6 Building Construction

6 Objectives (1 of 3) Describe the characteristics of the following building materials: masonry, concrete, steel, glass, gypsum board, and wood.

6 Objectives (2 of 3) List the characteristics of each of the following types of building construction: fire-resistive construction, noncombustible construction, ordinary construction, heavy- timber construction, and wood-frame construction.

6 Objectives (3 of 3) Describe the function of each of the following building components: foundations, floors, ceilings, roofs, trusses, walls, doors, windows, interior finishes, and floor coverings. Describe how each of the five types of building construction react to fire.

6 Introduction (1 of 2) Building construction affects how fires grow and spread. –Fire fighters need to understand how each type of building construction reacts when exposed to the effects of heat. –Determines when it is safe to enter a burning building and when it is necessary to evacuate

6 Introduction (2 of 2) Occupancy –How a building is used –Classifications indicate who is likely to be inside, how many people, and what they are likely to be doing Contents –Vary, but usually related to building use

6 Construction Materials Key factors affecting combustibility: –Combustibility –Thermal conductivity –Decrease of strength at elevated temperatures –Thermal expansion when heated

6 Types of Construction Materials Masonry Concrete Steel and other metals Glass Gypsum board Wood Plastics

6 Masonry Inherently fire- resistive Poor conductor Openings can allow fire to spread. With prolonged exposure to fire, masonry can collapse.

6 Concrete Naturally fire-resistive Poor conductor of heat Strong under compression Weak under tension Can be damaged through exposure to fire –Spalling

6 Steel (1 of 2) Strongest material in common use Strong in both compression and tension Will rust if exposed to air and moisture Not fire-resistive Good conductor of heat

6 Steel (2 of 2) Expands and loses strength when heated Any sign of bending, sagging, or stretching indicates immediate risk of failure.

6 Other Metals Aluminum –Siding, window and door frames, and roof panels –Often melts and drips in fires Copper –Primarily used for piping and wiring Zinc –Used as a protective coating for metals

6 Glass Noncombustible, but not fire-resistive Ordinary (nontreated) glass will break when exposed to flame.

6 Gypsum Board Very good insulator Limited combustibility –Paper will burn, but gypsum itself will not. –Often used as a firestop Prolonged exposure to fire will cause failure.

6 Wood Most common building material Highly combustible Weakens when heated Fire-retardant chemicals can weaken wood.

6 Plastics Rarely used for structural support Combustibility varies Many plastics release dense, toxic smoke when they burn. Thermoplastic materials melt and drip. Thermoset materials lose strength but will not melt.

6 Types of Construction Type I: Fire-resistive Type II: Noncombustible Type III: Ordinary Type IV: Heavy timber Type V: Wood frame

6 Type I: Fire-Resistive (1 of 2) All structural components must be noncombustible. Used for: –Large numbers of people –Tall or large area –Special occupancies

6 Type I: Fire-Resistive (2 of 2) Building materials should not provide fuel for a fire. Steel framing must be protected. Fires can be very hot and hard to ventilate. In extreme conditions Type I buildings can collapse.

6 Type II: Noncombustible (1 of 2) All structural components must be noncombustible. Fire-resistive requirements are less stringent than Type I.

6 Type II: Noncombustible (2 of 2) Structural components contribute little or no fuel. Fire severity is determined by contents. Most common in single-story warehouses or factories

6 Type III: Ordinary (1 of 2) Used in a wide range of buildings Masonry exterior walls support floors and roof. Usually limited to no more than four stories Limited fire-resistance requirements

6 Type III: Ordinary (2 of 2) Two separate fire loads: –Contents –Construction materials Fire resistance depends on building age and local building codes. Exterior walls, floors, and roof are connected.

6 Type IV: Heavy Timber (1 of 2) Exterior masonry walls Interior structural elements, floors, and roof of wood

6 Type IV: Heavy Timber (2 of 2) No concealed spaces or voids Used for buildings as tall as eight stories Open spaces suitable for manufacturing and storage New Type IV construction is rare.

6 Type V: Wood Frame (1 of 3) Most common type of construction in use All major components are wood or other combustible materials.

6 Type V: Wood Frame (2 of 3) Used in buildings of up to four stories Wooden I-beams and trusses –Just strong enough to carry required load –No built-in safety margin –Collapse early and suddenly

6 Type V: Wood Frame (3 of 3) Balloon-frame construction –Exterior walls assembled with continuous wood studs. Platform-frame construction –Exterior wall studs not continuous.

