BS AU 1 69a:

BRITIS H S TAND ARD

1 992

IS O 3 795 : 1 989

NM — 14A
12 pages

Method for

D etermination of

b urning b ehaviour of

interior materials for

road vehicles, and

tractors and machinery

for agriculture and

forestry
BS AU 169a:1992

Committees responsible for this

British Standard

The preparation of this British Standard was entrusted by the Automobile

Standards Policy Committee (AUE/- ) to Technical Committee AUE/1 5, upon
which the following bodies were represented:

Association of Trailer Manufacturers

Caravan Club

Department of Transport

Metropolitan Police

Motor Industry Research Association

National Caravan Council Limited

Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders Limited

This British Standard, having

been prepared under the
direction of the Automobile
Standards Policy Committee,
was published under the
authority of the Standards
Board and comes into effect on
1 May 1 992

© BSI 03- 1 999

Amendments issued since publication
First published December 1 978
Amd. No. Date Comments
Second edition May 1 992

The following BSI references

relate to the work on this
standard:
Committee reference AUE/1 5
Draft for comment 87/70299 DC

ISBN 0 580 20825 7

 BS AU 169a:1992

Contents

Page

Committees responsible Inside front cover

National foreword ii

1 Scope 1

2 Normative reference 1

3 Definitions 1

4 Principle 1

5 Apparatus 1

6 Samples 5

7 Procedure 6

8 Calculation 7

9 Test report 7

Figure 1 — Example of combustion chamber with sample holder

and drip pan 2

Figure 2 — Example of combustion chamber 3

Figure 3 — Typical drip pan 3

Figure 4 — Example of sample holder 4

Figure 5 — Example of section of lower U- frame design for wire

support facility 5

Figure 6 — Sample 6

Publication(s) referred to Inside back cover

© BSI 03- 1 999 i

BS AU 1 69a:1 992

National foreword

This British Standard has been prepared under the direction of the Automobile
Standards Policy Committee and is identical with ISO 3795: 1 989 “Road v ehicles,

and tractors and m achinery fo r agriculture and fores try — Determ ination of

b urning b ehav iour o f interior m aterials ”, published by the international

Organization for Standardization (ISO) .

This revision of this standard supersedes BS AU 1 69: 1 978 which is withdrawn.

The revision comprises extension of the title and scope to cover tractors and
machinery for agriculture and forestry. The technical content of the standard
remains unaltered.

Cross-reference . The Technical Committee has reviewed the provisions of

ISO 2768- 1 : 1 989, to which normative reference is made in the text, and has
decided that they are acceptable for use in conj unction with this standard.

A British Standard does not purport to include all the necessary provisions of a
contract. Users of British Standards are responsible for their correct application.

Compliance with a British Standard does not of itself confer immunity

from legal obligations.

Summary of pages

This document comprises a front cover, an inside front cover, pages i and ii,
pages 1 to 8, an inside back cover and a back cover.

This standard has been updated (see copyright date) and may have had
amendments incorporated. This will be indicated in the amendment table on
the inside front cover.

© BSI 03- 1 999

ii
 ISO 3795:1 989 (E)

1 Scope when different materials are connected together

intermittently (for example, by sewing,
This International Standard specifies a method for
high- frequency welding, riveting) , then in order to
determining the horizontal burning rate of
permit the preparation of individual samples in
materials used in the occupant compartment of road
accordance with clause 6 , such materials will not be
vehicles (for example, passenger cars, lorries/trucks,
considered as composite materials
estate cars, coaches), and of tractors and machinery
for agriculture and forestry, after exposure to a 3.3
small flame. exposed side

