2- Building Construction- Building Classifications and Structural Fire Resistance

Question 1

NFPA 220 details the requirements for each of the classifications and subclassifications of building construction. In it, each classification is designated by a three-digit number code. For example, Type I construction can be 4-4-3 or 3-3-2. What do these numbers mean?

Answer 1

First Digit- Fire resistance rating (in hours) of EXTERIOR BEARING WALLS

Second Digit- Fire resistance rating of STRUCTURAL FRAMES OR COLUMNS and girders that support loads of more than one floor

Third Digit- Fire resistance rating of the FLOOR CONSTRUCTION

Question 2

Type ____ construction is classified by the presence of noncombustible structural components that have fire resistance ratings within a specified range.

Answer 2

Type I (fire-resistive)

Question 3

When it pertains to Type I construction, examples of the variation in fire resistance by application include:

A) Bearing walls, columns, beams: _ to _hours

B) Floor construction: _ or _ hours

C) Roof deck/construction supporting the roof: _ to _ hours

D) Interior partitions enclosing stairwells and corridors: usually or hours

E) Partitions separating occupancies or tenants:

Answer 3

A) 2 to 4 hours
B) 2 or 3 hours
C) 1 to 2 hours
D) Usually 1 or 2 hours
E) As specified by local code

Question 4

Type I buildings are most commonly constructed using a ________ frame or ________.

Answer 4

Protected steel ; reinforced concrete

Question 5

Unprotected _____ has no fire resistance. When it is used in fire-resistive designs, it must be protected by an insulating material.

Answer 5

Steel

Question 6

______ is an inherently noncombustible material with good thermal insulating properties.

Answer 6

Concrete

Question 7

In Type I construction, combustible materials typically are permitted for such uses as:

Answer 7

Roof Coverings
Interior Floor Finishes
Interior Wall Finishes and Trims
Doors and Door Frames
Window Sashes and Frames
Platforms
Nailing and Furring Strips
Light-transmitting plastics
Foam Plastics subject to restrictions

Question 8

Type II construction allows a wider range of materials than Type I. In addition to steel and concrete block, ____ and _____ can be used with a limited structural role.

Answer 8

Glass and Aluminum

Question 9

Some building codes contain a provision to omit the fire-resistive rating for a roof construction for some occupancy types when the roof is located more than ____ feet above the floor.

Answer 9

20

Question 10

Type II-A (protected) requires that structural components have ___ hour fire resistance. This construction type is similar to Type I but with a lower requirement for fire resistance.

Answer 10

One

Question 11

The use of ______ is the most common characteristic of of unprotected, noncombustible construction (Type II-B).

Answer 11

Unprotected Steel

Question 12

Type ___ construction is frequently constructed with exterior walls of masonry, but from a technical standpoint, any noncombustible material with the required fire resistance can be used for the exterior walls.

Answer 12

III

Question 13

Type III construction commonly uses nominal _” x _” joists for floor construction.

Answer 13

2” x 10”

Question 14

A fundamental fire concern with Type __ construction is the combustible concealed spaces that are created between floor and ceiling joists and between studs in partition walls when they are covered with interior finish materials.

Answer 14

III

Question 15

Concealed spaces in Type III construction must contain appropriate _______.

Answer 15

Fire stops

Question 16

Type __ is commonly known as heavy-timber or “mill” costruction.

Answer 16

IV

Question 17

Two important distinctions between Type III and Type IV construction are:

Answer 17

-In Type IV construction the beams, columns, floors, and roofs are made of solid or laminated wood with dimensions GREATER than in Type III.
-Concealed spaces are NOT PERMITTED between structural components in Type IV.

Question 18

Type __ construction is the only construction type that does not include A and B subdivisons. Instead, the designation 2HH is used.

Answer 18

IV

Question 19

Type IV (heavy timber) construction requires minimum nominal dimensions of __” x __” for floor construction, which is thicker than needed in Types III ad V construction.

