This report comprises the so-called test framework for IBC measures with the most important component of such being the phased step by step plan. With this a non-standard application for an insulation provision may be compared with a standard application, and can thereby also be assessed on an equal terms according to the guidelines of the IBC measures. The aforementioned phased plan encompasses six stages. The testing framework of IBC measures, abbreviated as TF-IBC, has been put together by a CROW working party having the same title. This is all improved version of the test framework of the Dutch Ministry of Transport. This MOT-TF was brought out in a previous report by a section of the Dutch Department of Transport responsible for roads and waterways (DWW) entitled `Insulating provisions for the application of secondary raw materials in the civil engineering sector'. A significant improvement in the new version involves step 2 of the phased plan: for this purpose the actual assessment has been included as an example from the non-standard application NISTIRA as an insulating peripheral finishing. In addition step 5 (compensatory measures) and step 6 (assessment of uniformity) have been drastically altered. The examples for each step have been adjusted to incorporate the material Hypothetix in these alterations. The Dutch MOT-TF is hardly ever applied in practice. It is recommended to do so in this improved version. Even this new TF-IBC, though an improvement on the original Dutch MOT-TF, remains a comparative method with the relevant drawbacks. Therefore it is recommended that over the long term efforts continue to be made at setting out performance requirements which will be valid for standard as well as non-standard applications. An added advantage of this is that an innovative influence will be exerted on such an `absolute test framework'. (A)
Abstract