ISO 14696:2009

INTERNATIONAL ISO
STANDARD 14696
First edition
2009-05-01
Reaction-to-fire tests — Determination of
fire and thermal parameters of materials,
products and assemblies using an
intermediate-scale calorimeter (ICAL)
Essais de réaction au feu — Détermination, à l'aide d'un calorimètre à
échelle intermédiaire (ICAL), des paramètres thermiques et relatifs au
feu des matériaux, produits et ouvrages

Reference number
©
ISO 2009
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©  ISO 2009
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ii © ISO 2009 – All rights reserved

Contents Page
Foreword. v
1 Scope . 1
2 Normative references . 1
3 Terms, definitions, symbols and units . 2
3.1 Terms and definitions. 2
3.2 Symbols and units. 3
4 Principle. 5
5 Apparatus . 5
5.1 General. 5
5.2 Radiant panel . 5
5.3 Radiant panel constant irradiance controller .6
5.4 Specimen holder assembly components. 7
5.5 Other major components . 7
6 Significance and use . 10
7 Test specimens . 11
7.1 Size and preparation. 11
7.2 Conditioning. 11
8 Calibration of apparatus . 11
8.1 General. 11
8.2 Heat flux uniformity . 11
8.3 Heat flux/distance relationship. 11
8.4 Heat release. 12
8.5 Mass loss. 13
8.6 Smoke obscuration. 13
8.7 Gas analysis . 13
8.8 Heat flux meter . 13
9 Test methods. 14
9.1 Preparation . 14
9.2 Procedure . 14
10 Calculations. 15
11 Test report . 15
11.1 Descriptive information. 15
11.2 Table of numerical results . 16
11.3 Graphical results. 16
11.4 Descriptive results. 16
12 Test limitations. 17
13 Hazards . 17
14 Precision and bias . 17
Annex A (normative) Design of exhaust system . 40
Annex B (normative) Instrumentation in exhaust duct . 41
Annex C (informative) Considerations for heat release measurements. 44
Annex D (normative) Measurement equations. 48
Annex E (informative) Commentary. 51
Annex F (informative) Measurement and determination of other parameters and values needed in
computer fire models. 53
Annex G (informative) Determination of the precision and bias of the test method. 56
Bibliography . 58

iv © ISO 2009 – All rights reserved

Foreword
ISO (the International Organization for Standardization) is a worldwide federation of national standards bodies
(ISO member bodies). The work of preparing International Standards is normally carried out through ISO
technical committees. Each member body interested in a subject for which a technical committee has been
established has the right to be represented on that committee. International organizations, governmental and
non-governmental, in liaison with ISO, also take part in the work. ISO collaborates closely with the
International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) on all matters of electrotechnical standardization.
International Standards are drafted in accordance with the rules given in the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2.
The main task of technical committees is to prepare International Standards. Draft International Standards
adopted by the technical committees are circulated to the member bodies for voting. Publication as an
International Standard requires approval by at least 75 % of the member bodies casting a vote.
Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be the subject of patent
rights. ISO shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.
ISO 14696 was prepared by Technical Committee ISO/TC 92, Fire safety, Subcommittee SC 1, Fire initiation
and growth.
This first edition cancels and replaces ISO/TR 14696:1999, which has been technically revised.
INTERNATIONAL STANDARD ISO 14696:2009(E)

Reaction-to-fire tests — Determination of fire and thermal
parameters of materials, products and assemblies using an
intermediate-scale calorimeter (ICAL)
1 Scope
This International Standard provides a method for measuring the response of materials, products and
assemblies exposed in vertical orientation to controlled levels of radiant heating with a piloted ignition source.
This test method is used to determine the ignitability, heat release rates, mass loss rates and visible smoke
development of materials, products and assemblies under well-ventilated conditions.
The heat release rate is ascertained by measurement of the oxygen consumption as determined by the
oxygen concentration and flow in the exhaust product stream as specified in 5.5.8. Smoke development is
quantified by measuring the obscuration of light by the combustion product stream.
2 2
Specimens are exposed to heating fluxes ranging from 0 kW/m to 50 kW/m . Hot wires are used as the
ignition source.
This test method has been developed for material, product or assembly evaluations, mathematical modelling
and design purposes. The specimen shall be tested in thicknesses and configurations representative of actual
end product or system uses.
[13]
The test method in this International Standard is based on the apparatus described in ASTM E1623 .
2 Normative references
The following referenced documents are indispensable for the application of this document. For dated
references, only the edition cited applies. For undated references, the latest edition of the referenced
document (including any amendments) applies.
ISO 9705, Fire tests — Full-scale room test for surface products
ISO 13943: 2000, Fire safety — Vocabulary
ISO 14934-3, Fire tests — Calibration and use of heat flux meters — Part 3: Secondary calibration method
ISO 24473, Fire tests — Open calorimetry — Measurement of the rate of production of heat and combustion
products for fires of up to 40 MW
3 Terms, definitions, symbols and units
3.1 Terms and definitions
For the purposes of this document, the definitions given in ISO 13943 and the following apply.
3.1.1
composite
combination of materials which are generally recognized in building construction as discrete entities
EXAMPLE Coated or laminated materials.
3.1.2
flashing
existence of flame on or over the surface of the specimen for periods of less than 1 s
3.1.3
heating flux
incident flux imposed externally from the heater on the specimen at the initiation of the test
3.1.4
heat release rate
heat evolved from the specimen, per unit of time
3.1.5
ignition
onset of sustained flaming as defined in 3.1.13
3.1.6
irradiance
〈at a point on a surface〉 the density of radiant flux incident on a surface
3.1.7
material
single substance or uniformly dispersed mixture, for example metal, stone, timber, concrete, mineral fibre,
polymers
3.1.8
orientation
plane in which the exposed face of the specimen is located during testing, either vertical or horizontal, facing
up
NOTE The orientation of the specimen in this International Standard is vertical and there are no provisions for testing
horizontal specimens.
3.1.9
oxygen consumption principle
proportional relationship between the mass of oxygen consumed during combustion and the heat released
3.1.10
product
material, composite or assembly, about which information developed by this test method is required
3.1.11
specimen
representative piece of the product which is to be tested together with any substrate or treatment
2 © ISO 2009 – All rights reserved

3.1.12
smoke obscuration
reduction of light transmission by smoke, as measured by light attenuation
3.1.13
sustained flaming
existence of flame on or over most of the spec
...