1. Rationale
In order to achieve a T-rating for a through-penetration firestop system that equals or comes close to equaling the F-rating, the firestop system in some cases will need to include some type of insulation to cover the penetrating item on one or both sides of the test specimen. Firestop systems that include insulation as part of the firestop system itself will have insulation for a limited and defined length on the fire side, or on the non-fire side, or on both. ASTM E814 has always stated that the penetrating item shall extend 12 inches into the furnace. The intent of that requirement is that the 12 inches provides a standardized length of penetrating item that would absorb heat from the furnace, and thus challenge the firestop system with a hot penetrating item. In the case of a firestop system that has some measured length (and type and thickness) of insulation or coating covering the penetrating item on the fire side of the test assembly, if the length of penetrating item on the fire side is maintained at only 12 inches, the test would no longer have the desired 12 inches of penetrating item exposed to the heat of the fire to allow the penetrating item to get heated, to represent the heat collected on the fire side by the long length of penetrating item in the real-world installation. Therefore, to maintain a standardized 12 inches of penetrating item exposed to the heat of the fire (heat of the furnace), the present ballot proposes to mandate that the penetrating item extend into the furnace for 12 inches beyond the point where the protection of the firestop system insulation stops.
Keywords
Fire testing--building materials; Hose stream test; Structural building materials/applications; Through-penetration fire stops;
Citing ASTM Standards
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