ASTM_D_5537_-_14.pdf

Designation:D553714Standard Test Method forHeat Release,Flame Spread,Smoke Obscuration,and MassLoss Testing of Insulating Materials Contained in Electricalor Optical Fiber Cables When Burning in a Vertical CableTray Configuration1This standard is issued under the fixed designation D5537;the number immediately following the designation indicates the year oforiginal adoption or,in the case of revision,the year of last revision.A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval.Asuperscript epsilon()indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.1.Scope*1.1 This is a fire-test-response standard.1.2 This test method provides a means to measure the heatreleased and smoke obscuration by burning the electricalinsulating materials contained in electrical or optical fibercables when the cable specimens,excluding accessories,aresubjected to a specified flaming ignition source and burn freelyunder well ventilated conditions.Flame propagation cabledamage,by char length,and mass loss are also measured.1.3 This test method provides two different protocols forexposing the materials,when made into cable specimens,to anignition source(approximately 20 kW),for a 20 min testduration.Use it to determine the heat release,smoke release,flame propagation and mass loss characteristics of the materialscontained in single and multiconductor electrical or opticalfiber cables.1.4 This test method does not provide information on thefire performance of materials insulating electrical or opticalfiber cables in fire conditions other than the ones specificallyused in this test method nor does it measure the contribution ofthe materials in those cables to a developing fire condition.1.5 Data describing the burning behavior from ignition tothe end of the test are obtained.1.6 This test equipment is suitable for measuring the con-centrations of certain toxic gas species in the combustion gases(see Appendix X4).1.7 The values stated in SI units are to be regarded asstandard(see IEEE/ASTM SI-10).The values given in paren-theses are mathematical conversions to inch-pound units thatare provided for information only and are not consideredstandard.1.8 This standard measures and describes the response ofmaterials,products,or assemblies to heat and flame undercontrolled conditions,but does not by itself incorporate allfactors required for fire hazard or fire risk assessment of thematerials,products or assemblies under actual fire conditions1.9 Fire testing is inherently hazardous.Adequate safe-guards for personnel and property shall be employed inconducting these tests.1.10 This standard does not purport to address all of thesafety concerns,if any,associated with its use.It is theresponsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro-priate safety and health practices and determine the applica-bility of regulatory limitations prior to use.2.Referenced Documents2.1 ASTM Standards:2D1711 Terminology Relating to Electrical InsulationD5424 Test Method for Smoke Obscuration of InsulatingMaterials Contained in Electrical or Optical Fiber CablesWhen Burning in a Vertical Cable Tray ConfigurationE84 Test Method for Surface Burning Characteristics ofBuilding MaterialsE176 Terminology of Fire StandardsE603 Guide for Room Fire ExperimentsE800 Guide for Measurement of Gases Present or GeneratedDuring FiresE1354 Test Method for Heat and Visible Smoke ReleaseRates for Materials and Products Using an Oxygen Con-sumption CalorimeterE1537 Test Method for Fire Testing of Upholstered Furni-tureE2067 Practice for Full-Scale Oxygen Consumption Calo-rimetry Fire TestsIEEE/ASTM SI-10 International System of Units(SI),The1This test method is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee D09 onElectrical and Electronic Insulating Materials and is the direct responsibility ofSubcommittee D09.21 on Fire Performance Standards.Current edition approved Dec.15,2014.Published December 2014.Originallyapproved in 1994.Last previous edition approved in 2010 as D5537 10.DOI:10.1520/D5537-14.2For referenced ASTM standards,visit the ASTM website,www.astm.org,orcontact ASTM Customer Service at serviceastm.org.For Annual Book of ASTMStandards volume information,refer to the standards Document Summary page onthe ASTM website.*A Summary of Changes section appears at the end of this standardCopyright ASTM International,100 Barr Harbor Drive,PO Box C700,West Conshohocken,PA 19428-2959.United States1 Modernized Metric System2.2 NFPA Standards:3NFPA 70 National Electrical CodeNFPA 265 Standard Methods of Fire Tests for EvaluatingRoom Fire Growth Contribution of Textile Wall CoveringsNFPA 286 Standard Methods of Fire Tests for EvaluatingContribution of Wall and Ceiling Interior Finish to RoomFire GrowthNFPA 289 Standard Method of Fire Test for Individual FuelPackages2.3 Underwriters Laboratories Standards:4UL 1581 Reference Standard for Electrical Wires,Cables,and Flexible Cords,ANSI/UL 1581UL1685 Standard Vertical Tray Fire Propagation and SmokeRelease Test for