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Design Fires - Residential and Office Items
Research Overview
The objective of this project is to expand the NIST Fire Calorimetry Database to support fire protection engineering analysis and research. Test specimens were typical items found in offices and homes. The global measurements reported include the transient, peak and total heat release rates, the yields of carbon monoxide (CO) and soot, and the mass loss. The appearance of the fires was captured by video cameras from two orthogonal perspectives. Measurements of the heat flux to the surroundings from the test specimens were used to estimate the radiative fraction of the fires.
Hamins A, Di Cristina G, Bundy M, Chakalis T, Fernandez M, Kim I, Ramesh S, Zammarano M (2025) The Character of Burning Residential and Office Items. (National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD), NIST Technical Note (TN) NIST TN 2...
https://doi.org/10.6028/NIST.TN.2303
| Experiment Name | Plot of Heat Release Rate | Ignition Photo | Date/Time Sort descending | Specimen | Fuel Type | Test Duration (min) | Total Heat Released (MJ) | Peak HRR (kW) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NGQC_3m_2kgs | 
|
|
Box Burner | Natural Gas | 30.25
|
249
|
320
|
|
| Test001_Pillow_C0+I0_R1 | 
|
|
Pillow | Polyester Foam Insert and Polyester Cover | 8.63
|
4.40
|
48.6
|
|
| Test002_Pillow_C0+I1_R1 | 
|
|
Pillow | Polyurethane Foam Insert and Polyester Cover | 16.27
|
24.4
|
86.9
|
|
| Test003_Pillow_C0+I2_R1 | 
|
|
Pillow | Feather Insert and Polyester Cover | 20.30
|
10.91
|
20.1
|
|
| Test004_Pillow_C1L+I1L_R1 | 
|
|
Pillow | Polypropylene Foam Insert and Polypropylene Cover | 11.07
|
9.67
|
81.7
|
|
| Test005_Pillow_CO+I6_R1 | 
|
|
Pillow | Feather Insert and Polyester Cover | 35.95
|
9.48
|
23.6
|
|
| Test006_Pillow_C2+I0_R1 | 
|
|
Pillow | Polyester Foam insert and Polyester Cover | 20.02
|
5.44
|
27.1
|
|
| Test007_Pillow_C0+I0_R2 | 
|
|
Pillow | Polyester Foam Insert and Polyester Cover | 6.95
|
5.17
|
70.4
|
|
| Test008_Pillows_two(C1L+I1L)_R1 | 
|
|
Pillow | Polypropylene Foam Insert and Polypropylene Cover | 16.73
|
14.83
|
80.5
|
|
| Test009_Pillows_four(C0+I0)_R1 | 
|
|
Pillow | Polyester Foam Insert and Polyester Cover | 11.03
|
16.92
|
109.2
|
|
| Test010_Pillows_four(C1L+I1L)_R1 | 
|
|
Pillow | Polypropylene Foam Insert and Polypropylene Cover | 13.15
|
40.1
|
191.9
|
|
| Test011_Pillow_I1L+C1L_R2 | 
|
|
Pillow | Polypropylene Foam Insert and Polypropylene Cover | 16.48
|
10.03
|
93.6
|
|
| Test012_Pillow_I1L+C1L_R3 | 
|
|
Pillow | Polypropylene Foam Insert and Polypropylene Cover | 11.92
|
10.02
|
101.2
|
|
| Test013_Pillow_I0+C0_R3 | 
|
|
Pillow | Polyester Foam Insert and Polyester Cover | 7.17
|
5.41
|
72.9
|
|
| Test014_Laptop_L1 | 
|
|
Laptop | Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS) | 6.05
|
0.19
|
1.31
|
|
| Test015_Laptop_L2+I0+C0_R1 | 
|
|
Laptop / Pillow | Polyester Foam Insert and Polyester Cover/ ABS | 25.18
|
5.93
|
23.8
|
|
| Test016_Chair_CH3_R1 | 
|
|
Stackable Chair | Polyurethane Foam/Plastic | 62.80
|
115.1
|
621
|
|
| Test017_Chair_CH4_R1 | 
|
|
Conference Room Chair | Polyurethane Foam | 16.68
|
38.9
|
447
|
|
| Test018_Table_T2_R1 | 
|
|
Side Table | Particleboard | 18.03
|
0.93
|
2.22
|
|
| Test019_Chair_CH6_R1 | 
|
|
Conference Room Chair | Polyurethane Foam | 16.82
|
24.8
|
414
|
|
| Test020_Chair_CH7_R1 | 
|
|
Stackable Chair | Polyurethane Foam / Wood | 42.57
|
41.7
|
117.9
|
|
| NGQC_9m_20kgsA | 
|
|
Tube Burner | Natural Gas | 30.12
|
2,022
|
3,130
|
|
| Test021_Chair_CH3_R2 | 
|
|
Stackable Chair | Polyurethane Foam / Plastic | 49.33
