Application
1 This test procedure should
be used for the acceptance of fire-retardant and flame-resistant
materials used for the construction of lifeboats which are required to
be fire-retardant by the International Life-Saving Appliances Code and
the Torremolinos Protocol of 1993 relating to the International
Convention for the Safety of Fishing Vessels, 1977.
Fire test procedure
2 General
Ignitability for fire-retardant
laminate systems for the construction of lifeboats should be determined
by ISO 5660-1: "Fire tests - Reaction to fire - Part 1: Rate of heat
release from building products (Cone calorimeter method)", as described
in paragraph 3. This test should be conducted for each resin used. In
addition, a fire-retardant resin passing the test in paragraph 3 should
undergo the test contained in paragraph 4.
Fire-retardant test
3 Test specimens
Three test specimen laminates should
be prepared reinforced with glass fibre of any form with a thickness of
5 mm and a minimum resin content of 40% by weight. Alternatively, three
specimens of the specific laminate system should be tested as built.
When similar laminates of different thickness are used, the minimum
thickness should be tested. For laminates with normal thickness of
greater than 50 mm, including sandwich construction, the requisite
specimens should be obtained by cutting away the unexposed face to
reduce the thickness to 50 mm. All specimens should be square with sides
measuring 100 mm.
3.1
Conditioning of specimens Before the test, the specimens should
be conditioned in sunlight to 300 MJ/m2 (below 385 nm) of natural UV
radiation exposure of outdoor weathering or acceptable equivalent
accelerated artificial weathering exposure to the satisfaction of the
Administration. Both natural and artificial exposures should include
elevated temperatures of at least 30°C for substantial periods of the
exposure and 20 % wet time.
3.2
Test conditions
The test should be performed in the
horizontal position using a specimen edge frame, and the irradiance to
the specimen during the testing should be kept constant. The test
specimens should be tested to an irradiance of 50 kW/m2.
3.3 Duration of tests
The test should terminate when
ignition occurs in the test specimen or at 10 min.
3.4 Test results
The average ignition time should be
calculated as the arithmetic mean of the ignition time of the three
specimens.
3.5 Acceptance
criteria
The average ignition time should be
greater than 40 s.
Flame-resistant tests
4.1 Test procedure
GRP laminates representing the
lay-up of a prototype boat, which should be based upon the minimum hull
and/or canopy thickness to be used for the boat under consideration,
should be tested to determine their resistance to the effects of flame
impingement and strength. The test specimen should be cut from a one
metre square panel of the above minimum thickness, which has been
allowed to cure for not less than 21 days and then stored for 30 days at
ambient temperature as stated below. The test should be carried out
using the following methods:
.1 the heat source to conduct
the fire test should be provided by a gas torch fitted with a Sievert
burner type No. 2944 or equivalent, giving a maximum flame temperature
of approximately 1,600°C and burning propane at the rate of 4,110 grams
per hour with a pressure of 0.2 MPa. During this procedure the rate of
burning should be carefully controlled, with the length of blue flame
being approximately 200 mm to the point of the greatest heat; and
.2 the centre of a 450 mm by
450 mm test sample, cut from the one metre square panel (which should
not be cut from the edges) should be exposed in the vertical plane
perpendicular to the gel-coat surface to the tip of the blue flame of
the propane gas torch for an initial period of one minute. This test
specimen should be contained in a suitable steel frame to prevent the
spread of flame igniting the sample's edges. During this time,
observations of the heat effects on the specimen should be recorded.
4.2 Acceptance criteria
At the end of the one minute period,
the burner should be removed and the area of flame impingement should
not support combustion more than 30 s after being removed from the
burner.
4.3 Additional
information
After completing the test specified
in paragraph 4.1, the specimen should then be immediately re-exposed, on
the impingement point, by the heat source to establish the total
burn-through time of the respective lay-up. Total burn-through time is
taken as flaming to appear on the unexposed surface.
Test report
5.1 The fire-retardant test
report should include the following information:
.1 name of
testing body;
.2 name of
manufacturer of the material;
.3 date of supply of the materials and of tests;
.4 name or identification of
the material;
.5 description
of the material;
.6 density
of the material;
.7
description of the specimens;
.8 test method;
.9 test results including all observations; and
.10 designation of the
material according to the test criteria specified in paragraph 3.5.
5.2 The flame-resistant test report should include the
following information:
.1 name of testing body;
.2 boat manufacturer;
.3 date of material test;
.4 boat type;
.5 description of the
specimen;
.6 time for flame
extinguishments;
.7
burn-through time; and
.8
designation of the material according to the test criteria specified in
paragraph 4.2.