1. Balanced Code Provisions for Residential Structures
Alliance for Concrete Codes and Standards (ACCS)
Presented By:

2. Alliance for Concrete Codes and Standards (ACCS)
American Concrete Institute
American Concrete Pipe Association
American Society of Concrete
Contractors
Architectural Precast Association
Concrete Foundation Association
Concrete Reinforcing Steel Institute
Insulating Concrete Form Association
National Precast Concrete Association
National Ready Mixed Concrete Association
Post-Tensioning Institute
Portland Cement Association
Precast/Prestressed Concrete
Institute
Tilt-up Concrete Association
Wire Reinforcing Institute
The Alliance for Concrete Codes and Standards or ACCS for short is comprised of organizations on the concrete industry dedicated to promoting building and fire codes. These organizations include – (read slide)

3. Introduction Outline Fire Loss Building Codes Balanced Design
Benefits of Concrete in Fire
Costs Associated with Concrete Construction
Take Action!
Conclusions
Today we will discuss concrete’s role in a fire. I will begin with a brief discussion on the fire loss problem in the United States.
Will follow outline provided of ACI216

4. Limitations to the Building Code
Recent building code revisions have reduced the use of passive fire protection and provided an over-reliance on active fire protection system s
Sprinkler trade-offs: the concept of exchanging established passive fire containment code provisions for active protection
Sprinkler system reliability unknown

5. What is fire safety?
Fire safety is a component of Building Safety. It concerns safety measures to prevent the effects of fires and is the result of proper use of fire protection measures.

6. Fire Loss in the United States
During the 1990s, the number of deaths, injuries, and property damage reported per fire incidence in apartments remained fairly constant, despite increased use of active systems.This statistical stagnation— rather than improvement—is most likely the result of a recent trend in building codes to require automatic fire suppression systems while simultaneously reducing or eliminating compartmentation requirements.

7. Fire loss

8. Fire Loss
More than 4,000 people die in fires each year, with one death every 130 minutes. Fire kills more Americans than all natural disasters combined.
Approximately 85 percent of fire deaths occur in homes. Fire strikes approximately 86,500 apartments, 2,000 hotels and motels, and 740 dormitories annually.
Each year, fire departments are called to more than 1.7 million fires, with a fire call received every 18 seconds. There are nearly 510,000 structure fires each year, with one occurring every 62 seconds.
Fire causes more than $11 billion in property damage each year, with about $9.5 billion resulting from structure fires. Half of the total property damage occurs in residential properties.

9. Building and Fire Codes
Building and Fire Codes are state or jurisdiction specific
Codes are the minimum requirements – “the basement”
Building and fire codes are an integral part of the fire protection community plan. Codes are adopted at the state or local jurisdiction level and may be amended to make more stringent in some circumstances.
It should be noted that codes are the minimum requirements not the highest performing systems or buildings.

10. Building and Fire Codes
What is a Building Code? A building code is the minimum acceptable standard used to regulate the design, construction, and maintenance of buildings for the purpose of protecting the health, safety, and general welfare of the building’s users.

11. Up To Date Building Codes
Build safe building
Reduce deaths, injuries and property damage
Preserve the built environment
Reduce public and private disaster aid
Maintain employment and businesses
Level playing field for engineers, builders and suppliers
Provide economies of scale
Maintain quality of life and property values
The second critical factor is to design and build in accordance with the latest building codes
The up to date building codes provide safe buildings
Reduce deaths, injuries and property damage
Preserve the built environment
Reduce public and private disaster aid
Maintain employment and businesses
Level playing field for engineers, builders and suppliers
Provide economies of scale
Maintain quality of life and property values

12. Building and Fire Codes
Insert Building and Fire Code information for location being presented

13. Balanced Design
Balanced design re-established the importance of passive design, including compartmentalization, in combination with active design, to deliver a more comprehensive fire protection system.
Active Fire Protection: Fire protection systems that must be
activated to perform, such as sprinklers and smoke detectors.
Passive Fire Protection: Fire resistance provided by elements
that inherently resist fire, such as non-combustible precast
concrete, concrete and masonry block.
Balanced Design: A Combination of active and passive
design elements, as well as the concept of
compartmentalization, to greatly enhance fire protection at a
minimum cost.

