5.1 This test method establishes water immersion, drying, and cleaning procedures to be used when determining whether building materials noted in 1.1 are flood damage resistant for applications that comply with the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) (44 CFR § 60.3(a)(3)).

5.2 This test method exposes the test specimen to water immersion and drying conditions to simulate the effects of wetting and subsequent drying that occurs with a flood event. The wetting and drying exposure is followed by surface cleaning. This test method provides a measure of how test specimens may respond to water immersion, subsequent drying, and cleaning that occur with flood events.

5.3 This test method is useful for determining water absorption characteristics of different test specimens in terms of percent increase in test specimen weight, their drying characteristics in terms of elapsed time to dry to equilibrium weight, and changes in physical appearance following water immersion and surface cleaning.

5.4 This test method is useful in comparing the water absorption characteristics of different test specimens, their drying characteristics, and changes in physical appearance following water immersion and surface cleaning. This test method is also useful in comparing test specimen physical dimensions before water immersion, immediately following removal from water immersion, after drying, and after cleaning.

5.5 The ability to directly compare test results will vary by many factors including test specimen size and whether test specimens are individual building materials or composite assemblies of building materials.

1.1 This test method is intended to apply to building materials used in construction below the base flood elevation (BFE) including, but not limited to: individual building materials and composite assemblies of building materials that constitute permanent integral parts of a finished building including walls, floors, ceilings, stairways, built-in partitions, finishes, cladding, and other similarly incorporated architectural and structural items.

1.2 Requirements for evaluation of other hazards associated with flood damage including, but not limited to: debris impact, flood velocity, wave action, water pressure differential, scour, erosion, biological and chemical contaminants in floodwater, and other factors that would be adverse to continued use of the structure for its intended purpose, including long-term occupant health impacts, are outside of the scope of the methods presented herein.

1.3 The water immersion, drying, and cleaning procedures specified in this test method establishes standard conditions for laboratory evaluation of test specimen response to water immersion, subsequent drying, and cleaning. The results of these tests are one factor in assessing the characteristics of building materials with regard to water immersion, drying, and ability to be cleaned. Application of these test results to predict these characteristics for actual building construction requires the evaluation of test conditions as compared to conditions of end-use.

1.4 The water immersion and drying procedures shall not be construed as representative of water makeup, duration of immersion, or conditions of drying during an actual flood event because actual flood conditions vary with such factors as makeup of water, depth and duration of immersion, and ambient temperature and humidity.

1.5 The cleaning procedures specified in this test method are intended to simulate surface cleaning that normally occurs after flooding.

1.6 The cleaning procedures specified in this test method shall not be construed as superseding standards or manufacturer’s recommended methods for cleaning and restoration after flooding.

1.7 A commentary to this test method is provided in Appendix X1.

1.8 The values stated in inch-pound units are to be regarded as standard. The values given in parentheses are mathematical conversions to SI units that are provided for information only and are not considered standard.

1.9 This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety, health, and environmental practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.

1.10 This international standard was developed in accordance with internationally recognized principles on standardization established in the Decision on Principles for the Development of International Standards, Guides and Recommendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.