have
requirements of FMVSS 302. 14 holes pointing straight out and spaced 13 6 1 mm [0.5 in.]
E2574/E2574M–11
FIG. 1 Test Chamber
apart and nine holes pointing straight down and spaced 13 6 1 7.2.2 The top surface of the burner through which the gas is
mm [0.5 in.] apart. The right and left sides shall have six holes appliedshallbelocatedhorizontally300 650mm[12 62in.]
pointing straight out and spaced 13 6 1 mm [0.5 in.] apart and above the floor.
four holes pointing inward at a 45° angle and spaced 50 6 2 7.3 Forbothignitionsourcesusepropanegas,withaknown
mm [2 in.] apart.All holes shall be of 1 6 0.05 mm [0.039 in.] net heat of combustion of 2050 6 50 kJ/mol, as a fuel for this
diameter (see Fig. 2, Fig. 3 and Fig. 4). The straight arm of the ignition source. Meter the flow rate of propane and keep it
burner shall be 1.07 6 0.05 m [42 in.] long and welded on to constant throughout the test.
the rear of the front side (see Fig. 2) at a 30° angle. Mount the 7.4 For both ignition sources, use the gas burner at a flow
burneronanadjustableheightpoleataheightof460 613mm rate of 19.5 6 0.25 L/min for a total of 120 s. Measure the gas
[18 6 0.5 in.] and balance it by a counterweight or other flow rate at a pressure of 101 6 5 kPa (standard atmospheric
appropriate mechanism (see Fig. 4). pressure,measuredattheflowgage)andatemperatureof20 6
5°C.
NOTE 2—Warning—It is common for the burner holes to become
clogged up following a test. Inspect burner holes after each test, and clean
8. Mass Measurements
thoroughly, if required. Take care not to enlarge the holes when cleaning
8.1 Use a balance that is capable of assessing the mass of
them.
the test specimen and of the individual test specimen compo-
7.2 Under the Seat:
nents with a precision of 615 g.
7.2.1 Foruseunderneaththeseattheignitionsourceshallbe
8.2 Calibrate the balance regularly to ensure its accuracy.
a gas burner with a nominal 305 by 305 mm [nominal 12 by 12
in.] porous top surface as shown in Fig. 5. This material,
9. Test Specimens
throughwhichthegasissupplied,shallbeaminimum102mm
9.1 The test specimen shall be a fully-assembled seat.
[4 in.] layer of white Ottawa sand used to provide the
9.2 Measure the weight of all padding and upholstery prior
horizontal surface through which the gas is supplied.
to assembly.
9.3 Measure the weight of the non-combustible components
NOTE 3—This is the same burner used in Test Method E2257 and in
NFPA 286. of the seat (steel frame, etc.). Record this weight.
E2574/E2574M–11
FIG. 4 Cross-sectional View of Each Side of Square Gas Burner
NOTE 1—All tubing 13 mm outside diameter, stainless steel, 0.89 mm
wall thickness.
NOTE 2—All holes 1 mm in diameter.
NOTE 3—All units are mm unless otherwise noted.
FIG. 5 Ignition Burner for Use Under Seat
NOTE 4—See text for tolerances.
FIG. 2 Plan View of Square Gas Burner
11. Conditioning
11.1 Condition specimens to equilibrium (constant weight)
at an ambient temperature of 23 6 3°C [73 6 5°F] and a
relative humidity of 50 6 5 % for a period of 24 h prior to the
test.
12. Procedure
12.1 Install three rows of seats in the test chamber. The
spacing between seat rows shall be the minimum spacing
recommended by the installer or the spacing required by
FMVSS 222. The exact spacing between rows shall be re-
ported.
FIG. 3 Side View of Square Gas Burner
12.2 Seats shall be perpendicular to the dimension indicated
9.4 Recordtheweightofthefully-assembledseat.Thisshall
as “length” in Fig. 1.
be done in one of two ways: (a) weighing the complete seat
12.3 Install seats so that seat frames will not fall during the
assembly or (b) weighing each component separately and
test.
calculating the total weight by summing the weight of each of
12.4 Seat width shall be determined so that a maximum
the combustible and non-combustible components.
passenger capacity per row (2 seats) for the seat style is tested.
10. Preparation of Apparatus
12.5 A complete test shall consist of two trials.
10.1 Prior to running each trial, ensure that the test chamber 12.6 The first trial shall consist of the application of the
is clean and free of debris. ignition source in 7.1 at the ignition position on top of the seat
E2574/E2574M–11
assembly. After each trial, the test chamber shall be evacuated 12.13 A
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