The SwRI Fire Technology Department has a Material Flammability group that performs flammability testing services to evaluate the ignition, flame spread, heat release rate, smoke production rate and toxic potency characteristics of materials and assemblies. Many of the tests are conducted according to domestic or international standard procedures and involve small to intermediate-scale specimens.
Flammability Testing Laboratory Facilities
Standard flammability test methods are often supplemented with additional instrumentation, or, if necessary, completely new custom-designed procedures are developed to fulfill specific client needs. SwRI’s flammability test group provides tests, data for computer fire model input and evaluation. Experimental support is also provided to the Listing, Labeling, and Follow-Up Inspection Services in the form of testing services for quality assurance of products and materials. For questions about this testing, contact Matt Blais.
Find a specific flammability test or related service here:
- Standard Tests
- Smoke & Toxicity Testing
- Fire Testing
- Fire Research & Engineering
- Listing, Labeling & Follow-Up Inspection
Contact Marina Gonzalez about ASTM E84 and ASTM D635 testing.
ASTM E84 & Steiner Tunnel Flammability Testing
SwRI performs the ASTM E84 Standard Test Method for Surface Burning Characteristics of Building Materials in a Steiner tunnel facility with a custom-designed, state-of-the-art pollution abatement system. The facility performs controlled burns to measure smoke and flame development indexes on construction materials including wall coverings and foam insulation.
Our Steiner tunnel capability includes ASTM E84 and equivalent tests:
- Can/ULC S102 (Canada), Canadian Safety Standard 102.2
- NFPA 255
- UBC 8-1 Surface Burning Characteristics of Building Materials
ASTM D635 Flammability Testing
ASTM D635 is the standard test method for rate of burning and/or extent and time of burning of plastics in a horizontal position. SwRI performs ASTM D635 in our ISO-accredited flammability testing laboratories.
Material Flammability Technical Strengths
- Small-scale calorimetry and combustibility (ASTM E1354, ASTM E136, ASTM D1929)
Marina Gonzalez - Consumer products
Karen Carpenter - Marine products (IMO fire test procedures, fire restricting materials testing)
Marina Gonzalez and Natasha Albracht - Flame Spread (ASTM E84 tunnel and various small-scale flammability and crawl space tests)
Marina Gonzalez - Roofing and claddings (ASTM E108 fire and UL 2218 hail drop tests of roofs)
Natasha Albracht - Combustibility, smoke, and toxicity (ASTM E662, BSS 7239, FTIR analysis of effluents from various fire tests)
Marina Gonzalez and Natasha Albracht - Vapor cloud explosions
Alexandra Schluneker - PPE Thermal Barrier Molten Metal and Arc Welding Cutting
Marina Gonzalez