Fire testing of building products according to EN 13823 - SBI

Purpose

Fire technical test according to EN 13823 - Single Burning Item evaluates a building products fire properties regarding heat release rate, smoke production, flame spread and burning droplets/particles. The main area of use is as a basis for classification within the fire classes A2, B, C or D and associated smoke classes s1, s2 or s3 and the presence of burning droplets/particles d0, d1 or d2. 

Declaration of a products fire characteristics for specific purposes, for example Insurance purposes.

Within EU building products shall be CE-marked according to the Construction Product Regulation (CPR). Building products with harmonized product standards or that have an ETAG/EAD need a CE-marking to be sold within the EU. A basis for the CE-marking is a fire classification according to EN 13501-1 which for instance include the fire test method EN 13823.

Examples of products that can be tested with this method are all types of building products, for example those included in the European Construction Product Regulation, CPR, or found in national regulations, for example wallpaper, paint systems, acoustic boards and coverings.

In addition to the benefits of CE marking, the method also provides important information about the building products fire properties and is therefore often used in product development contexts and process optimization.

Method

A large and a small wing are mounted in a right angle and create a corner. A gas burner with a heat release rate of 30 kW is located in the corner during testing. The test time is 21 minutes. The combustion gases are collected through a hood where heat release rate and smoke production are measured (see figure above).  The heat output of the product is used for calculating HRR, THR and FIGRA while the amount of smoke is used for calculating SPR, TSP and SMOGRA. Flame spread and burning droplets/particles are visually observed.

The mounting of the sample should be as close to reality as possible. If there are vertical and/or horizontal joints in end use, these joints should also occur on the test panel. It is important to decide which substrate the product shall be applied to and how the product shall be mounted. Possible air gaps or similar shall be considered.

The fire test is carried out at our accredited fire lab in Borås. Our advanced flue gas purification plant takes care of all our emissions.

Deliveries

After testing, a test report is delivered in English with the results. The report can then be used for classification, which is needed to be able to CE-mark the building Product