ECE R118 Annex 8 Vertical flammability (accredited)

ECE R118 Annex 8 – Vertical Flammability Test for Materials Used in Vehicle Interiors

Our test laboratory performs accredited testing according to ECE R118 Annex 8. The test is used to evaluate the fire behaviour of non-metallic materials and components in a vertical arrangement and is particularly applied to materials used in the interiors of buses, commercial vehicles, and other vehicle categories.

ECE R118 is an essential part of international vehicle approval and type certification, for example for buses of categories M2 and M3.

The accredited testing laboratory of FILK is a designated Technical Service of Category A recognized by the German Federal Motor Transport Authority (Kraftfahrt-Bundesamt, KBA). Our services are recognized by leading manufacturers such as Daimler Buses & Trucks and MAN.

Test Principle and Procedure

In the ECE R118 Annex 8 test, a vertically positioned specimen is mounted in a defined test fixture and exposed in its lower area to a standardized test flame for a specified period of time. The fire behaviour of the material under vertical installation conditions is then evaluated.

The assessment particularly includes:

• flame propagation and burning behaviour in the vertical direction,

• afterflame time and afterglow time,

• occurrence of burning or glowing dripping,

• damaged length or destroyed material area after flame exposure.

The test is used to evaluate the burning and flame propagation behaviour of materials under realistic installation conditions in passenger compartments. It complements the horizontal burning rate test according to ECE R118 Annex 6 as well as the melting behaviour test according to ECE R118 Annex 7 and forms part of the fire safety evaluation of materials and components used in commercial vehicles and buses.