NFPA 285

STANDARD FIRE TEST METHOD FOR EVALUATION OF FIRE PROPAGATION CHARACTERISTICS OF EXTERIOR WALL ASSEMBLIES CONTAINING COMBUSTIBLE COMPONENTS:

This standard provides a test method for determining the fire propagation characteristics of exterior wall assemblies and panels used as components of curtain wall assemblies that are constructed using combustible materials or that incorporate combustible components.

Scope: NFPA 285 evaluates flame propagation of exterior wall assemblies. Between temperature data and physical observations, it is determined if an assembly can inhibit flame spread from the point of origin during a standardized interior/exterior fire exposure.

Test Procedure: A 14 ft. wide x 18 ft. high wall assembly, mimicking field installation practices, is constructed in a mobile test frame. The assembly contains a 78 in. wide x 30 in. high opening centered on the assembly’s vertical centerline with the finished sill height located 30 inches above the test fixture’s first floor. During construction, the assembly is instrumented with thermocouples at specific locations in each applicable air cavity space and combustible component cores. Upon completion of the wall construction and instrumentation, the mobile test frame containing the wall assembly is placed against the test apparatus. The interior first-story burner is ignited, followed by the exterior burner 5 minutes into the test. During the 30-minute exposure, data is collected for each thermocouple and visual observations are taken on flame propagation from the point of origin. Once the burners are extinguished, the thermocouple data is evaluated to determine if critical temperatures were exceeded, thus indicating flame propagation within the wall assembly.

End Result: Pass/Fail requirements of flame propagation on the exterior surface, within the air cavity spaces and combustible component cores, we well as from floor to floor of the test fixture.

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