Building Construction pages 1-140 Flashcards
According to the Building Construction manual, the life span of a building may be more than __________.
100 years.
Truss construction buildings have been known to fail in as little as ___________ minutes.
5-10
The use of a single organization to design & build a facility to minimize risks for the project owner. May also refer to a design-build team.
Design Build
During the CONCEPT phase (construction), the variables maybe discussed in terms of ______________.
Design principles
Guidelines applied to basic units of a project that cause the items to work together as a unified, completely finished item that serves a purpose within established parameters. Units can include the materials, concepts, & setting.
Design principles
Who said “Buildings are machines for living?”.
Frank LLoyd Wright
Which Chicago architect had the following philosophy: “ Form follows function?”
Louis A Sullivan
A set of rules developed by a standards organization & adopted by a governmental boy to regulate the minimum requirements for construction, renovation, & maintenance of buildings.
Building Code
The final consideration in the building design process is _____________.
Landscaping
Authorization issued from the appropriate authority having jurisdiction (AHJ) before any new construction, addition, renovation, or demolition of buildings or structures occurs.
Building Permit
Group of people , usually 5-7, with experience in fire prevention , building construction, and/or code enforcement, who are legally constituted to arbitrate differences of opinion between fire & building officials, property owners, occupants, or builders.
Board of Appeals
Strategy to reduce the overall time for completion of a project merging the design & construction phases. Often used in conjunction with design-build.
Fast-Track Construction
Assessment of a facility or location made before an emergency occurs, in order to prepare for an appropriate emergency response. Also known as Preplan.
Pre-Incident Survey
Act of preparing to manage an incident at a particular location or a particular type of incident before an incident occurs. Also known as Pre-fire Inspection, Pre-fire Planning, Pre-incident Survey, or Preplanning.
Pre-Incident Planning
The fire inspector witnesses system tests. The actual system tests are performed by __________________.
The installing contractor’s representatives.
Note- This practice helps minimize fire service liability.
Determines the extent of work in relation to the building as a whole, which may ranger from repairs, to renovations, to change of occupancy, & building additions.
International Existing Building Code (IEBC).
The International Building Code is the successor to 3 earlier model codes which are as follows:
The Uniform Building Code (UMC) - Published by International Conference of Building Officials.
The Standard Building Code- Published by Southern Building Code Congress International.
The Building Officials & Code Administrators National Building Code- Published by the Building Officials & Code Administrators International.
The most widely used model building code in the United States.
International Building Code - Published by the International Code Council. (ICC)
The International Building Code has a companion fire code:
The International Fire Code.
NFPA Building Codes
NFPA 1 - Uniform Fire Code
NFPA- 5000- Building Construction & Safety Code
NFPA 101 - Life Safety Code
Maintains a national map that indicates location & frequency of fire fatalities.
United States Fire Administration
Annunciator panels should be easily viewed near ___________ to help company officers know the type & location of the alarm.
Entrances
What are the 5 types of construction types classified by the International Building Code?
Type 1- Fire Resistive
Type 2- Protected Noncombustible or Noncombustible
Type 3- Exterior Protected (Masonry or Ordinary)
Type 4- Heavy Timber
Type 5 - Wood Frame
The total quantity of combustible contents of a building, space, or fire area, including interior finish and trim, expressed in heat units or the equivalent weight in wood.
Fuel Load.
Total amount of heat produced or released to the atmosphere from the convective-lift phase of a fire, per unit mass of fuel consumed per unit time. Heat released when a material burns expressed in kilowatts or British Thermal Units (BTUs).
Heat release rate.
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was enacted in ________.
1990
In cases where building codes allow ADA-inaccessible structural features such as stairs, alternate protection must be made available such as an ____________ .
Area of Refuge
Distance from the street line to the front of a building.
Setback
The process whereby older neighborhoods are extensively rehabilitated to satisfy the desires of a modern real estate market.
Gentrification.
Efforts to increase the energy efficiency of structures and their component materials.
Green Design
Note- As the need for heating fuels is decreased, greenhouse gas emissions are lowered.
Building built before securing a tenant or occupant.
Spec Buildings
Note- Spec is short for speculation.
