C2A-KS15 Flashcards
Knowledge of fire and life safety provisions of the California Building Code.
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Chapter 7 — Fire-Resistance Rated Construction
This chapter governs the materials and assemblies used for structural fire resistance and fire resistance rated construction separation of adjacent spaces to safeguard against the spread of fire and smoke within a building and the spread of fire to or from buildings.
Some of the main Sections include;
- Fire Resistance Ratings & Fire Tests
- Fire-Resistance Ratings of
- Structural Members
- Exterior Walls
- Fire Walls
- Fire Barriers
- Shaft Enclosures
- Fire Partitions
Smoke Partitions
- Horizontal Assemblies
- Penetrations
- Fire-Resistant Joint Systems
- Opening Protectives
- Ducts and Air Transfer Openings
There are two types of systems or methods for providing fire-resistive protection;
- Passive — built into the building structure and provides a barrier between the structure and the fire. This Chapter (7) discusses code requirements for passive fire resistance.
- Active — fire protection systems, such as fire sprinklers, responds to fire by activation of systems to suppress fire and smoke. Chapter 9 discusses active measures of fire
resistance.
Definition of Fire- Resistance Rating
The period of time a building element, component or assembly maintains the ability to confine a fire, continues to perform a given structural function, or both, as determined by the tests, or the methods based on tests, prescribed in Section 703.
The fire-resistance rating of building elements, components or assemblies shall be determined in accordance with what standard?
The fire-resistance rating of building elements, components or assemblies shall be determined in accordance with the test procedures set forth in ASTM E 119 or UL 263 or in accordance with Section 703.3, Alternative Methods for Determining Fire Resistance.
Where materials, systems or devices that have not been tested as part of a fire- resistance-rated assembly are incorporated into the building element, component or
assembly, what must be done?
sufficient data shall be made available to the building official to show that the required fire-resistance rating is not reduced.
True or false
Materials and methods of construction used to protect joints and penetrations in fire-resistance-rated building
elements, components or assemblies shall not reduce the required fire-resistance rating.
True
Fire-Resistance Rating of Structural Members
True or false
The fire-resistance ratings of structural members and assemblies shall comply with this section and the requirements for the type of construction as specified in Table 601. The fire-resistance ratings shall not be less than the ratings required for the fire- resistance-rated assemblies supported by the structural members.
True
Exterior Walls
- Relationship of exterior walls to the property lines
- Openings in exterior walls
- Projections from exterior walls
Fire Walls
A fire-resistance-rated wall having protected openings, which restricts the spread of fire and extends continuously from the foundation to or through the roof, with sufficient structural stability under fire conditions to allow collapse of construction on either side without collapse of the wall.
Fire Barriers
A fire-resistance-rated wall assembly of materials designed to restrict the spread of fire in which continuity is maintained, such as separate vertical exit enclosures from
other egress components, to separate different occupancies, or to divide a single occupancy into different fire areas.
Shaft Enclosures
Similar to fire barriers but typically enclose shafts extending through several floors.
Fire Partitions
A vertical assembly of materials designed to restrict the spread of fire in which openings are protected, typically a level below fire walls and fire barriers, and typically
have a 1 hour fire resistance rating.
Smoke Barriers
A continuous membrane, either vertical or horizontal, such as a wall, floor or ceiling assembly, that is designed and constructed to restrict the movement of smoke.
Smoke Partitions
Smoke partitions shall extend from the top of the foundation or floor below to the underside of the floor or roof sheathing, deck, or slab above or to the underside of the ceiling above where the ceiling membrane is constructed to limit the transfer of smoke.
Horizontal Assemblies
The fire-resistance rating of floor and roof assemblies shall not be less than that required by the building type of construction (Table 601).
Penetrations
Describes materials and methods of construction used to protect penetrations of horizontal assemblies and fire-resistance-rated wall assemblies.
Fire-Resistance Joint Systems
An assemblage of specific materials or products that are designed, tested and fire- resistance rated in accordance with either ASTM E 1966 or UL 2079 to resist for a
prescribed period of time the passage of fire through joints made in or between fire- resistance-rated assemblies (from seismic movement and construction control joints).
Opening Protectives
Protection of openings in fire-resistive construction allow the opening protectives to have different ratings than for the wall in which they are located. For example, a 2
hour fire rated wall requires a 1 1/2 hour-rated opening protection assembly
Ducts and Air Transfer Openings
Ducts and air transfer openings in assemblies required to be fire protected shall be treated to maintain fire resistance integrity of assembly or structure, such as fire
dampers and smoke dampers.
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Chapter 8— Interior Finishes
This chapter governs the use of materials used as interior finishes, trim, and decorative materials with an emphasis on flame spread and smoke generation characteristics.
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Chapter 9 — Fire Protection Systems
The provisions of this chapter shall specify where fire protection systems are required and shall apply to the design, installation, and operation of fire protection systems.
Fire protection systems include:
- Automatic sprinkler systems
- Alternative Automatic Fire
- Extinguishing Systems (commercial hood and duct systems)
- Standpipe systems
- Portable Fire Extinguishers
- Fire Alarm Detection Systems
- Smoke Control Systems
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Chapter 10 — Means of Egress
Definition of Means of Egress — A continuous and unobstructed path of vertical and horizontal egress travel from any occupied portion of a building or structure to a public way.
Some of the sections in this chapter include:
- Handrails & Guards
- Exit Access Travel Distance
- Corridors
- Exits
- Vertical Exit Enclosures
- Exit Discharge
- Occupant Load
- Egress Width
- Accessible Means of Egress
- Egress Doors
- Stairways
- Ramps
- Exit Signs
A means of egress consists of three separate and distinct parts:
- the exit access
- the exit
- the exit discharge
Occupant Load
Design Occupant Load — Egress systems are to be designed based upon the number of occupants for a particular building type and in association with Table 1004.1.1 Maximum Floor Area Allowances Per Occupant.
