Fire-Resistant Materials & Assemblies

Part 2Chapter 5

Review From Last Week:

• Compartmentalization– Fire walls– Fire barriers– Fire partitions– Horizontal assemblies

• Rated means of egress– Stairs, horizontal exits, areas of refuge, corridors

• Exit access corridors vs. Exit passageway– Exit access corridors lead to an exit– Exit passageways are used as an exit

Smoke Barriers & Partitions

• Smoke Barriers: restrict the movement or passage of smoke and fire gasses– Often required to have a fire-resistance rating (but

don’t automatically)

• Smoke Partitions: only limit the passage of smoke and fire gasses– Typically NOT required to have a fire-resistance

rating

Smoke Barriers

• Consist of a wall assembly or full enclosure– Full enclosure: vertical walls & horizontal ceiling/floor

assemblies• Vertical assembly: must extend from floor below to ceiling

assembly above• Horizontal assembly: must extend to a smoke barrier wall or

an exterior wall

• Continuous and sealed completely where there are joints and where they meet other smoke/fire barriers and exterior walls

Smoke Partitions

• Unlike smoke barriers, smoke partitions can terminate at a suspended ceiling system and sometimes solid ceilings (similar to fire barriers versus fire partitions)

• Ceilings are typically allowed to be penetrated by speakers, recessed lighting, etc. not typically allowed in smoke barriers

Types of Smoke Protection

• Smoke Compartments: – Created by wall, floor, and ceiling assemblies that are also

fire-rated– Ex: Fire stair with an area of refuge

• Smokeproof Vertical Shafts:– Need to be pressurized and have a smokestop door (closes

tightly & inhibits passage of smoke)• Vestibules:– Ceilings must be high enough to serve as a smoke and heat

trap and allow for an upward-moving airflow.– Ventilation is required

Opening Protectives

• Opening protectives are rated assemblies that prevent the spread of fire or smoke through an opening in a rated wall (doors & windows)– Protective rating is determined by building codes

and life safety code (LSC)– Important to the integrity of the rated wall to

prevent the spread of fire and smoke– Also crucial for the evacuation of occupants

• Reference Tables 715.4 and 715.5 (IBC)

Rated Door Assemblies

• Door assembly: door, frame & hardware• If the wall is fire-rated, the door assembly

must be as well• Must undergo extensive testing– NFPA 252, NFPA 288, NFPA 105, UL 1784

• Must be self-closing (must have a closer)– Automatic-closing doors are usually allowed (stay

open until triggered by heat or smoke to close)

Fire Window Assemblies

• Consists of a frame, approved rated glazing material, and hardware

• Tested by NFPA 257, Refer to Table 715.5• Must also meet safety requirements to determine

resistance to impact– Category I: resists impact equivalent to small child/teenager– Category II: resists impact equivalent to a full-grown adult

Fire Window Assemblies• Wired Glass (Non-safety & safety)

– 45 min. fire-protection rating– Non-safety – does not pass CFR 1201 for Category I or II– Safety – is laminated to meet Category I or includes a film to meet Category II

• Specialty Tempered Glass– 20-30 min. fire-protection rating (used in 1 hour rated walls), Category II

rating• Glass Block

– 45 min. fire-protection rating (1 hr. rated wall)• Clear Ceramics

– 20 min. – 3 hrs fire-protection rating, Category II rating• Insulated & Multilayer Laminated Glass

– 20 min. rating in doors, 45-90 min. rating as interior windows, Category I or II• Transparent Wall Units

– Can be used in place of a typical solid rated wall (“full glass” barrier walls) including fire stairs

– Category I or II, rated up to 2 hours,

Through-Penetration Protectives

• Through-penetration protectives are any openings that pierce the entire thickness of a construction assembly, either wall or floor/ceiling assemblies

• The most common types are:– Firestops & Smokestops– Fireblocks & Draftstops– Damper Systems

Firestops & Smokestops

• Protection system that is required in fire and smoke barriers & horizontal assemblies

• Purpose = to restrict the movement of fire & hot gasses through openings made in the fire-resistance-rated walls & floor/ceiling assemblies.– Seal & protect openings from plumbing pipes, HVAC ducts,

electrical conduit, communication cables, etc.• 2 ratings (you must specify which one applies):

– F-rating: based on number of hours the firestop resists flame & hot gasses, its hose stream performance & position

– T-rating: includes F-rating, plus a maximum temperature riser

Firestops & Smokestops• Created by several non-combustible materials

– Including: fire-rated chalk, silicone foam, mortar, mineral wood, fire-resistive board, wire mesh, collars, clamp bands

– Fills gap between penetrating item and fire barrier• Divided into 2 groups:

– Systems• Constructed in the field and added after the through-penetration has been installed

(fill the open space between penetrating item & fire barrier with fire-rated material & sealant)

– Devices• Made in a factory and installed as part of the through-penetration. (ex: sleeve installed

within wall to or floor assemble to allow pipe to pass through)

• Note: some devices & construction elements only penetrate one side of a wall (electrical outlets & sprinkler heads). These are referred to as membrane penetrations– Technically not through-penetrations, but still must be rated if located within a

rated assembly

Fireblocks & Draftstops

• Used to prevent the movement of air, flame, & gasses should a fire occur

• Fireblocking: for small, concealed spaces, in all types of building construction:– Dropped or covered ceilings– Double stud walls– Stairs– Concealed floor spaces

• Draftsops: for large, concealed spaces, typically in combustible construction only:– Attics, concealed roof spaces– May not be required if the building has automatic sprinkler system

Damper Systems

• A type of opening protective that is used specifically in HVAC systems– Automatically interrupts the flow of air during an emergency to

restrict the passage of smoke, fire, and heat• 2 kinds of damper systems:

– Static: automatically shuts down during a fire– Dynamic: remains in operation during a fire and heat

• May also be used to control the volume of air for the heating & cooling system during normal use

• 3 types of dampers are used in HVAC systems:– Fire dampers– Smoke dampers– Ceiling dampers

Dampers • Fire dampers: activated by heat

– Required in ducts that penetrate rated walls assemblies– Typically rated from 1.5 – 3 hours

• Smoke dampers: activated by smoke– Typically required when ducts penetrate smoke barriers

• Ceiling dampers– Used in suspended ceilings that are part of a rated horizontal

assembly– Prevent heat from entering the space between the ceiling

and the floor or roof above

Test Ratings

• The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)

• ASTM International (The American Society for Testing & Materials)

• Underwriters Laboratories (UL)

• American National Standards Institute (ANSI)

Using Rated Materials & Assemblies

• When specifying rated materials & assemblies, you must include the file number in your specifications

• Three of the most widely used publications for reference include (reference the most applicable publication):– Underwriters Laboratory (UL):

• Fire Resistance Directory, Vol. I for beams, columns, floor, roofs, and partitions

• Fire Resistance Directory, Vol. II for through-penetration firestop systems

– Gypsum Association (GA): • Fire Resistance Design Manual

– Factory Mutual (FM): • Specification Tested Products Guide