14. Balanced Design Total Fire Protection Active Fire Protection Passive
The concept of balanced design is one that has gained popularity in the recent past due to the issues with sprinkler tradeoffs in the current codes. As the technology of sprinklers became popular, compartmentation was no longer used as a fire protection method, therefore, an over reliance on an untested and unquantified reliable product emerged. Balanced design attempts to bring back the idea of utilizing both the active and passive systems in fire protection.
Balanced design is defined as Combining both active and passive design elements, as well as the concept of compartmentation, to greatly enhance fire protection at a minimum cost.
Active Fire Protection is defined as Fire protection systems that must be activated to perform, such as sprinklers and smoke detectors.
Passive Fire Protection is defined as Fire resistance provided by elements that inherently resist fire, such as non-combustible precast concrete, concrete and masonry block.
Compartmentation is defined as the Use of the passive protection of non-combustible floors and walls to confine fire to a specific area.

15. Balanced Design Active Fire Protection Smoke detectors Sprinklers
Duct detectors
Fire alarms
Passive Fire Protection
Fire rated walls
Fire rated floors
Fire rated separations
As mentioned in the earlier slide, balanced design includes both active and passive protection.
Specific exampls of active fire protection systems include, but are not limited to: smoke detectors, sprinkler systems, duct detectors, fire alarms
Passive fire protection systems include: fire rated walls, floors and separations

16. Role of Compartmentation
Compartmentation acts to contain fires to a specified area of the building or structure
Without compartmentation, fire may spread from one room or building to a another
Compartmentation plays an integral role in fire protection by limiting the fire spread to specific portions of the building. From the image on the bottom right of the slide, you can see that the wood structure did not implement the compartmentation idea and the fire has fully engulfed the structure. Compartmentation uses high fire resistance materials and forms areas that resist the spread of fire making a safe passage for occupants to exits or fire fighters to enters.

17. Role of Sprinklers
Fire Sprinklers act to extinguish a fire after a specified temperature is achieved in the upper gas layer
Sprinklers are a vital part of the balanced design approach. Sprinklers act to extinguish the fire. In the modern day sprinkler a pressurized link is present which when heated is forced away and falls to the ground. The link can either be a liquid filled vessel or a soldered metal flange that is destroyed when exposed to elevated temperatures. Water flows and is spread into a minimum of a ten foot pattern over the head of the sprinkler for the duration of the fire event.

18. Role of Sprinklers NFPA standards
NFPA 13 Standard for the Installation of Sprinkler Systems
NFPA 13D Standard for the Installation of Sprinkler Systems in One- and Two-Family Dwellings and Manufactured Homes
NFPA 13E Recommended Practice for Fire Department Operations in Properties Protected by Sprinkler and Standpipe Systems
NFPA 13R Standard for the Installation of Sprinkler Systems in Residential Occupancies up to and Including Four Stories in Height

19. Why sprinklers may fail
Natural Events (earthquake, tornado, etc.)
Terrorist Events
Inadequate water pressure
Human Error
Lack of maintenance
Installation Error
Wrong sprinkler for occupancy/fire
Coverage Issues
Building under construction
Other

20. Options for Non-combustible construction
cast-in-place
hollow-core precast
concrete floors, ceilings, and roofs
cast-in place concrete
precast concrete
Concrete masonry walls
Several concrete systems can be used to achieve non-combustible construction. These systems include but are not limited to:
Cast in place concrete
Hollow core precast concrete
Concrete floors
Concrete ceilings
Concrete roofs
Precast concrete
Concrete masonry walls

21. Advantages of Non-combustible construction for owners/developers
Speed of construction
Faster sales and re-sales
Lower operating costs
Lower insurance costs
Lower maintenance costs
Lower energy costs
Community acceptance
Lowest life-cycle costs
Higher appreciation
Attracts quality oriented occupants
Appeals to investors
Proven performance
Resistant to seismic and high wind damage 

22. Advantages of Non-combustible construction for occupants
Fire safe non-combustible construction
Does not burn
Does not produce smoke, fumes or gases
Does not add fuel to the fire
Provides minimum two-hour separation between units
Serves passively for the life of the building
Lower insurance costs
Needs no testing or inspection
No bouncy or creaky floors
Superior acoustic qualities
Security for occupants and contents

23. Advantages of Non-combustible construction for communities
Lower risk and exposure for the fire service
More efficient use of fire services
Construction does not add fuel to the fire
Fire is contained
Adjacent units are protected
Structural collapse is unlikely
Provides quality community asset for many decades
Community recognized for its fire safe construction
Provides a stable tax base for the community
Attracts long term investors to the community.

