Fire Safety Science Digital Archive

Present-day test procedure to determine the behaviour of building materials and structures under fire conditions is described and defined in British Standard 476 which seeks to provide standards whereby old and new materials and methods of construction may be accepted or rejected on definite grounds by precepting authorities for their fitness or otherwise for the purpose in view. This Standard describes several tests only four of which need concern us here, These are the tests for incombustibility, noninflammability and surface spread of flame which apply to building materials and the test for fire-resistance which refers to building structures. It is of interest to examine the purpose of each of these tests, so that its significance end application may be understood fully.