CAN/CGSB-182.1 Vertical Test and Horizontal Test

CANCGSB-182.1 is a standard issued by the Canadian General Standards Board (CGSB) titled "Flammability and Labelling Requirements for Tents," primarily focusing on the evaluation of the flame-retardant properties of outdoor tent materials. Among these, the vertical test and the horizontal test are two core combustion testing methods specified in this standard.

Scope of Application:

The CANCGSB-182.1 standard applies to camping tents, awnings, and similar recreational tents or other shelters such as play tents. It mainly assesses the flammability of tent materials under three conditions (untreated, after impregnation, and after aging) when exposed to flames.

ØDifferent Test Objects:

Vertical Test: Mandatory for all materials, including wall, roof, and floor materials of tents.

Horizontal Test: Only applies to floor materials.

ØDifferent Testing Methods and Environmental Preconditioning

Vertical Test: Uses a burner flame (flame height of 38mm, applied for 12 seconds). During the test, the material is fixed vertically, and the flame is applied from the bottom, simulating scenarios where the side or roof materials of a tent are exposed to a fire source.

Horizontal Test: Ignited by a methanolamine wafer (simulating an actual fire source). During the test, the material is placed horizontally, and the flame is applied to the surface, simulating situations where the floor comes into contact with a fire source (such as campfire embers). Its core objective is to evaluate the flame-retardant capability of floor materials in the horizontal direction to prevent the lateral spread of flames.

ØDifferent Evaluation Criteria

Vertical Test:

Burning damage length ≤ specified threshold;

Mass loss ≤ specified threshold; additionally, the amount of burning debris shedding must be strictly limited to avoid causing secondary fires.

Horizontal Test:

The evaluation criteria for the horizontal test are relatively lenient, primarily focusing on whether the flame self-extinguishes within a limited time and whether the burning range is controllable. Even if the vertical test is failed, if the floor material passes the horizontal test, it can still be deemed compliant with the standard.