scope:

This standard provides a method for establishing a type test for qualifying the fire performance of penetration fire stops when mounted in fire resistive wall or floor assemblies. This standard also considers the ability of a fire stop to withstand the external force imposed by a hose stream or water spray. Tests conducted in conformance with this standard will establish a time rating for the fire stop. Data developed from the performance of this standard can assist in determining the suitability of a fire stop for use where fire resistance is required.

Purpose

The purpose of this standard is to establish type tests to assure that cable-penetration fire stops meet the required fire rating. The data developed from the use of this standard can assist in determining the suitability of a fire stop for use where fire resistance is required.

General

This test method is used to determine the performance of a cable-penetration fire stop when exposed to the standard time-temperature curve for control of fire tests from ASTM E119⁷, and followed by a hose stream test. The performance of a cable-penetration fire stop is dependent upon the specific assembly of materials tested, including the number, type, and size of the module and the fire-resistive barrier in which it is installed. An F-rating and T-rating are established for each fire stop tested. An F-rating of a specified duration establishes that the fire stop successfully retarded the passage of fire, flame, and water during the fire endurance and hose stream tests. A T-rating of a specified duration establishes that, in addition to satisfying the F-rating criteria, the fire stop effectively maintained unexposed side temperatures at or below 181 °C (325 °F) above initial temperature (for Type I tests) or (at or below) the auto ignition temperature of the cable type tested (for Type II tests). These ratings are intended as an aid in assessing the performance of a cable-penetration fire stop.

Applicability

Cable-penetration fire stops that meet the requirements outlined herein are intended for use in powergenerating stations including, but not limited to, nuclear-generating stations, commercial, and industrial installations. Among the categories of cables covered, but not limited to, are those used for the power, the control, and the instrumentation services of those installations. When applying the results of this test to a particular end use application, consideration should be given to the appropriate type of rating (F-rating or T-rating) based on facility construction and specific requirements of the authority having jurisdiction.

Method of approach

When a cable-penetration is used in a rated fire-resistive barrier, the cable-penetration fire stop should remain intact, prevent the spread of fire, and restrict the passage of hot gases through that barrier for the required time. A fire-resistive barrier should meet the requirements of ASTM E119. The ASTM E119 test is designed to measure the amount of heat transferred through a fire-resistive barrier from its fire side to its unexposed side. The fire side is exposed to the flame and hot gases of the test furnace and the unexposed side is exposed to the ambient conditions of the test facility. Fire-resistive barriers that meet the requirements of ASTM E119 fire tests are rated by the amount of time that they resist the effects of a controlled fire without exceeding the temperature limits set forth in the standard. ASTM E119 temperature limits are a maximum temperature rise of 181 °C (325 °F) above the initial temperature for individual thermocouples and a maximum temperature rise of 139 °C (250 °F) above the initial temperature for the average of all unexposed side thermocouple readings. This standard provides two methods to determine the impact of a cable-penetration on a rated fire-resistive barrier. The first method, Type I, is a general evaluation of a cable-penetration fire stop that establishes a broad qualification. Type I tests invoke a maximum unexposed temperature of 181 °C (325 °F) above the initial temperature for all required thermocouple locations. The second method, Type II, is a cable-specific evaluation of a cable-penetration fire stop that establishes a qualification for a specific cable type only. For Type II tests the flash-ignition and self-ignition temperatures of the cables to be tested in the cable-penetration fire stop shall be established by ASTM D1929 [B2]. Type II tests use the data obtained from ASTM D1929 [B2] to establish the temperature limiting factor for the cable-penetration fire stop test conducted using this standard.

⁷For information on references, see Clause 2.