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ASTM E119 — Standard Test Methods for Fire Tests of Building Construction and Materials

Updated Mar 25, 2026
THE fire resistance test standard. Determines hourly fire ratings for walls, floors, roofs, columns, and beams. Referenced by IBC Table 601. Test uses standard time-temperature curve reaching 1700°F at 1 hour.

ASTM E119 is the most important fire testing standard in US construction. It establishes the time-temperature curve and test procedures for determining fire-resistance ratings of building elements. Standard time-temperature curve: 1000°F at 5 minutes, 1300°F at 10 minutes, 1550°F at 30 minutes, 1700°F at 1 hour, 1850°F at 2 hours, 2000°F at 4 hours. Pass criteria: (1) structural integrity — specimen carries applied load throughout test, (2) flame passage — no through openings develop, (3) temperature rise — unexposed surface average temperature rise does not exceed 250°F. Test specimens are full-scale assemblies. Results are expressed in hours: 1-hour, 2-hour, 3-hour, 4-hour ratings. UL maintains the largest directory of tested assemblies (UL Fire Resistance Directory). Assembly numbers (e.g., U305, W419) are the industry standard for specifying fire-rated construction.

TAGS
standardastmfire-testfire-resistancee119ul
DETAILS
scope
Fire resistance testing of building construction and materials
standard id
ASTM E119
issuing body
ASTM International
testing labs
["UL","Intertek","Southwest Research Institute","NGC Testing"]
cost of testing
$15,000-$75,000 per assembly
current edition
2020
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