Certified Fire Testing results for rotational molded HDPE

[cweegds]

Hello, I am new to this forum. Hoping I can get some guidance. We are in need of qualifying HDPE as a part of building material for manufactured housing program for HUD and HCD. The following test results are required by the 3rd party agency qualifying the material. Agency will qualify the results from certified lab to bypass the necessary testing. Below is a list of required testing the third party agency is looking for. Could anyone help to identify any existing lab results of below required test? Thank you in advance for any information.

HDPE for rotational molding being considered:
A. Polyaxis RLLP 621 is a flame retardant high density polyethylene
B. RF-2000 by Spectra colors or equivalent.
C. Marlex HMN®TR-945 / HMN TR-945GHIGH DENSITY POLYETHYLENE

List of required testing:

1. Building elements, components and assemblies of floors, roofs and walls need to be tested per ASTM E119 or UL 263 (2016 CBC 703.2).
2. To classify a material as non-combustible; it shall be tested in accordance with ASTM E136 (2016 CBC 703.5.1).
3. Roof assemblies will be tested in accordance with ASTM E108 or UL 790 (2016 CBC 1505.1)
4. Exterior walls will be tested in accordance with NFPA 268 (2016 CBC 2603.5.7)
5. Flame Spread and Smoke Developed Index
6. Where HDPE is used as interior finish, it shall be tested in accordance with NFPA 286 (2016 CBC 803.9).

 

[stookeyfpe]

I'm confused. Are you employing HDPE into a component that will be used for the construction or interior finish for manufactured housing? Is the component being used in items 1, 3, 4, or 6 of your list? I can confirm HDPE won't pass the ASTM E136 test (item 2 of your list). I'm not sure why ASTM E119 is being specified in manufactured housing, but I haven't looked at the manufactured housing construction standards in a some time.

 

[cweegds]

Thank you so much for replying. Yes, it probably is pretty confusing. The 3rd party agency put the E136 in case we want to try to classify it as a non-combustible which we know is pretty impossible. We are trying to use HDPE in substantial part of the construction. Would you have any knowledge of manufactures who might have a type of roto HDPE which might do better in fire ratings? Thank you again!

 

[stookeyfpe]

It's highly unlikely that you're going to find HDPE that can be used as a building material and I'm fairly confident such a material won't pass NFPA 286 or ASTM E84 as a interior finish. You should be able to locate polymers that have been chemically modified to be flame-limiting or flame-quenching but you're asking a very broad question. I suspect in many cases your only means of satisifying your criteria for employing HDPE will be a thermal barrier (i.e., fire-resistance rated gypsum wallboard or an equivalent material). Frankly, I don't think it's a good idea given the heat release and burning rates of HDPE.

You answer may be in the SFPE Handbook of Fire Protection Engineering, which has an extensive chapter on polymeric materials. Another source is the Ignition Handbook.

To your question about an acceptable polymer that is a candidate for rotomolding, sorry but I can't help you with that as only deal with plastics from the end use and fire protection perspectives - I have no experience with it's fabrication and which polymers work for a selected fabrication method.

 

[cweegds]

Thank you for your informative answers. I will definitely look into those resources you mention. I am glad I asked the question as we still have time to be able to look for alternatives which might work better for this application. Thank you very much!

 

[chicopee]

I do not know if such product exist for HDPE but have done any research for fire retardants? Back in the heyday,we used stabilizers to retard degradation of PVC foam from UV light which, albeit, is entirely different from your goal.