Specific Optical Density and Mass Optical Density for Wood and Plastics

Type (Sample #)	Maximum Ds	Dm (m^2/g)	Combustion Conditions	Sample* Thickness (cm)	Ref. No.
hardboard	6.7 x 10^1		flaming	0.6	14
hardboard	6.0 x 10^2		pyrolysis	0.6	14
plywood	1.1 x 10^2		flaming	0.6	14
plywood	2.9 x 10^2		pyrolysis	0.6	14
polystyrene	> 660		flaming	0.6	14
polystyrene	3.7 x 10^2		pyrolysis	0.6	14
polyvinylchloride	> 660		flaming	0.6	14
polyvinylchloride	3.0 x 10^2		pyrolysis	0.6	14
polyurethane foam	2.0 x 10^1		flaming	1.3	14
polyurethane foam	1.6 x 10^1		pyrolysis	1.3	14
nylon carpet	2.7 x 10^2		flaming	0.8	14
nylon carpet	3.2 x 10^2		pyrolysis	0.8	14
acrylic	1.1 x 10^2		flaming	0.6	14
acrylic	1.6 x 10^2		pyrolysis	0.6	14
plywood	5.3 x 10^2	0.29	pyrolysis	0.6	15
polymethylmethacrylate	7.2 x 10^2	0.15	pyrolysis	0.6	15
polyvinylchloride	1.8 x 10^2	0.12	pyrolysis	0.6	15
polyvinylchloride (with plasticizer)	3.5 x 10^2	0.64	pyrolysis	0.6	15
neoprene	8.8 x 10^2	0.55	pyrolysis	0.6	15
Douglas fir	6.2 x 10^2	0.28	pyrolysis	0.6	15
polypropylene	4.0 x 10^2	0.53	flaming**	0.4	16
polyethylene	2.9 x 10^2	0.29	flaming**	0.4	16
paraffin wax	2.3 x 10^2	0.23	flaming**	0.4	16
polystyrene		1.4	flaming**	0.4	16
sytrene		0.96	flaming**	0.4	16
polyvinyichloride		0.34	flaming**	0.4	16
polyoxymethylene		~ 0	flaming**	0.4	16
polyurethane (7A)	2.1 x 10^7		flaming	1.3	17
polyurethane (7A)	1.5 x 10^2		flaming***	1.3	17
wool (8A)	> 5.5 x 10^2		flaming	0.9	17
wool (8A)	2.2 x 10^2		flaming***	0.9	17
acrylic (9B)	5.8 x 10^1		flaming	0.14	17
acrylic (9B)	1.2 x 10^2		flaming***	0.14	17
polyurethane (MO1)		0 33	flaming**		18†
polyurethane (MO1)		0.22	flaming‡		18
cotton (MO3)		0.17	flaming**		18
cotton (MO3)		0.12	flaming‡		18
latex (MO4)		0.65	flaming**		18
latex (MO4)		0.44	flaming‡		18
neoprene (MO8)		0.40	flaming**		18
neoprene (MO8)		0.20	flaming‡		18
polystyrene (7)		0.79	flaming**		19
polystyrene (7)		1.0	flaming§		19
polystyrene foam (16)		0.79	flaming**		19
polystyrene foam (16)		0.82	flaming§		19
ABS (18)		0.52	flaming**		19
ABS (18)		0.54	flaming§		19

* Sample area is 0.005 m² in vertical configuration, unless stated otherwise.
** Sample is in horizontal configuration (0.005 m²).
*** 0.09 m² sample size.
† The value of Dm is computed by Quintiere, based on data in Babrauskas.
‡ The sample is a mattress.
§ The sample is a plastic utility table.

Source: The SFPE Handbook of Fire Protection Engineering, 2nd Edition
Phillip J. DiNenno, et al., editors, © 1995 SFPE. p. 2-223.

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Last modified: Sep 25, 2006, 11:42 EDT