5- Building Construction- Interior Finishes and Passive Fire Resistance

Question 1

____ _____ include the materials used for the exposed face of the walls and ceilings of a building, and are not limited to the structural materials.

Answer 1

Interior Finishes

Question 2

Interior finishes can include:

Answer 2

-Plaster
-Gypsum wallboard
-Wood paneling
-Ceiling tiles
-Plastic
-Fiberboard
-Wall coverings (inc. decorative furnishings, vegetation, and draperies)

Question 3

Interior finishes may be classified as “trim” if they meet the following (three) conditions:

Answer 3

-Don’t exceed 10% of the wall and ceiling area
-Distributed throughout space
-Don’t constitute a large continuous surface

Question 4

___ ____ is the movement of a flame away from an ignition source.

Answer 4

Flame Spread

Question 5

The most significant factor that determines a fuel’s burn rate is the combination of the fuel and the available _____.

Answer 5

Oxygen

Question 6

Building codes usually exclude reference to surface treatments such as paint and wallpaper that are no thicker than ____.

Answer 6

1/28 inch

Question 7

The fire spread rating of some interior finishes, most notably wood materials, can be reduced through the use of properly applied fire retardant coatings. Types of fire-retardant coating available include:

Answer 7

-Intumescent Coatings (expands when exposed to the heat of a fire)
-Mastics (form a thick, noncombustible coating over the surface of the wood)
-Gas-forming paints
-Cementitious and mineral fiber coatings

Question 8

The standard test used for measuring the surface burning characteristics of interior finish materials is referred to as _______.

Answer 8

ASTM E-84

*aka “The Steiner Tunnel Test”, “The Tunnel Test”, and “ASTM E-84 UL 723”

Question 9

The ____ ____ ____ established by the ASTM E-84 test is a means of comparing the surface flammability of an unknown material to standard materials under controlled test conditions.

Answer 9

Flame Spread Rating

Question 10

The higher the flame spread rating, the more rapidly flame will spread. Flame spread ratings over ___ are not permitted in occupancies, per code.

Answer 10

200

Question 11

The ____ ____ ____ is a measure of the relative visual obscurity in an area because of the smoke generated by a burning material.

Answer 11

Smoke Developed Rating

Question 12

Test results should be used as _____, not guaranteed outcomes.

Answer 12

Benchmarks

Question 13

____ ____ must have sufficient fire resistance and structural stability to serve as an absolute barrier to a fire and structural collapse on either side of the wall.

Answer 13

Fire Walls

Question 14

By continuing a fire wall through the roof with a parapet wall, sufficient separation is achieved. The parapet height above a combustible roof is determined by the building code and varies from __ to __ inches.

Answer 14

18 to 36”

Question 15

____ _____ are interior walls that do not qualify as fire walls but are used to subdivide a floor or area of a building.

Answer 15

Fire Partitions

Question 16

The purpose of enclosure walls is to block the vertical spread of fire through a building’s openings including:

Answer 16

-Stairwells
-Stairwell exit passages
-Elevator shafts
-Pipe chases

Question 17

Stairwells in buildings four stories or lower are required to have a __ hour rated enclosure. In buildings taller than four stories, stairwells are required to have __ hour rated enclosures.

Answer 17

1 ; 2

Question 18

Curtain walls serve the following functions:

Answer 18

-Resist environmental loads
-Control heat loss
-Limit noise transmission
-Limit solar radiation

Question 19

Curtain walls are often ____-_____, meaning they support only their own weight.

Answer 19

Nonload-bearing

Question 20

Some curtain walls are ______ but have no ___ _____, such as those made of aluminum and glass.

Answer 20

Noncombustible ; fire resistance

Question 21

Fire doors are rated in increments from __ minutes to __ hours.

Answer 21

20 minutes to 4 hours

Question 22

A ______ door ordinarily closes under the force of gravity when a fusible link melts or a smoke detector releases the hold-open device.

Answer 22

Rolling (overhead)

Question 23

Rolling (overhead) doors are constructed of interlocking steel slats with other operating components including:

Answer 23

-Releasing device
-Speed governor
-Counterbalance mechanism
-Wall guides

Question 24

Horizontal ____ ____ ____ are often found in older industrial buildings. These doors are usually held open with a fusible link.

Answer 24

Sliding Fire Doors

Question 25

____ _____ doors commonly protect stairwell enclosures and corridors. They are available with ratings from 20 minutes to 3 hours.

Answer 25

Swinging Fire

Question 26

Types of special-purpose fire doors include ____ ____ or _____ doors. Both types of doors are motor driven and require electrical power for operation. Frequently used where a fire-rated partition is required and the designer doesn’t wish to provide a fixed wall to create an unobstructed floor plan.

Answer 26

Horizontally Sliding Accordion ; Folding

Question 27

Restrictions regulate the allowable area of glass in fire doors. Fire doors with ratings of 1-3 hours can have glass panels up to ___ square inches in area per door.

Answer 27

100