New Fire Resistance Test for Loaded Unrestrained Beams

With the 2011 edition of ASTM standard E119 "Standard Test Methods for Fire Tests of Building Construction and Materials", a new standardized test type was adopted - "tests of loaded unrestrained beams supporting floors and roofs". At about the same time, a similar new test for loaded unrestrained beams was introduced into the 14th edition of ANSI/UL 263 standard "Fire Tests of Building Construction and Materials". The adoption of the new beam test marks the most significant development in over 40 years in standardized fire resistance testing in the United States. The authors review the historical background and evolution of fire resistance tests for beams, floors and roofs, and discuss the motivating reasons for the adoption of the new beam test. The distinctive features and parameters of the new test are described in comparison with the older methods. The potential applications of the new test method are also discussed.