Fire Retardant Fiberglass Fabric: Understanding Varied Fire Standards Across Countries and Regions

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In the world of construction, industrial applications, and numerous other fields, fire retardant fiberglass fabric is of vital importance in enhancing fire safety. However, different countries and regions have established their own unique fire standards to assess and classify the fire performance of such fabrics. Comprehending these variations is essential for manufacturers, suppliers, and end-users alike.

fire standards
Country/RegionStandardApplicable ObjectsGrade Classification and Definition Methods
United StatesASTM E84 (Tunnel Test)Building materials (including fire retardant fiberglass fabric)Class A: Flame spread index is in the range of 0 – 25, indicating excellent resistance to flame spread;
Class B: Flame spread index is between 26 – 75, with a moderate degree of flame spread;
Class C: Flame spread index is relatively higher but still within an acceptable range for certain applications. Meanwhile, the smoke generation is also considered to comprehensively evaluate the fire performance of materials.
United StatesUL 94Plastic materials and related fiberglass composites, etc.V-0: When tested vertically, it extinguishes quickly after the flame source is removed, with minimal dripping and very limited burning;
V-1: Slightly less stringent than V – 0, with a bit longer burning time and perhaps some minor dripping;
V-2: More lenient compared to V – 0 and V – 1, but still shows a certain level of fire resistance.
United StatesNFPA 701Textiles, film materials (such as fire retardant fiberglass fabric used for curtains, etc.)The fabric is exposed to a specific flame source for a certain period. If it does not continue to burn for a certain amount of time after the flame is removed and meets other criteria such as limited charring and no significant flame spread, it is judged to pass the test and is considered suitable for the intended applications with the corresponding fire safety level.
European UnionEN 13501 – 1Building materials (including fire retardant fiberglass fabric)A1: Under normal fire conditions, the heat release is extremely low and there is no contribution to fire spread, belonging to non-combustible materials;
A2: It has a relatively high fire resistance, but there may be a small amount of heat release during combustion;
B, C, D, E: The grades are divided based on the increasing levels of flame spread, heat release and other fire-related characteristics. There are also additional classifications for smoke density (S1, S2, S3) and burning droplets (D0, D1, D2) to further refine the evaluation of the fabric’s performance in fire situations.
European UnionEN ISO 1716Building products (such as fire retardant fiberglass fabric)By determining the calorific value of combustion, the lower the heat released during burning, the more likely the fabric will be classified into a higher fire resistance grade under the overall EU fire performance assessment framework.
United KingdomBS 476 – 4Building materials (including fire retardant fiberglass fabric)Samples of the fabric are placed into a furnace maintained at 750°C for 20 minutes. If the temperature rise of the sample does not exceed 50°C and the continuous burning time is no more than 10 seconds during this period, it is considered non-combustible.
United KingdomBS 476 – 7Building materials (including fire retardant fiberglass fabric)The fabric sample is exposed to a defined flame source in a specific test setup. Based on the extent of how the flame spreads across the surface of the fabric, it is categorized into different grades. A lower flame spread extent would result in a higher grade, indicating better resistance to surface flame spread.
JapanJIS A 1321Building materials (including fire retardant fiberglass fabric)Using the furnace heating method, if during the test in the heated furnace environment set at a specific temperature, the fabric has no significant temperature rise beyond a certain limit, no visible signs of continuous combustion and minimal mass loss, it is judged as non-combustible material and meets the highest fire performance requirements under this standard.
JapanJIS A 1323Building materials (including fire retardant fiberglass fabric)Through conducting relevant tests on the difficult-flammability of materials, observe the burning behavior of the fabric such as the duration of burning, the extent of flame spread and other aspects. Based on these factors, it is judged whether the fabric meets the requirements of difficult-flammability and to what degree it is difficult to burn, thus determining its performance grade in terms of difficult-flammability.
ChinaGB 8624Building materials and products (including fire retardant fiberglass fabric)A (Non-combustible materials): Through relevant combustion tests, for example, in the oxygen index test, it requires an extremely high concentration of oxygen to maintain combustion, and shows no burning or extremely difficult to burn in vertical and horizontal burning tests;
B1 (Difficult-to-burn materials): Compared with Class A, the oxygen concentration required to maintain combustion in the oxygen index test is slightly lower, and there is certain burning situation in vertical and horizontal burning tests but it can self-extinguish;
B2 (Combustible materials): It has obvious combustible characteristics and can burn under certain conditions;
B3 (Flammable materials): It is flammable and can be easily ignited and burns rapidly. The grade is comprehensively determined by the test results of oxygen index, vertical burning and horizontal burning.

Fire Standards for Fire Retardant Fiberglass Fabric in the United States

ASTM E84 – Tunnel Test for Flame Spread and Smoke Evaluation

This widely used standard, also known as the “Tunnel Test,” measures the flame spread and smoke development of materials. For fire retardant fiberglass fabric, it determines a flame spread index. Materials are classified into different classes based on the index values. For example, Class A materials have a very low flame spread index, typically in the range of 0 – 25, indicating excellent resistance to flame spread. Class B materials have a moderately low index, usually between 26 – 75, while Class C materials have a relatively higher index but still within an acceptable range for certain applications. Smoke development is also measured simultaneously, and the combination of flame spread and smoke data helps in a comprehensive evaluation of the fabric’s fire performance.

UL 94 – Classification Based on Vertical and Horizontal Burning Behavior

Primarily focused on plastic materials but relevant for fiberglass composites or those with relevant applications. It classifies materials based on their vertical or horizontal burning behavior. For instance, a V-0 rating indicates that the fiberglass fabric or its composite, when tested vertically, extinguishes quickly after the flame source is removed, with minimal dripping and very limited burning. A V-1 rating is slightly less stringent, allowing for a bit more burning time and perhaps some minor dripping, while a V-2 rating has a more lenient set of criteria compared to V-0 and V-1 but still shows some level of fire resistance.