24. Fire Containment
Fire Containment is the last line of defense should sprinklers fail
To be effective, walls and floors/ceilings providing compartmentation should be of non-combustible construction with at least 2 hours of fire resistance.

25. Firefighter Safety
A concrete structure can utilize fire rated concrete walls to create compartmentation. The combination of concrete columns, beams, flooring, ceiling and wall elements breaks up each level’s space into smaller, self- contained modules that minimize the chance of fire spreading to adjacent units
The containment of fire in these small spaces makes entry safer for the firefighter and maintains that building collapse is rare

26. Fire Resistance Concrete has history of good performance in fire
Concrete is non-combustible and has low thermal conductivity
Concrete maintains cool inner core during many fires which maintains load
Concrete provides the best fire resistance of any building material.  It does not burn, it cannot be 'set on fire' like other materials in a building and it does not emit any toxic fumes, smoke or drip molten particles when exposed to fire. 
This excellent fire performance is due in the main to concrete's constituent materials (i.e. cement and aggregates) which, when chemically combined, form a material that is essentially inert and has poor thermal conductivity.  It is this slow rate of heat transfer that enables concrete to act as an effective fire shield not only between adjacent spaces but also to protect itself from fire damage.

27. Fire Resistance Structural Design Load Live Load + Dead Load + FIRE
Goal of Fire Resistance Structures
Maintain structural stability
Reduce spread of fire
Experience total burnout without collapse
Structural load should include dead load, live load and additional load of the impact of fire
The three most important goals of fire resistance structures include:
Maintain structural stability
Reduce spread of fire from room/place of fire origin to other locations within the building
Experience total destruction of interior contents (total design fire or fire load) of structure without leading to structural collapse

28. Concrete at elevated temperatures
250 – 420 °C: Some spalling occurs
300 °C: Loss of strength begins
550 – 600 °C: Cement based materials experience creep and lose their load bearing capacity
600 °C: Greater than this temperature, concrete is not functioning at its full structural capacity
900 °C: Temperature of Flame
The rate of increase of temperature through the cross section of a concrete element is relatively slow and so internal zones do not reach the same high temperatures as a surface exposed to flames.
Even after a prolonged period, the internal temperature of concrete remains relatively low; this enables it to retain structural capacity and fire shielding properties as a separating element.

29. Fire Resistance
The term "fire-resistance" designates the ability of a laboratory-constructed assembly to contain a fire in a carefully controlled test setting for a specified period of time.
Define fire resistance.
Fire resistance is NOT the amount of time that a structural member can withstand fire exposure in “real world” situations

30. Harmathy’s Rules of Fire Endurance
Harmathy was a researcher who is known as the grandfather of fire endurance. He published ten simple rules determining fire resistance when comparing two systems
Rule 1.The "thermal" fire endurance of a construction consisting of a number of parallel layers is greater than the sum of the "thermal" fire endurance characteristics of the individual layers when exposed separately to fire.
Rule 2.The fire endurance of a construction does not decrease with the addition of further layers.
Rule 3.The fire endurance of constructions containing continuous air gaps or cavities is greater than the fire endurance of similar constructions of the same weight, but containing no air gaps or cavities.  
Rule 4.The farther an air gap or cavity is located from the exposed surface, the more beneficial its effect on the fire endurance.
Rule 5.The fire endurance of an assembly cannot be increased by increasing the thickness of a completely enclosed air layer.
Rule 6.Layers of materials of low thermal conductivity are better utilized on the side of the construction on which fire is more likely to happen.
Rule 7.The fire endurance of asymmetrical constructions depends on the direction of heat flow.
Rule 8.The presence of moisture, if it does not result in explosive spalling, increases fire resistance.
Rule 9.Load-supported elements, such as beams, girders and joists, yield higher fire endurance when subject to fire endurance tests as parts of floor, roof, or ceiling assemblies than they would when tested separately.
Rule 10.The load-supporting elements (beams, girders, joists, etc.) of a floor, roof, or ceiling assembly can be replaced by such other load-supporting elements which, when tested separately, yielded fire endurance not less than that of the assembly.