This method permits testing of materials and parts side which faces towards the occupant compartment
of the vehicle interior equipment individually or in when the material is mounted in the vehicle
combination up to a thickness of 1 3 mm. It is used to
j udge the uniformity of production lots of such 4 Principle
materials with respect to their burning behaviour.
A sample is held horizontally in a U- shaped holder
Because of the many differences between the real and is exposed to the action of a defined low- energy
world situation (application and orientation within flame for 1 5 s in a combustion chamber, the flame
vehicle interior, conditions of use, ignition source, acting on the free end of the sample. The test
etc. ) and the precise test conditions specified in this determines if and when the flame extinguishes or
International Standard, this method cannot be the time in which the flame passes a measured
considered as suitable for evaluation of all true distance.
in- vehicle burning characteristics.
5 Apparatus
2 Normative reference
5.1 Com b ustion cham b er (see Figure 1 ), preferably
The following standard contains provisions which, of stainless steel and having the dimensions given
through reference in this text, constitute provisions in Figure 2. The front of the chamber contains a
of this International Standard. At the time of flame- resistant observation window, which may
publication, the edition indicated was valid. All cover the front and which can be constructed as an
standards are subj ect to revision, and parties to access panel.
agreements based on this International Standard
The bottom of the chamber has vent holes, and the
are encouraged to investigate the possibility of
top has a vent slot all around. The combustion
applying the most recent edition of the standard
chamber is placed on four feet, 1 0 mm high.
indicated below. Members of IEC and ISO maintain
The chamber may have a hole at one end for the
registers of currently valid International Standards.
introduction of the sample holder containing the
ISO 2768- 1 : 1 989, General tolerances —
sample; in the opposite end, a hole is provided for
Part 1 : Tolerances for linear and angular
the gas line. Melted material is caught in a pan
dim ensions w itho ut indiv idual to lerance
(see Figure 3) which is placed on the bottom of the
indicatio ns.
chamber between vent holes without covering any
vent hole area.
3 Definitions
5.2 Sam p le holder, consisting of two U- shaped metal
For the purposes of this International Standard, the plates or frames of corrosion- proof material.
following definitions apply. Dimensions are given in Figure 4.

3.1 The lower plate is equipped with pins, the upper one
burning rate with corresponding holes in order to ensure
consistent holding of the sample. The pins also serve
quotient of the burnt distance measured according
as the measuring points at the beginning and end of
to this International Standard and the time taken to
the burning distance.
burn this distance
A support shall be provided in the form of 0, 25 mm
it is expressed in millimetres per minute
diameter heat- resistant wires spanning the frame
3.2
at 25 mm intervals over the bottom U- shaped frame
composite material
(see Figure 5).
material composed of several layers of similar or
different materials intimately held together at their
surfaces by cementing, bonding, cladding, welding,
etc.

© BSI 03- 1 999 1

ISO 3795:1 989 (E)

Figure 1 — Example of combustion chamber with sample holder and drip pan

© BSI 03 - 1 999
2
 ISO 3795:1 989 (E)

Figure 2 — Example of combustion chamber

Figure 3 — Typical drip pan

© BSI 03- 1 999 3

ISO 3795:1 989 (E)

The plane of the lower side of samples shall 5.3 Gas b urner. The small ignition source is
be 1 78 mm above the floor plate. The distance of the provided by a Bunsen burner having an inside
front edge of the sample holder from the end of the diameter of 9, 5 mm. It is located in the test cabinet
chamber shall be 22 mm; the distance of the so that the centre of its nozzle is 1 9 mm below the
longitudinal sides of the sample holder from the centre of the bottom edge of the open end of the
sides of the chamber shall be 50 mm (all inside sample (see Figure 2).
dimensions) . (See Figure 1 and Figure 2. ) 5.4 Tes t gas . The gas supplied to the burner shall
3
have a calorific value of approximately 38 MJ/m
(for example natural gas).

Figure 4 — Example of sample holder

© BSI 03- 1 999

4
 ISO 3795:1 989 (E)

Figure 5 — Example of section of lower U-frame design for wire support facility

5.5 Metal comb , at least 1 1 0 mm in length, with When the shape and dimensions of a product do not
seven to eight smooth rounded teeth per 25 mm. permit taking a sample of the given size, the

5.6 Stop- watch , accurate to 0, 5 s.

following minimum dimensions shall be
maintained:
5.7 Fume cupboard. The combustion chamber may

be placed in a fume cupboard assembly provided a) For samples having a width of 3 mm to 60 mm,

that the internal volume is at least 20 times, but not the length shall be 356 mm. In this case, the

more than 1 1 0 times, greater than the volume of the material is tested in the product width.

combustion chamber and provided that no single b) For samples having a width of 60 mm
height, width, or length dimension of the fume to 1 00 mm, the length shall be at least 1 38 mm.
cupboard is greater than 2, 5 times either of the In this case the potential burning distance
other two dimensions. corresponds to the length of the sample, the

Before the test, the vertical velocity of the air measurement starting at the first measuring

through the fume cupboard shall be point.