6 Building Components Foundation Floors and ceilings Roofs Trusses Walls Doors and windows Interior finishes and floor coverings

6 Foundation Transfer the weight of the building and its components to the ground Ensures building is firmly planted Weak or shifting foundations can cause collapse.

6 Floors and Ceilings (1 of 2) Fire-resistive floors –Floor–ceiling system designed to prevent vertical fire spread –If space above ceiling is not partitioned or sprinklered, fire can quickly extend horizontally across a large area.

6 Floors and Ceilings (2 of 2) Wood-supported floors –Heavy-timber floors can often contain a fire for an hour or more. –Conventional wood flooring burns readily and can fail in as little as 20 minutes. –Modern, lightweight wood I-beams and trusses

6 Roofs Not designed to be as strong as floors Three primary designs: –Pitched roofs –Curved roofs –Flat roofs

6 Pitched Roofs Sloped or inclined Can be gable, hip, mansard, gambrel, or lean-to Usually supported by rafters or trusses Require some sort of roof covering

6 Curved Roofs Used for large buildings that require large, open interiors Usually supported by bowstring trusses or arches

6 Flat Roofs (1 of 2) Have a slight slope for drainage Wood support structures use solid wood beams and joists.

6 Flat Roofs (2 of 2) Open-web steel trusses (bar joists) often used for support Most coverings highly combustible Ventilation may involve cutting through many layers of roofing.

6 Trusses (1 of 2) Triangular geometry creates a strong, rigid structure. Usually prefabricated wood or steel Three types: –Parallel chord –Pitched chord –Bowstring

6 Trusses (2 of 2)

6 Walls Most visible part of a building Constructed of a variety of materials Walls are: –Load-bearing –Nonbearing –Specialized

6 Load-Bearing Walls Provide structural support Either interior or exterior Support both “dead load” and “live load” Damaged wall can result in collapse.

6 Nonbearing Walls Support only their own weight Can be breached or removed without compromising structural integrity Either interior or exterior

6 Specialized Walls (1 of 2) Party walls –Common to two properties –Almost always load-bearing –Often a fire wall Fire walls –Designed to limit horizontal fire spread –Extend from foundation through roof –Constructed of fire-resistant materials

6 Specialized Walls (2 of 2) Fire partitions –Interior walls that extend from a floor to underside of floor above Fire enclosures –Fire-rated assemblies for vertical openings Curtain walls –Nonbearing exterior walls attached to the outside of a building

6 Doors Can be used for entry, exit, light, and ventilation Mostly constructed of wood or metal –Hollow-core wood doors offer little fire resistance. –Solid-core doors provide some fire resistance. –Metal doors more durable and fire resistant.

6 Window Assemblies Used for light, ventilation, entry, and exit Window type depends on a variety of factors.

6 Fire Doors and Fire Windows (1 of 3) Constructed to prevent the spread of flames, heat, and smoke Must meet NFPA 80 Labeled according to approved use

6 Fire Doors and Fire Windows (2 of 3) Class A Class B Class C Class D Class E

6 Fire Doors and Fire Windows (3 of 3) Fire windows are used when a window is needed in a required fire-resistant wall.

6 Interior Finishes and Floor Coverings Finishes and coverings are exposed interior surfaces of a building. Different interior finish materials contribute in various ways to a building fire.

6 Manufactured Housing Mobile and modular homes Lightweight building components Most components are combustible Death rate in mobile home fires is three times that of other types of single-family homes

6 Buildings Under Construction or Demolition Construction or demolition sites pose special problems for fire fighters. Built-in fire protection features are often missing. Fire-resistive enclosures can be missing. Often unoccupied for long periods

6 Preincident Planning and Incident Size-Up (1 of 2) Preincident planning allows fire departments the ability to: –Determine the type of construction

6 Preincident Planning and Incident Size-Up (2 of 2) It is not possible to preplan every property –Incident size-up –Learn the general characteristics of building types in your area

6 Summary (1 of 2) Many materials are used in building construction, and each material reacts differently to heat and fire. The five types of building construction each have their own strengths and weaknesses and differing levels of resistance to fire.

6 Summary (2 of 2) Buildings contain a variety of parts or components. These components are made from several materials, and each react differently to fire.