Format: MP3 Audio Download or Compact Disc

Presenter: Zebonie Sukle

Can elevated temperature testing be used to predict long-term performance on TPO membranes?? This is a question that that been asked and debated for several years in the roofing industry.? The use of accelerated aging methods have been a topic of conversation in a number of industries such as gas pipelines, chemical storage tanks, underground cabling, aerospace,? medical devices, personal safety equipment, roofing membranes,? etc.? An article published by Thomas Gates and Michael Grayson, “ On the Use of Accelerated Aging Methods for Screening High Temperature Polymeric Composite Materials”,? echoes a similar challenge which is being debated in the roofing industry today, “ It is the challenge of an accelerated aging program to speed up the effects of the exposure to the environmental stress factors without departing from the underlying mechanisms that give rise to molecular level change.”? Essentially, at what point is the testing temperature so high that it is no longer representative of the way membranes degrade naturally on the rooftop? This paper will show the challenges with accelerated aging methods being explored in the commercial roofing market and highlight the need for a more comprehensive study to ensure that the accelerating test method standard represents roof top performance and real world environmental impacts.?? Accelerated aging technics in the commercial roofing market today use the ASTM standard D6878.? This paper will highlight the benefits within each of these tests as they stand today and also review the challenges with proposed revisionsThis presentation is geared towards a commercial audience and is presented at an intermediate to advanced level.

1. Identify whether elevated temperature testing be used to predict long-term performance on TPO membranes.
2. Determine at which point is the testing temperature so high that it is no longer representative of the way membranes degrade naturally.
3. Recognizing considerations and challenges with accelerated aging methods and recognizing the benefits within each of these tests.