Answer 19

6” x 10”

Question 20

In Type __ construction, all major structural components are permitted to be of combustible construction. The basic method of construction consists of using a wood frame to provide the primary structural support.

Answer 20

V

Question 21

Many Type V structures are required to have a __ hour fire resistance for structural components.

Answer 21

One

Question 22

The fundamental problem with Type V construction is the presence of ________.

Answer 22

Extensive void spaces.

*They provide avenues for extension of fire within a building.

Question 23

In modern practice, wood-frame (Type V) buildings are most often constructed using a method known as _________ construction. This technique was introduced to the US in the 1830s and eliminated heavy posts and beams, instead making use of smaller studs, joists, and rafters.

Answer 23

Light-Frame

Question 24

The IBC contains ten major occupancy classifications:

_____ Group A; _____ Group B; _____ Group E; _____ Group F; _____ Group H; _____ Group I; _____ Group M; _____ Group R; _____ Group S; _____ Group U

Answer 24

Assembly (A); Business (B); Educational (E); Factories (F); High Hazard (H); Institutional (I); Mercantile (M); Residential (R); Storage (S); Utility and Miscellaneous (U)

Question 25

NFPA 5000 and NFPA 101 identify 12 major occupancy classifications:

Answer 25

Assembly; Educational; Day Care; Health Care; Ambulatory Health Care; Detention and Correctional; Residential; Residential Board and Care; Mercantile; Business; Industrial; Storage

Question 26

Fuel Load (total quantity of combustible material in a compartment) contributes to the calculation of the ______ (the maximum amount of heat that can be released if all fuel is consumed).

Answer 26

Fire Load

Question 27

The fire load will vary depending on the _______ of the fuel load.

Answer 27

Heat of Combustion

Question 28

______ = Weight of combustibles X their ______ , expressed in pounds per square foot.

Answer 28

Fire Load ; Heat of Combustion

Question 29

Buildings with combustible structural components (Types III, IV, V) have an inherently _____ fire load than noncombustible construction (Types I and II).

Answer 29

Greater

*because the structural framing materials contribute a significant amount of fuel to a fire.

Question 30

A fire load may not directly translate into an equivalent _________.

Answer 30

Structural Load

*A Type IV warehouse containing iron radiators would have a high structural load but a light fire load.
*A toy store would have a moderate structural load but a high fire load because most toys are combustible with combustible packaging.

Question 31

_______ describes several properties of a material, including: Combustibility, Thermal Conductivity, Chemical Composition, Density, and Demensions.

Answer 31

Fire Resistance

Question 32

_____ indicates the ability of a structural assembly to maintain its load-bearing capacity and structural integrity under fire conditions.

Answer 32

Fire Resistance

Question 33

The ________ can be evaluated quantitatively and expressed in time units including hours and fractions of hours. They can be incorporated into building codes and include minimum requirements for structural components such as Beams, Columns, Walls/partitions, Floor/ceiling assemblies, and roof/ceiling assemblies.

Answer 33

Fire Resistance Rating

Question 34

________ is the most common method used to determine fire resistance.

Answer 34

Laboratory Testing

Question 35

The standard test used to determine fire resistance is _________.

Answer 35

ASTM E-110. Aka NFPA 251

Question 36

The primary points of failure for fire resistant laboratory testing are:

–Failure to support an applied load
–Temp increase on the unexposed side of wall, floor, and roof assemblies of ____F above ambient temps
–Passage of heat or flame through the assembly sufficient to ignite cotton waste
–Excess temp on steel members

Answer 36

250F

Question 37

To provide more accurate and useful data, fire resistance ratings for test specimens are expressed in standard intervals (15min, 30min, 45min, 1hr, 1.5hr, 2hr, 3hr, 4hr) and are rounded ____ to the nearest interval.

Answer 37

Down

*An assembly that fails at 1 hour and 10min into a test is rated as ONE HOUR.

Question 38

The standard E-119 test evaluates the ability of structural assemblies to carry a ______ and to act as a ______.

Answer 38

Structural Load ; Fire Barrier