31. ACI 216
ACI : Standard Method for Determining Fire Resistance of Concrete and Masonry Construction Assemblies
This Guide for determining the fire resistance of concrete elements is a summary of practical information intended for use by architects. engineers and
building officials who must design concrete structures for particular fire resistances or evaluate structures as designed.
The Guide contains information for determining the fire endurance of simply supported slabs and beams; continuous beams and slabs; floors and roofs in which restraint to thermal expansion occurs; walls; and reinforced concrete columns. Information is also given for determining the jire endurance of certain concrete members based on heat transmission criteria.

32. Determines Fire Resistance through one of four methods
ACI 216
Determines Fire Resistance through one of four methods
Qualification by Testing
Calculated Fire Resistance
Approval through Past Performance
Engineered Analysis
For our purposes, we will only touch on Qualification and Calculated Fire Resistance
1.5.1 Qualification by testing—Materials and assemblies
of materials of construction tested in accordance with the requirements
set forth in ASTM E 119 shall be rated for fire resistance
in accordance with the results and conditions of
such tests.
1.5.2 Calculated fire resistance—The fire resistance associated
with an element or assembly shall be deemed acceptable
when established by the calculation procedures in this
standard or when established in accordance with 1.2—Alternative
Methods.
1.5.3 Approval through past performance—The provisions
of this standard are not intended to prevent the application
of fire ratings to elements and assemblies that have been
applied in the past and have been proven through performance.
1.5.4 Engineered analysis—The provisions of this standard
are not intended to prevent the application of new and
emerging technology for predicting the life safety and property
protection implications of buildings and structures.

33. Qualification by Testing
The most common test method for determining fire resistance in the United States is the ASTM Standard E 119 Test Methods for Fire Tests of Building Construction and Materials.
This test is used to evaluate the fire resistive construction.
ASTM E119 is also known as UL 263, NFPA 251, and UBC 7-1.
A standard time-temperature curve, based upon the work of Ingberg, is used in the ASTM E119 test .

34. ASTM E119 Three End Points to fire test:
Ignition of cotton waste supported on the member surface that is away from the surface directly exposed to fire.
A temperature increase of 325 F at any point or 250 F on average on the unexposed surface (the heat-transmission end point).
Inability to carry the applied design load (i.e., structural collapse).
Pass/fail criteria are based upon the peak temperature attained at the back of the test article and/or whether or not the test article collapses or distorts in a fashion that allows hot gases o escape and in the case of E119, whether the wall can withstand the pressure of a hose stream.
Many structural elements are tested unloaded; there is no limit on the amount of deflection that a beam can undergo and still pass the test; and connections are not tested at all.
Products that are tested with these methods are assigned an equivalent fire endurance time (in hours).

35. ASTM E119
Insert video

36. Calculated Fire Resistance
The fire resistance associated with an element or assembly shall be deemed acceptable when established by the calculation procedures in ACI 216
Plain reinforced concrete bearing and non-bearing walls, floors and roof slabs shall conform with the minimum thickness provided in ACI 216 Table 2.1

37. Calculated Fire Resistance
ACI Table Fire Resistance of singular layer concrete walls, floors, and roofs
Aggregate Type
Minimum equivalent thickness for fire resistance rating, in.
1 hr
1 ½ hr
2 hr
3 hr
4 hr
Siliceous
3.5
4.3
5.0
6.2
7.0
Carbonate
3.2
4.0
4.6
5.7
6.6
Semi-lightweight
2.7
3.3
3.8
5.4
Lightweight
2.5
3.1
3.6
4.4
5.1
The table presents the data from Table 2.1 of the ACI 216 for the minimum thickness of cast-in-place or precast walls for various fire resistance ratings. The data are identical to the minimum thickness of floor slabs because the values are based on the heat transmission end-point criterion.
Carbonate refers to coarse aggregates of limestone, dolomite or limerock - those consisting of calcium or magnesium carbonate. Siliceous refers to most other normal-weight aggregates. Sand-lightweight refers to concretes made with normal-weight sand and lightweight coarse aggregate and generally weighing between 105 and 120 pounds per cubic foot. Lightweight refers to concrete made with lightweight coarse and fine aggregates and weighing between 85 and 115 pcf.

38. Effect of Aggregate
The choice of aggregate directly impacts the performance of concrete during a fire
Fire resistance of concrete is influenced by aggregate type, moisture content, density, permeability and thickness. Carbonate aggregates behave somewhat better than other normal-weight aggregates in a fire.
Aggregate can amount to 60 to 80% of the total volume of concrete; therefore, the choice of aggregate directly impacts the performance of concrete during a fire. As the temperature rises in a concrete wall, the strength of the wall is diminished. Figure 1 shows the strength temperature relationship for carbonate aggregate, sand-lightweight aggregate and siliceous aggregate. While the siliceous aggregate concrete strength is reduced by half at temperatures of 1200 ºF, the carbonate and lightweight aggregate concrete maintains near 100% of its original strength.