Large uncontrollable fire covering a considerable area & crossing fire barriers such as streets & waterways. Usually involves buildings in more than one block and causes a substantial fire loss. Example- forest fire.
Conflagration
The movement of fire from one material (source) to another (exposure). May occur within a compartment or across a break.
Fire Spread
Early fire regulations in colonial Boston prohibited ______________ to prevent the spread of fire.
Thatched roofs.
Transfer of heat by the movement of of heated gases, usually in an upward direction.
Convection
Flor of heat from a hot substance to a cold substance. May be accomplished by convection, conduction, or radiation.
Heat transfer.
Transmission or transfer of heat energy, from one body to another body, through intervening space by electromagnetic waves similar to radio waves or X-rays.
Thermal radiation
Structures or separate parts of the fire ground to which a fire could spread. The heat effect from an external fire that might cause ignition or damage to an exposed building.
Exposure
Line, area, or zone where an undeveloped wildland area meets a human development area.
Wildland/Urban Interface
_________________ materials possess the ability to maintain their structural integrity under fire conditions ( although not necessarily under other types of conditions.)
Fire-resistive.
A chemical process of oxidation that occurs at a rate fast enough to produce heat and usually light in the form of either a glow or a flame.
Combustion
Computer software application that relates physical features on the earth to a database to be used for mapping and analysis. The system captures. stores, analyzes, manages, and presents data that refers to or is linked to a location.
Geographic Information Systems (GIS)
What are the only 3 primary strategies in a fire incident?
Offensive
Defensive
Transitional
Offensive strategies address:
Life hazards
Structural stability
Risk (Benefits outweigh risks)
Defensive Strategies address:
Volume of fire
Structural deterioration
Risk (Risk outweighs benefit)
Structural conditions.
NFPA 220 Standard on Types of Building Construction uses a 3 digit code to designate building classifications. Explain each digit.
1st Digit- Fire resistance rating (in hours) of exterior bearing walls.
2nd Digit- Fire resistance rating of structural frames or columns & girders that support loads of more than 1 floor.
3rd Digit- Fire resistance rating of the floor construction.
Any substance, except plain water, that when applied to another material or substance will reduce the flammability of fuels or slow their rate of combustion by chemical or fuel action.
Fire Retardant
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_________ above the floor.
Note- This can cause a Type 2 building to be classified & inspected as a Type 1 (Fire-Resistive building) which can be significant in the event of a fire.
More than 20’
Type 2A fires require that structural components have __________ fire resistance.
1 Hour
Type 2B (unprotected) construction allows structural components to remain ______________.
Unprotected
In unprotected noncombustible construction, the major structural components have no _____________.
Fire resisitance
Type 3 Construction is commonly known as_______________.
Ordinary construction.
Note-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.
Type 3 Construction- Interior structural components that are permitted to be partially or wholly combustible include.
Walls Columns Beams Floors Roofs
Type 3 Construction has 2 sub-classifications allowing the interior structural components to be ____________________.
Protected or unprotected.
Type 3 Construction commonly uses nominal ____________ joists for floor construction.
2X10”
Solid materials such as wood blocks, used to prevent or limit the vertical or horizontal spread of fire & the products of combustion installed in hollow walls or floors, above false ceilings, in penetrations for plumbing, or electrical installations, in penetrations of a fire-rated assembly, or in cocklofts & crawl spaces.
Fire Stop
Explain the difference between Type 3 Construction & Type 4 (Heavy Timber or Mill) Construction.
In Type 4 construction, the beams, columns, floors, & roofs are made of solid or laminated wood with dimensions greater than Type 3 construction.
Concealed spaces are not permitted between structural components in Type 4 Construction.
Type 4 Construction is the only type that does not include ___________________.
A & B subdivisions.
Note- Instead, the 2HH is used.
Type 4 Construction requires minimum nominal dimensions of _____________ for floor construction which is thicker than needed in Types 3 & 5 Construction.
6X10”
Modern heavy-timber wood frame construction is primarily used for __________ purposes.
Aesthetic
The fundamental problem with Type V construction is the presence of extensive ______________.
Concealed voids
___________________occurs where a new structure is built onto an existing structure of a different construction type.
Mixed construction
Building construction & _____________ classifications are used together in building codes to establish limitations on the permissible heights & open areas of buildings.