Egress Width
- The width of exit pathways are based upon: occupant load, hazard of the occupancy, whether the building is sprinklered, and whether the path is a stair or other component of means of egress.
- Required egress width is based upon the occupant load sewed by an egress component multiplier and occupant load factor (for stairs .3” per occupant and other egress components .2”).
Accessible Means of Egress
Stairways in an accessible means of egress must be at least ___ wide between handrails to provide sufficient width to carry people with disabilities.
48”
Note: Requirements for people with disabilities
Area of Refuge
An area where persons unable to use stairways can remain temporarily to await instructions or assistance during emergency evacuation.
Accessible Means of Egress
Area of refuge must provide space for one ___ wheelchair space for each 200 occupants and such spaces shall not reduce the width of the means of egress.
30” x 48”
Egress Doors
Minimum ___ high
6’-8”
Egress Doors
Minimum clear width of ___.
• Must swing in direction of travel when serving occupant load of more than 50
32” (which essentially means a minimum 36” door)
Egress Doors
Must swing in direction of travel when serving occupant load of more than ___.
50
Stairways
• Minimum ___ wide, except when sewing occupant load of less than 50
44”
Stairways
Minimum ___ wide for occupant load less than 50
36”
Stairways
Minimum ___ headroom at any point
80”
Stairways
Stair treads minimum depth of ___.
11”
Stairways
Stair risers minimum height of ___ and maximum height of ___ (a few exceptions in residential and utility uses where risers can be maximum ___ and treads minimum
10”)
Stair risers minimum height of 4” and maximum height of 7” (a few exceptions in residential and utility uses where risers can be maximum 7 3/4” and treads minimum
10”)
Ramps
Cross slope minimum ___.
1 in 48 (2.1%)
Ramps
Ramps are limited to vertical rise of ___ between intermediate landings
30”
Ramps
Ramps in a means of egress may not exceed ___ slope
Ramps in a means of egress may not exceed 1 in 12 (8%) slope
Ramps
• Width of ramps shall not be less than width of corridors and length of landings shall be minimum ___.
60”
Exit Signs
- Must be provided at ___
- Must be clearly visible and not be more than 100’ from any point in the exit access corridor
exits and exit-access doors
Exit Signs
Must be clearly visible and not be more than ___ from any point in the exit access corridor
100’
Handrails & Guards
Must extend horizontally for ___ beyond top of riser
12”
Handrails & Guards
Between ___ and ___ in height
Between 34” and 38” in height
Handrails & Guards
Minimum diameter of ___ and maximum diameter of ___
Minimum diameter of 1 1/4” and maximum diameter of 2”
Handrails & Guards
Guards are minimum ___ in height
Guards are minimum 42” in height
Exit Access Travel Distance
• Maximum length of exit access travel distances are measured from …
..the most remote point to the entrance to an exit along a “natural and unobstructed path of egress travel.”
Note: Table 1016.1 provide the maximum length of exit access travel for “without sprinkler system” and “with sprinkler system.”
Corridors
Usually have at least ___ fire-resistance rating based upon the occupancy group, based upon Table 1018.1 Corridor Fire-Resistance Rating
Usually have at least 1 hour fire-resistance rating based upon the occupancy group, based upon Table 1018.1 Corridor Fire-Resistance Rating
Corridors
Minimum corridor width is ___ with a few exceptions noted in section 1018.2
Minimum corridor width is 44” with a few exceptions noted in section 1018.2
Corridors
Dead End Corridors are generally maximum ___ with a few exceptions noted in section 1018.4, depending on occupancy and whether automatic sprinklers are provided
Dead End Corridors are generally maximum 20’ with a few exceptions noted in section 1018.4, depending on occupancy and whether automatic sprinklers are provided
Exits
All spaces within each story shall have access to the minimum number of approved independent exits as specified in Table 1021.1 based on the occupant load of the story. 1-500: ___ exits per story, 501-1000: ___ exits per story, More than 1000: ___ exits per story
1-500: 2 exits per story, 501-1000: 3 exits per story, More than 1000: 4 exits per story
Vertical Exit Enclosures
Vertical exit enclosures (stairways) connecting less than 4 stories are to have 1 hour fire-rating
Vertical exit enclosures (stairways) connecting less than 4 stories are to have ___ fire-rating
Vertical Exit Enclosures
Vertical exit enclosures connecting 4 stories or more shall have a ___ fire-rating
Vertical exit enclosures connecting 4 stories or more shall have a 2 hour fire-rating
Exit Discharge
Exits shall discharge directly to the exterior of the building with exceptions that may not exceed ___% of the number and capacity of required exits per section 1027.1
Exits shall discharge directly to the exterior of the building with exceptions that may not exceed 50% of the number and capacity of required exits per section 1027.1
Exit Discharge
Egress Courts are open spaces that provide access to a ___.
Egress Courts are open spaces that provide access to a public way from one or more exits.
Exit Discharge
The width of egress courts shall be determined as specified in Section 1005.1, but such width shall not be less than ___ inches.
The width of egress courts shall be determined as specified in Section 1005.1, but such width shall not be less than 44 inches.
Egress courts serving Group R-3 and U occupancies shall not be less than ___ inches in width. The required width of egress courts shall be unobstructed to a height of ___ feet
Egress courts serving Group R-3 and U occupancies shall not be less than 36 inches in width. The required width of egress courts shall be unobstructed to a height of 7 feet
I used the following sources to compile information in this section:
- California Building Standards Code — 2010
- Building Codes Illustrated 2009 — Francis Ching/Steven Winkel