39. Fire Resistance of Wood is significantly lower than that of concrete
Wood Fire
Fire Resistance of Wood is significantly lower than that of concrete

40. Fire Resistance
These Fire ratings have been confirmed in so-called “fire-wall” tests. In these tests ICF walls were subjected to continuous gas flames and temperatures of up to 2000ƒF for as long as 4 hours. None of the ICF walls ever failed structurally. All of the ICFs tested were of the “flat” or “uninterrupted grid” type, having no significant breaks in the concrete layer . In contrast, wood frame walls typically collapse in an hour or less.

41. Strength at elevated temperatures

42. Fire Spread
Concrete will not ignite. The fire’s spread is slowed and its damage is minimized.
This ability to resist fire creates more time for detection, evacuation and suppression—the three key ingredients for minimizing damage and injury during a fire.

43. Flame Spread
Concrete will limit flame spread

44. Interior Finish
The majority of fire deaths in a residential home is due to toxic products of combustion from interior finish

45. Toxicity
Most fire deaths result not from heat or burns but from inhaling smoke and toxic gasses.
Gases produced in a fire include: water, CO2, styrene, bromide, and CO
Concrete does not produce toxic gases when involved in a fire
Compartmentation with concrete construction reduces the spread of toxic gas or smoke.

46. Costs FSCAC Cost Comparison Study
The building construction types, designed using the provisions of the 2003 International Building Code, included:
Conventional wood framing with wood floor system (Type V-B Construction)
Conventional wood framing with wood floor system (Type V-A Construction)
Light gauge steel framing with cast-in-place concrete floor system on metal form deck
Insulated concrete form exterior walls with interior bearing walls constructed of
concrete masonry units and precast concrete floor system
Load bearing concrete masonry with precast
concrete floor system
Load-bearing concrete masonry with cast-inplace
Precast concrete walls with precast concrete Floor system
Insulated concrete form walls with precast concrete floor system
Insulated concrete form walls with cast-inplace concrete floor system

47. Cost Study Results
The study provides the relative cost as a comparison to wood frame as a baseline of 100%, indicating increases or decreases relative to the baseline. Cost percentages shown below are examples of those provided by the complete study.

48. Insurance Benefit
With increased emphasis on risk avoidance in the insurance industry, property insurers and risk insurance managers have noticed the fire-resisting advantages offered by non-combustible construction
Source: Concrete & Masonry Industry Firesafety Committee’s Fire Protection Planning Report No. 9

49. Ensure safer Buildings through code adoption
Adopt a model building code which supports the concept of balanced design
Ensure building code does not depend fully on active fire protection systems or incorporate the idea of “sprinkler trade-offs”
Support amendments to the code which allows for adequate passive fire protection design
Consider using concrete in the building design to provide excellent fire resistant construction

50. Example How to adjust existing building code to reduce sprinkler trade-offs
708.3 Fire-resistance rating. Fire partitions shall have a fire-resistance rating of not less than 1 hour.
Exceptions:
1. Corridor walls as permitted by Table
2. Dwelling unit and sleeping unit separations in buildings of Types IIB, IIIB and VB construction shall have fire-resistance ratings of not less than 1 /2 hour in buildings equipped throughout with an automatic sprinkler system in accordance with Section rated corridor as required by Section

51. Take Action!
Find out which (if any!) building code your state or jurisdiction currently enforces or adopts
Research whether the code adequately addresses the ideas incorporated in the balanced design approach
Contact your building code official or state representative and submit your concerns
Work with local groups for adoption of strict amendments ensuring balanced design and participate in the development of the model code process
Educate others on the benefits of concrete construction, passive fire protection and balanced design.

52. Conclusions
Adequate building codes with a balanced design approach can provide safe buildings for occupants, owners and fire safety officials
Concrete is a non-combustible building material that will
Limit flame spread
Reduce costs
Not produce toxic gases during fire
Provide high fire resistance
Ensure fire containment
Construct at similar costs to other construction methods

53. Resources
Include links (websites, names, brochure, addresses, etc.)