Occupancy
The International Building Code contains _________ major occupancy classifications.
10
How many sub-groups does the International Building Code contain under the 10 major occupancy classifications?
26
Note- The IBC also separately addresses 1 & 2 story family dwellings not more than 3 stories high. Although these buildings are classified as “R” in the IBC, they are governed by a separate code- the International Residential Code. (IRC)
In contrast to the IBC, NFPA 5000, Building Construction & Life Safety Code has____________ major occupancy classifications.
12
The specific requirements for occupancy separation will depend on the __________ building code.
Local
Required separations for mixed occupancies can range from ___________ hours & not all occupancies will require a separation.
1-4
A building code may permit a reduction in the required occupancy separation if the building is _____________.
Sprinklered.
The total quantity of combustible material in a compartment.
Fuel load.
The fuel load contributes to the _____________, the maximum amount of heat that can be released if all fuel is consumed.
Fire load.
This is expressed in pounds per square foot & obtained by dividing the amount of fuel present by the floor area. Used as a measure of the potential heat release of a fire within a compartment. The fire load is the product of the of the weight of the combustibles, expressed in pounds per square foot.
Total amount of thermal energy (heat) that could be generated by the combustion (oxidation) reaction of if a fuel were completely burned, The heat of combustion is measured in British Thermal Units (BTUs) per pound. kilojoules per gram, or Megajoules per kilogram.
Heat of combustion
A material that in the form which used and under the conditions anticipated, will not ignite, burn, support combustion, or release flammable vapors, when subjected to fire or heat.
Noncombustible material
The most commonly used test for determining commonly used test for determining combustibility is the ___________________.
ASTM E-136 Standard Test Method for Behavior of Materials in a Vertical Tube Furnace at 750 degrees.
The faster the available fuel burns, the greater will be the ___________ rate.
Heat release
Fire ______________ indicates the ability of a structural assembly to maintain it’s lad bearing capacity & structural integrity under fire conditions.
Resistance
_______________construction is not prone to structural failure under fire conditions.
Fire resistive
Note- in the case of of walls, partitions, & ceilings, fire resistivity also means the ability to act as a barrier to fire.
Fire doors & windows will have a fire resistance rating specific to their ___________ & location.
Function
The most common method used to determine fire resistance.
Laboratory testing.
The standard test for determining fire resistance.
ASTM-E 119 -also known as NFPA 251 Standard Method of Tests of Fire Endurance of Building Construction & Materials.
Where & when were the earliest known fire tests conducted?
In Germany in 1884-1886.
Where were the first known fire tests in the United States conducted?
In Denver Colorado in 1890. Subsequent tests were conducted in New York City in 1896.
Normally, assemblies are not tested beyond __________ because this is the maximum time that building codes require.
4 hours
What are the primary points of failure for fire resistance tests?
Failure to support an applied load.
Temperature increase on the unexposed side of wall, floor, & roof assemblies of 250 degrees F (121 C) above ambient temperatures.
Passage of heat or flame through the assembly sufficient to ignite cotton waste.
Excess temperature on steel members.
The failure point of steel will depend on the _____________ of the component.
Application
The only test universally accepted in fire codes is the __________test.
E-119
Joint systems for floor-to-wall & wall-to-wall connections are tested in accordance with __________________.
UL Standard 2079, Standard for Fire Tests of Joint Systems.
In 1997, the American Society of Engineers (ASCE) and the Society of Fire Protection Engineers (SFPE) jointly developed a standard for the calculation of fire resistance of structural elements. That standard known as the ASCE/SFPE, Standard Calculation Methods for Structural Fire Protection, provides the methods for calculating fire resistance ratings that are _____________ to the results obtained from standard fire tests.
Equivalent
The ASCE/SFPE 29 Test is limited to use with the following materials.
Structural steel Plain & reinforced concrete Timber & wood Concrete & masonry Clay masonry
The most prevalent steel used in compiling test data.
A-7 & A-36
In physics: any interaction that may change the motion of an object. Simple measure of weight, usually expressed in pounds (kilograms).
Force
The direction of forces from loads acting on the interior of structural members.