|
96.1
|
690
|
|
| Test022_Chair_CH8_R1 | 
|
|
Chair | Polyurethane Foam / Cotton cover | 27.48
|
49.2
|
421
|
|
| Test023_Chair_CH5_R1 | 
|
|
Beanbag Chair | Expanded Polystryrene | 17.77
|
58.9
|
221
|
|
| Test024_Chair_CH1_R1 | 
|
|
Chair | Polyurethane Foam | 10.50
|
43.1
|
366
|
|
| Test025_Chair+three(CH3)_R1 | 
|
|
Three Stackable Chairs | Polyurethane Foam / Plastic | 80.37
|
319
|
766
|
|
| Test026_Mattress_M3+two(C1L+I1L)_R1 | 
|
|
6" Spring Mattress with two pillows | Polyurethane foam / Rayon fiber / polyester batting | 48.48
|
82.5
|
164
|
|
| Test027_Chair_CH2_R1 | 
|
|
Arm Chair | Polyurythane Foam | 25.40
|
381
|
1,733
|
|
| Test028_Carpet_F3+two(I0+C0)_R1 | 
|
|
Carpet | Polypropylene | 20.50
|
23.2
|
145.8
|
|
| Test029_Sofa_S1'+two(I0+C0)_R1 | 
|
|
Sofa (K-Loveseat) | Polyurethane Foam | 34.67
|
811
|
1,984
|
|
| Test030_Sofa_S1+two(I0+C0)_R1 | 
|
|
Sofa (K-Loveseat+Chaise) | Polyurethane Foam | 36.85
|
1,426
|
2,994
|
|
| Test031_Mattress_M2+two(C1L+I1L)_R1 | 
|
|
6" Polyuretane Foam Mattress with two Pillows | Polyurethane Foam | 46.98
|
353
|
897
|
|
| Test032_Mattress_M3+two(C1L+I1L)_R1 | 
|
|
12" Memory Foam Mattress with two Pillows | Polyurethane Foam | 20.42
|
647
|
2,819
|
|
| Test033_Bookshelf_BK1_R1 | 
|
|
Bookshelf with Pillow | Particleboard | 8.45
|
6.9
|
79.2
|
|
| Test034_Sofa_S2+two(C0+I0)_R1 | 
|
|
Sofa with two pillows | Polyurethane Foam | 30.22
|
633
|
4,021
|
|
| Test035_Sofa_S1'b+two(C0+I0)_R1 | 
|
|
Sofa(K-Loveseat) with two pillows | Polyurethane Foam | 43.17
|
838
|
1,823
|
|
| Test036_Sofa_S1b+two(C0+I0)_R1 | 
|
|
Sofa(K-Loveseat + Chaise) with two pillows | Polyurethane Foam | 35.00
|
1,412
|
5,153
|
|
| Test037_Mattress_BA1'_R1 | 
|
|
6" Polyuretane Foam Mattress with two pillows and bedding | Polyurethane Foam | 20.13
|
442
|
3,408
|
|
| Test038_Mattress_BA1''_R1 | 
|
|
12" Polyuretane Foam Mattress with two pillows and bedding | Polyurethane Foam | 19.08
|
737
|
4,563
|
|
| Test039_Mattress_BA1_R1 | 
|
|
6" Spring Mattress with two pillows and bedding and 1" Polyurethane Foam topper | Polyurethane Foam | 33.92
|
98.9
|
189
|
|
| Test040_Sofa_S1'+two(C0+I0)_R1 | 
|
|
Sofa(K-Loveseat) with two pillows | Polyurethane Foam | 36.10
|
891
|
2,217
|
|
| Test041_Sofa_S1C+two(C0+I0)_R1 | 
|
|
Sofa(K-Loveseat + Chaise) with two pillows | Polyurethane Foam | 39.30
|
1,413
|
4,036
|
|
| 16CFR1633_BurnerTest | 
|
|
Line Burners | Propane | 1.13
|
1.39
|
27.7
|
|
| Test042_Mattress_M1_16CFR1633_R1 | 
|
|
12" Polyurethane Foam Mattress with Fire Retarded Cotton Scrim | Polyurethane Foam | 7.73
|
1.92
|
34.1
|
|
| Test043_Mattress_M1_16CFR1633_R2 | 
|
|
12" Polyurethane Foam Mattress with Fire Retarded Cotton Scrim | Polyurethane Foam | 19.18
|
below detection limit
|
37.4
|
|
| Test044_Mattress_M1+two(C1L+I1L)-SCRIM_R1 | 
|
|
12" Polyurethane Foam Mattress with two pillows AND without Fire Retarded Cotton Scrim | Polyurethane Foam | 14.40
|
696
|
7,148
|
|
| Test045_Chairs_three(CH4)_R1 | 
|
|
Three Stackable Chairs | Polyurethane Foam | 29.93
|
132.1
|
282
|
|
| Test046_Chairs_CH9_R1 | 
|
|
Office Chair | Polyurethane Foam | 40.27
|
259
|
563
|
|
| Test047_Chair_three(CH10)_R1 | 
|
|
Three Stackable Chairs | Polyurethane Foam | 30.13
|
114.8
|
377
|
|
| Test048_Chair_CH11_R1 | 
|
|
Office Chair | Polyurethane Foam / plastic webbing | 5.98
|
below detection limit
|
18.8
|
Bryant, R. and Bundy, M. The NIST 20 MW Calorimetry Measurement System for Large-Fire Research, Technical Note (NIST TN) 2077, 2019
https://doi.org/10.6028/NIST.TN.2077
NIST Fire Calorimetry Database (FCD)
https://doi.org/10.18434/mds2-2314
Last Updated April 1, 2025