NFPA 701 – Testing Fire Performance for Textile and Film Applications

Designed for testing the fire performance of textiles and films. For fire retardant fiberglass fabric used in applications like curtains or drapes, it exposes the fabric to a specific flame source for a set period. If the fabric does not continue to burn for a certain amount of time after the flame is removed and meets other criteria such as limited charring and lack of significant flame spread, it passes the test and is considered suitable for use in the intended applications with the corresponding fire safety level.

Fire Standards for Fire Retardant Fiberglass Fabric in the European Union

EN 13501-1 – Comprehensive Fire Grading for Building Materials

This standard divides the fire performance of building materials, including fire retardant fiberglass fabric, into several grades: A1, A2, B, C, D, E, and F. The classification is based on multiple factors. For example, A1 materials are those that have extremely low heat release and no contribution to fire spread under normal fire conditions. They are considered non-combustible. A2 materials also have high fire resistance but may have a very small amount of heat release during combustion. The B, C, D, and E grades are assigned based on increasing levels of flame spread, heat release, and other fire-related characteristics. Additionally, there are sub-classifications for smoke density (S1, S2, S3) and burning droplets (D0, D1, D2) to further refine the evaluation of the fabric’s performance in a fire situation.

EN ISO 1716 – Calorific Value Determination for Fire Classification

This standard focuses on determining the calorific value of combustion of building products. For fire retardant fiberglass fabric, a lower calorific value indicates that less heat is released during burning, which is a key factor in its fire classification. Fabrics with very low calorific values are more likely to be classified in the higher fire resistance grades under the overall EU fire performance assessment framework.

Fire Standards for Fire Retardant Fiberglass Fabric in Japan

JIS A 1321 – Furnace Heating Method for Non-Combustibility Testing

Utilizing the furnace heating method, it tests the non-combustibility of materials. For fire retardant fiberglass fabric, if the fabric shows no significant temperature rise beyond a certain limit (usually a small increase), no visible signs of continuous combustion, and minimal mass loss during the test in the heated furnace environment set at specific temperatures, it is considered non-combustible and meets the highest level of fire performance requirements according to this standard.

JIS A 1323 – Evaluating Difficult-Flammability of Building Materials

JIS A 1323 is used to test the difficult-flammability of building materials including fire retardant fiberglass fabric. The test methods include exposing the fabric to a specific flame source under certain conditions. The assessment of the fabric’s difficult-flammability performance is based on multiple aspects, such as the ignition time, which is the time it takes for the fabric to ignite after being exposed to the flame source. A longer ignition time indicates better difficult-flammability. The duration of burning is also a key factor. If the fabric burns for a relatively short time and extinguishes quickly after the flame source is removed, it shows good difficult-flammability. Additionally, the extent of flame spread is observed. Limited flame spread, meaning the flame does not spread widely or rapidly on the fabric surface, is another indication of good difficult-flammability performance. Based on these comprehensive factors, the fabric is judged whether it meets the requirements of difficult-flammability and to what degree it is difficult to burn, thus determining its performance grade in terms of difficult-flammability.

Fire Standards for Fire Retardant Fiberglass Fabric in the United Kingdom

BS 476-4 – Test for Non-Combustibility of Materials

This standard is applied to test the non-combustibility of materials like fire retardant fiberglass fabric. In the test, samples of the fabric are placed into a furnace maintained at 750°C for 20 minutes. The fabric is then judged based on specific criteria. If the temperature rise of the sample does not exceed 50°C and the continuous burning time is no more than 10 seconds during this period, it is considered non-combustible. This provides a clear indication of the fabric’s ability to resist combustion under these specific test conditions and helps in classifying its fire performance level within the framework of British standards.

BS 476-7 – Test for Determining Surface Flame Spread Grade

For fire retardant fiberglass fabric, this standard is used to assess the surface flame spread characteristics. The fabric sample is exposed to a defined flame source in a specific test setup. Based on the extent of how the flame spreads across the surface of the fabric, it is categorized into different grades. For example, a lower flame spread extent would result in a higher grade, indicating better resistance to surface flame spread and thus a superior fire performance in terms of this particular aspect. The grades assigned under this standard play a crucial role in determining the suitability of the fabric for various applications where surface flame spread is a critical factor to consider.

Fire Standards for Fire Retardant Fiberglass Fabric in China

GB 8624 – Classification of Fire Performance for Building Materials

Here, fire retardant fiberglass fabric is categorized into four grades: A (non-combustible materials), B1 (difficult-to-burn materials), B2 (combustible materials), and B3 (flammable materials). Tests such as the oxygen index test, vertical burning test, and horizontal burning test are conducted. In the oxygen index test, a higher oxygen index value means the fabric requires a higher concentration of oxygen in the surrounding environment to sustain combustion, indicating better fire retardancy. For the vertical and horizontal burning tests, the behavior of the fabric during and after exposure to a flame source, like the burning time, flame spread distance, and whether there is self-extinguishing, determines which grade it belongs to.

Conclusion

The diverse fire standards across countries and regions for fire retardant fiberglass fabric reflect the different priorities and requirements in various contexts. Manufacturers need to be aware of these standards to ensure their products meet the specific expectations of different markets. End-users, on the other hand, can make informed decisions when selecting the appropriate fiberglass fabric based on the fire safety needs of their projects. Keeping abreast of these evolving standards is crucial for maintaining high levels of fire safety in different applications around the world.

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