ASTM E-84, commonly known as the Steiner Tunnel Test, is the standard test method used to measure the surface burning characteristics of interior building materials. This test establishes a Flame Spread Index (FSI) and a Smoke Developed Index (SDI) for exposed surfaces, such as wall and ceiling finishes. Building codes use these indices to classify materials into three categories (Class A, B, or C) to regulate their application based on occupancy type and location within a building, thereby ensuring occupant life safety. The test evaluates how quickly a flame spreads across a material's surface and the amount of smoke it produces under controlled fire exposure.

A. NFPA 253, the Flooring Radiant Panel Test, specifically measures the critical radiant flux of floor coverings and is not used for general interior finishes like walls or ceilings.

B. NFPA 265, the Room Corner Test, evaluates the fire growth contribution of textile or expanded vinyl wall coverings in a full-scale room scenario, not a general flame spread index.

D. ASTM D2859, the Methenamine Pill Test, is a pass/fail test that measures the surface ignition resistance of finished textile floor coverings, not flame spread or smoke development.

1. ASTM International. (2023). Standard Test Method for Surface Burning Characteristics of Building Materials (ASTM E84-23b). ASTM International. Retrieved from https://www.astm.org/e0084-23b.html. The scope (Section 1.1) states

"This fire-test-response standard for the comparative surface burning behavior of building materials is applicable to exposed surfaces such as walls and ceilings...This test method is intended to provide only comparative measurements of surface flame spread and smoke density."

2. Kennon

K. E.

& Harmon

S. K. (2018). The Codes Guidebook for Interiors (7th ed.). Wiley. In Chapter 3

"Finishes

" the section on "Wall and Ceiling Finish Requirements" explicitly details the ASTM E-84 test as the primary method for determining the class (A

B

or C) of interior finishes based on flame spread and smoke development ratings (pp. 108-110).

3. National Fire Protection Association. (2023). NFPA 253: Standard Method of Test for Critical Radiant Flux of Floor Covering Systems Using a Radiant Heat Energy Source. NFPA. The scope (Section 1.1) specifies its application is "to measure the critical radiant flux of horizontally mounted floor covering systems."

4. Ballast

D. K. (2018). Interior Design Reference Manual: Everything You Need to Know to Pass the NCIDQ Exam (6th ed.). Professional Publications

Inc. Chapter 10

"Building Codes and Regulations

" describes ASTM E-84 as the test that "rates the surface burning characteristics of interior finishes and other building materials" (p. 10-11). It also differentiates this from tests for flooring (NFPA 253) and wall textiles (NFPA 265).