MODUK DEF STAN 02-711 PDF

This Defence Standard gives the requirements for one of a series of test methods for determining the fire characteristics of materials, which are referred to in Def Stan. 07-247 (Incorporating NES 705).

This test explores the smoke production potential of a small specimen of material under specified conditions of pyrolysis and combustion.

The test is intended to form part of the pre-selection screening process for materials and should not be interpreted as an assessment of the smoke production hazard of the material under actual fire conditions. It does not indicate the smoke production under other thermal exposure conditions and the values of specific optical density measured and therefore the resulting Smoke Index results are applicable only to the form and thickness of the specimens tested.

The method is based on the single chamber smoke density apparatus, originally devised by the US, National Bureau of Standards (NBS) and described in ASTM STP No 422. This was later developed to become ASTM E 662 and the same apparatus is also now described in BS 6401, to which this version of the Def Stan. refers. The test method described in this Def Stan. incorporates a number of modifications to the apparatus and procedures as a result of work carried out at AMTE (Dockyard Laboratory), Portsmouth.