measured 1 00 mm in front of and behind the final c) Samples having a width of less than 60 mm
position where the combustion chamber will be and shorter than 356 mm, and samples having a
located. It shall be between 0, 1 m/s and 0, 3 m/s in width of 60 mm to 1 00 mm and shorter
order to avoid possible discomfort, by combustion than 1 38 mm, cannot be tested according to this
products, to the operator. It is possible to use a fume method; neither can samples having a width less
cupboard with natural ventilation and an than 3 mm.
appropriate air velocity.
6.2 Sampling

6 Samples At least five samples shall be taken from the

material under test. In materials having different
6.1 Shape and dimensions burning rates in different material directions
The shape and dimensions of samples are given (preliminary tests will show this), the five (or more)
in Figure 6. The thickness of the sample samples are to be taken and placed in the test
corresponds to the thickness of the product to be apparatus so that the highest burning rate will be
tested. It shall not be more than 1 3 mm. When measured.
taking the sample permits, the sample shall have a
constant section over its entire length.

© BSI 03- 1 999 5

ISO 3795:1 989 (E)

Figure 6 — Sample

When the material is supplied in widths, a length of7.3 Adjust the gas flame to a height of 38 mm using
at least 500 mm shall be cut covering the entire the mark in the chamber, the air intake of the
width. From this, the samples shall be taken so as to
burner (5.3 ) being closed. Before starting the first
be at least 100 mm from the material edge and test, the flame shall burn at least for 1 min for
equidistant from each other. stabilization.
Samples shall be taken in the same way from 7.4 Push the sample holder (5.2 ) into the
finished products, when the shape of the product combustion chamber (5.1 ) so that the end of the
permits. When the thickness of the product sample is exposed to the flame, and after 15 s cut off
is 13 mm or more, it shall be reduced to 13 mm by a the gas flow.
mechanical process applied to the side which does 7.5 The measurement of the burning time starts at
not face the occupant compartment. the moment when the foot of the flame passes the
Composite materials (see 3.2 ) shall be tested as iffirst measuring point. Observe the flame
they were of uniform construction. propagation on the side burning faster than the
In the case of materials made of superimposed other (upper or lower side).
layers of different composition which are not 7.6 Measurement of burning time is completed
composite materials, all the layers of material when the flame has come to the last measuring
included within a depth of 13 mm from the surface point or when the flame extinguishes before coming
facing towards the occupant compartment shall be to the last measuring point. If the flame does not
tested individually. reach the last measuring point, measure the burnt
distance up to the point where the flame
6.3 Conditioning
extinguished. Burnt distance is the decomposed
The samples shall be conditioned for at least 24 h part of the sample, which is destroyed on its surface
but not more than 7 days at a temperature or in the interior by burning.
of 23 °C ± 2 °C and a relative humidity Insofar as the sample does not ignite or does not
of 50 % ± 5 % and shall be maintained under these 7.7
continue burning after the burner has been
conditions until immediately prior to testing. extinguished, or when the flame extinguishes before
7 Procedure
reaching the first measuring point, so that no
burning time is measured, note in the test report
7.1 Place samples with napped or tufted surfaces on that the burning rate is 0 mm/min.
a flat surface and comb twice against the nap using 7.8 When running a series of tests or repeat tests,
the comb (5.5 ). ensure that the combustion chamber and sample
7.2 Place the sample in the sample holder (5.2 ) so holder have a maximum temperature of 30 °C
that the exposed side will be downwards to the before starting the next test.
flame.

6 © BSI 03-1999
 ISO 3795:1 989 (E)

8 Calculation d) preparation of the sample, including the

The burning rate, B, in millimetres per minute, is method of reducing the thickness (if thickness is
greater than 1 3 mm) according to 6.2 ;
given by the formula
e) position of sample in the product (lengthwise,

B s-- × 60 transverse) ;
t
=

f) number of samples tested:

where
g) test results:
s is the burnt distance, in millimetres; — burnt distance, in millimetres, and burning

t is the time, in seconds, to burn distance s. time, in seconds;

— other observations (self- extinguishing, etc. );

9 Test report h) all calculated single values of burning rate, in
millimetres per minute;
The test report shall include the following
particulars: i) special test conditions (use of fume cupboard,
use of ventilator, etc. );
a) type, marking and colour of the test sample;
j ) any conditions different from those specified in
b) whether the sample was a composite or a single
this International Standard;
material;
k) date of test.
c) dimensions of the sample, including maximum
and minimum values of thickness;

© BSI 03- 1 999 7

8 blank
 BS AU 1 69a:1 992

Publication(s) referred to

See national foreword.

© BSI 03- 1 999

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