Stress
The forces within a structural support system that resist applied loads.
Reactions
This exists when a structural support system can support a load equal to or greater than the applied loads.
Equilibrium
Any effect that a structure must be designed to resist, including the forces of gravity, wind, earthquake, or soil pressure.
Load
Factors that work against the strength of any piece of apparatus, equipment, or structural support. Measurement of force intensity is calculated as force divided by area.
Force
Condition of balance that exists when a structural system is capable of supporting the applied load.
Equilibrium
A reaction within a structural component that opposes a vertical load. When the bending moment is exceeded, the component will fail. Bending stress can be calculated from the bending moment.
Bending moment
The _________________ is the most common load imposed on a structure via the weight of the structure’s components, contents, & any occupancy activity.
Force of gravity
Note- Gravity related factors significantly influence structural plans.
Force acting to draw an object toward the earth’s center; force is equal to the object’s weight.
Gravity (G)
Horizontal movement of air relative to the surface of the earth.
Wind
Model building codes define a high-rise building as being more than _________.
75’
Once a lost/trapped firefighter has been found, what is the most important action to be taken?
Maintaining his air supply.
Transfer of heat by the movement of heated fluids or gases, usually in an upward direction.
Convection
Materials that possess the ability to maintain structural integrity under fire conditions.
Fire resistive materials
3 primary strategies in a fire incident.
Offensive- Life hazards, structural stability, risk (benefit outweighs risk),
Defensive- Volume of fire, structural deterioration, risk (risk outweighs benefit), structural conditions
Transitional
In NFPA 220, each classification is designated by a _______digit number.
3
Type I construction can either be ________________(3-digit classification code.)
4-4-3 or 3-3-2
Explain the 3-digit codes used in building types.
1st digit- Fire resistance rating (in hours) of exterior walls.
2nd digit- Fire resistance of structural frames or columns & girders that support loads of more than 1 floor.
3rd digit- Fire resistance rating of the floor construction.
Note- Think of the numbers in reverse order of the way buildings are constructed.
Floor-3
Structural frame-2
Walls-1
Fire- resistance ratings are allowed to be reduced by 1 hour where supporting a ___________ only.
Roof
In all occupancies, _________________shall be allowed where there is a 1-hour or less fire-resistance rating.
Heavy timber
_____________________ shall be allowed to be substituted for a 1-hour fire-resistance rated construction, provided such system is not otherwise required by other provisions of the code or used for an allowable area in increase in accordance with Section 506.3 or an allowable height increase in accordance with Section504.2. The 1-hour substitution for the fire resistance of exterior walls shall not be permitted.
An approved automatic sprinkler system.
The fire -resistive compartmentation provided by partitions & floors that tends to ______________ the spread of fire through a building.
Limit or slow
Type I construction bearing walls, columns, & beams fire resistance ratings are_____________.
2-4 hours , as specified by the local code & the construction classification.
Type I Construction fire-resistance ratings.
Bearing walls, columns, & beams: 2-4 hours (as specified by the local code & construction classification
Floor construction: 2-3 hours
Roof deck & construction supporting the roof: 1-2 hours
Interior partitions enclosing stairwells & corridors: As specified by the local code; usually 1-2 hours
Partitions separating occupancies or tenants- As specified by the local code
What contributes the most combustible material in a Type I building fire?
The contents
The combination of the structural strength of steel___________ produce a fire-resistive structural assembly.
& the insulation
Type II construction allows a wider range of materials than Type I. In addition to steel & concrete, ___________can be used with a limited structural role.
Aluminum & glass
Type II-A requires that structural components have a _____________fire resistance.
1 hour
Note- Protected non-combustible is similar to Type I but with a lower requirement for fire resistance.
Type II-B (unprotected) allows structural components to remain ___________.
Unprotected
The use of ___________is the most common characteristic of unprotected, non-combustible construction.
Unprotected steel
Ordinary construction is a tern associated with __________construction.
Type III
A fundamental fire concern with Type III construction is the combustible ______________ that are created between floor & ceiling joists & between studs in partition walls.
Concealed spaces
Concealed spaces in Type III construction must contain________________.
Fire stops
Type IV construction is known as heavy-timer of _________construction.
Mill