ASTM E3020-15 - 1.8.2015
 
Significance and Use

5.1 A variety of standard test methods, specifications, and regulations have been issued by a number of different standards developing organizations and regulatory authorities that contain ignition sources used to assess fire-test-response characteristics associated with flaming and non-flaming ignition. This practice describes such ignition sources and provides information on the standard method in which they are described.

5.2 The ignition source to be chosen for any specific use needs to be relevant to the fire hazard associated with the intended application. Neither the scope of the standard containing the ignition source nor any other aspect of the standard has any bearing on the use of the ignition source for another application.

5.3 This practice is not expected to be a fully comprehensive list of ignition sources. If additional ignition sources are identified they can be added to the practice.

5.4 This practice does not describe test specimen preparation or detailed testing procedures for the materials or products.

5.5 This practice does not address limitations associated with the ignition sources described in this practice.

5.6 This practice does not necessarily address the latest edition of any standard referenced.

 
1. Scope

1.1 This practice describes a series of ignition sources that have been used and that are potentially applicable to assessing fire-test-response characteristics resulting from the ignition of materials, products, or assemblies.

1.2 This practice does not identify which of the ignition sources described is applicable to any specific use since that is a function of the associated fire hazard (see also 5.2).

1.3 This practice is not necessarily comprehensive and it is possible that other applicable ignition sources exist (see also 5.3).

1.4 This practice describes both flaming and non-flaming ignition sources, since the outcome of a non-flaming ignition can be the eventual flaming ignition of these materials or products (see also 4.2).

1.5 This practice does not provide pass/fail criteria that can be used as a regulatory tool.

1.6 This fire standard cannot be used to provide quantitative measures.

1.7 Fire testing is inherently hazardous. Adequate safeguards for personnel and property shall be employed in conducting these tests.

1.8 This standard is used to measure and describe the response of materials, products, or assemblies to heat and flame under controlled conditions, but does not by itself incorporate all factors required for fire hazard or fire risk assessment of the materials, products, or assemblies under actual fire conditions.

1.9 This practice contains notes and footnotes which provide explanatory material. These notes and footnotes (excluding those in tables and figures) shall not be considered requirements of the standard.

1.10 The values stated in SI units are to be regarded as standard in referee decisions. No other units of measurement are included in this standard. See IEEE/ASTM SI 10 for further details.

1.11 This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety and health practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.

 
2. Referenced Documents

E136-24

Standard Test Method for Assessing Combustibility of Materials Using a Vertical Tube Furnace at 750 ?C

D5207-20

Standard Practice for Confirmation of 20-mm (50-W) and 125-mm (500-W) Test Flames for Small-Scale Burning Tests on Plastic Materials

E176-24

Standard Terminology of Fire Standards

E648-23

Standard Test Method for Critical Radiant Flux of Floor-Covering Systems Using a Radiant Heat Energy Source

E662-21ae1

Standard Test Method for Specific Optical Density of Smoke Generated by Solid Materials (Includes all amendments and changes 9/16/2021).

E906/E906M-21

Standard Test Method for Heat and Visible Smoke Release Rates for Materials and Products Using a Thermopile Method

E1321-18

Standard Test Method for Determining Material Ignition and Flame Spread Properties

E1352-16

Standard Test Method for Cigarette Ignition Resistance of Mock-Up Upholstered Furniture Assemblies (Withdrawn 2022)

E1353-21

Standard Test Methods for Cigarette Ignition Resistance of Components of Upholstered Furniture (Withdrawn 2022)

E1354-23

Standard Test Method for Heat and Visible Smoke Release Rates for Materials and Products Using an Oxygen Consumption Calorimeter

E1537-22

Standard Test Method for Fire Testing of Upholstered Furniture

E1590-23

Standard Test Method for Fire Testing of Mattresses

E162-22

Standard Test Method for Surface Flammability of Materials Using a Radiant Heat Energy Source

D5025-20a

Standard Specification for Laboratory Burner Used for Small-Scale Burning Tests on Plastic Materials (Includes all amendments and changes 4/16/2020).

D3874-20

Standard Test Method for Ignition of Materials by Hot Wire Sources

D5424-23a

Standard Test Method for Smoke Obscuration of Insulating Materials Contained in Electrical or Optical Fiber Cables When Burning in a Vertical Cable Tray Configuration (Includes all amendments and changes 5/18/2023).

D5537-23a

Standard Test Method for Heat Release, Flame Spread, Smoke Obscuration, and Mass Loss Testing of Insulating Materials Contained in Electrical or Optical Fiber Cables When Burning in a Vertical Cable Tray Configuration (Includes all amendments and changes 5/18/2023).

D6194-23

Standard Test Method for Glow-Wire Ignition of Materials

E84-23d

Standard Test Method for Surface Burning Characteristics of Building Materials (Includes all amendments and changes 1/29/2024).

E1623-22a

Standard Test Method for Determination of Fire and Thermal Parameters of Materials, Products, and Systems Using an Intermediate Scale Calorimeter (ICAL) (Includes all amendments and changes 12/7/2022).

E1822-21

Standard Test Method for Fire Testing of Stacked Chairs

E1995-21

Standard Test Method for Measurement of Smoke Obscuration Using a Conical Radiant Source in a Single Closed Chamber, With the Test Specimen Oriented Horizontally

E2058-19

Standard Test Methods for Measurement of Material Flammability Using a Fire Propagation Apparatus (FPA)

D635-22

Standard Test Method for Rate of Burning and/or Extent and Time of Burning of Plastics in a Horizontal Position

D1929-23

Standard Test Method for Determining Ignition Temperature of Plastics

E2574/E2574M-17(2021)

Standard Test Method for Fire Testing of School Bus Seat Assemblies

IEEE/ASTM SI 10

American National Standard for Use of the International System of Units (SI): The Modern Metric System

IEEE 383

IEEE Standard for Qualifying Class 1E Electric Cables and Field Splices for Nuclear Power Generating Stations

IEEE 1202

IEEE Standard for Flame Testing of Cables for Use in Cable Tray in Industrial and Commercial Occupancies

E2187-20a

Standard Test Method for Measuring the Ignition Strength of Cigarettes (Includes all amendments and changes 5/15/2020).

E108-20a

Standard Test Methods for Fire Tests of Roof Coverings (Includes all amendments and changes 4/17/2020).

D3675-22

Standard Test Method for Surface Flammability of Flexible Cellular Materials Using a Radiant Heat Energy Source