Fire
Technology
Department
EXPERTISE
ACCREDITATIONS AND
RECOGNITIONS
Fire Technology Department
• ISO 9001:2000 certified by NSF
• Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory (NRTL)
recognized by OSHA
• Recognized by USCG to perform testing and
provide follow-up services according to
IMO FTP code
• Type A-1 Agency recognized by California State
Fire Marshall
• Recognized by local jurisdictions
– City of New York
– City of Los Angeles
– Miami Metro and Dade County
• Recognized by agreements with SP in Sweden and
EFECTIS in The Netherlands to perform tests in
support of CE marking of construction products
Testing Sections
• ISO 17025:2005 accredited by IAS
Listing and Labeling Section
• ISO 17020:0000 accredited by IAS
A world-renowned center of
excellence for fire research, testing
and product certification
Evaluation of sprinkler system effectiveness in suppressing
IBC storage fires
Southwest Research Institute
Fire Technology Department
6220 Culebra Road (78238-5166)
P.O. Drawer 28510 (78228-0510)
San Antonio, Texas
(210) 522-2311
fire-info@swri.org
www.fire.swri.org
www.swri.org
A world-renowned center of
excellence for fire research, testing
and product certification
Southwest Research Institute® is an independent, nonprofit,
applied engineering and physical sciences research and development organization using multidisciplinary approaches to problem
solving. The Institute occupies 1,200 acres in San Antonio, Texas,
and provides more than 2 million square feet of laboratories, test
facilities, workshops, and offices for more than 3,300 employees
who perform contract work for industry and government clients.
An Equal Opportunity Employer M/F/D/V Committed to Diversity in the Workplace
01-0190 JCN 232910 tp
• Multidisciplinary group of engineers and scientists
–Chemical, civil, fire protection and mechanical
engineers
–Chemists, biologist and computer scientist
– Professional engineer licensed in Texas and Florida
–One engineer with doctorate
– Five engineers with master’s degrees
–Technicians with extensive experience in
constructing and instrumenting specimens, setting
up test rigs and conducting routine and customized
experiments
Southwest Research Institute®
Benefiting government, industry and the public
through innovative science and technology
®
SwRI has provided an extensive range of fire research,
testing and related services since 1949.
CAPABILITIES
Fire Resistance
• Ignition and flame spread testing of facades: NFPA 268,
NFPA 285, etc.
• Fire testing of plastic fuel tanks for automobiles:
ECE R34 Annex 5
• Fire testing of plastic pipes: IMO A.753
• Furnace testing according to various domestic and
international standards: ASTM E 119, IMO A.754,
ISO 834, NFPA 415, UL 1709, etc.
• Pool fire testing of nuclear shipping containers:
10 CFR 71
• 25-ft and 50-ft corner tests: FM4880
Material Flammability
• Combustibility tests: ASTM E 136, ISO 1182,
ISO 1716, NFPA 259, etc.
• Cone calorimeter: ASTM E 1354, ISO 5660, etc.
• Flame spread tests: ASTM E 84 (Steiner tunnel),
ASTM E 648, EN 13823 (European Single Burning
Item test), IMO A.653 (FTP Code Parts 5 & 6), etc.
• Furniture and mattress tests: 16 CFR 1633 and
1634, CAL TB 133, etc.
• Ignitability tests: ASTM D 635, ASTM D 1929,
UL 94, etc.
• Room corner tests: NFPA 265, NFPA 286, ISO 9705,
UL 1715, etc.
• Smoke and toxicity tests: ASTM E 622,
IMO FTP Code Part 2, etc.
• Wildland–urban interface fire testing:
CASFM 12-7A Parts 1– 4
Engineering and Research
• Commodity classification: FM 4995, UL 2335, etc.
• Custom testing of fire protection systems and agents
• Explosibility analysis and testing: ASTM E 681,
ASTM 2079, etc.
• Dust explosion testing: ASTM E 1226, ASTM E 1515, NFPA 69
• Flame arrester testing: 33 CFR 154, etc.
• Hydrogen fire, explosion and safety testing according
to customized procedures
• Jet fire testing: OTI 95-634
• Suppression testing: UL 162, UL 711, etc.
IMO A.754 fire resistance test of glass window/door assembly
Listing and Labeling
• Third-party quality assurance and follow-up
inspection programs
• SwRI directory of listed products
• SwRI label for listed products
• Field inspections and evaluations
Ignition of 100-kW burner in ISO 9705 room corner test
FACILITIES
• More than 50,000 sq ft of laboratory space spread
over 10 buildings on the San Antonio grounds
• Large vertical, large horizontal and small horizontal fire
resistance test furnaces
• Oxygen consumption calorimeters to measure heat
release rates from 1 kW to 10 MW
• State-of-the-art 4,225-sq-ft building with pollution
control for fire suppression testing
• Remote test in Sabinal, Texas, for large pool fire and
other experiments
• Digital still cameras
• Video cameras
– Infrared and ultraviolet
– High-speed (up to 10,000 fps)
– Streaming video capability over Internet
• Data acquisition systems, including high-speed units
• Instrumentation to measure temperature, heat flux,
pressure, gas composition, etc.
• Facilities of other departments available for complex
multidisciplinary programs