A new healthcare building is being designed with a suite with no sleeping areas and full smoke detection. What is the required construction for the corridor walls?
a. smoke partition only
b. smoke barrier only
c. 1-hour fire resistance and smoke barrier
d. none of the above

Solution | Posted 07/11/19

​We are working on a temple project that will be constructed using solid natural stones (Sandstone and Marble). All structural members of the temple will also be made of stones to be cut and taken directly from the mountains. Ferrous materials will not be permitted in the construction of the Temple.

The AHJ is requiring us to present theoretically the default fire ratings of these natural stones to be used with particular thicknesses. What resources exist to help calculate/determine the fire ratings of these solid natural stones?

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Up through the 2015 Edition of NFPA 101, membrane penetrations in 1-hour or more rated walls/partitions allows any "steel electrical box not exceeding 0.1 sqft" to be addressed by several options. 

The IBC has a similar provision, although it talks about 16-square-inch boxes instead of 0.1 sqft.

NFPA 101 2012
8.3.5.6.3 Where walls or partitions are required to have a minimum 1-hour fire resistance rating, recessed fixtures shall be installed in the wall or partition in such a manner that the required fire resistance is not reduced, unless one of the following is met:
(1) Any steel electrical box not exceeding 0.1 ft2 (0.01 m2) shall be permitted where the aggregate area of the openings
provided for the boxes does not exceed 0.7 ft2 (0.06 m2) in any 100 ft2 (9.3 m2) of wall area, and, where outlet boxes are installed on opposite sides of the wall, the boxes shall be separated by one of the following:
(a) Horizontal distance of not less than 24 in. (610 mm)
(b) Horizontal distance of not less than the depth of the wall cavity, where the wall cavity is filled with cellulose loose-fill, rock wool, or slag wool insulation
(c)*Solid fireblocking
(d) Other listed materials and methods

The 0.1 sqft threshold seems overly vague - a 4-inch x 4-inch electrical backbox, for instance, is 16 square inches while 0.1 sqft = 14.4 square inches.

Has anyone come across this part of NFPA 101 before and addressed this issue with anything other than a listed box or puddy pad? My understanding is that the only way to address these 4x4 boxes, since they don't qualify as being 0.1 sqft or less, is to have a listed electrical outlet box or to use a listed assembly around the box (like a puddy pad).

After looking into this question a little more, it looks like the 2018 Edition of NFPA 101 even clarified this section to change 0.1 sqft to 16 square inches, but we're not under the 2018 Edition for this project.

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​A building addition is to connect two existing buildings of different construction types. Which of the following construction type arrangements is always permissible?
a. Provide the least fire-resistive construction type of the connected portions with no fire barrier separation
b. Provide 1-hour vertically aligned fire barrier wall is installed between them to create separate buildings
c. Provide any construction type for the connection portion with 2-hour fire barrier between buildings
d. none of the above

Solution | Posted 06/19/19

A hospital's patient tower has an an exit access corridor with 1/2 hour partition fire resistance rating on the first level. If the interior architect would like to provide side transoms (narrow windows) along the side of the doors that lead to the exit access corridor, what fire resistance rating must the transoms have?
a. 1/3 hour
b. 1/2 hour
c. 3/4 hour
d. 1-hour

Solution | Posted 06/8/19

I've taken technical writing courses and have experience working with MasterSpec, US Military specifications, vendor specifications, and various ownership standard specifications.

I'm giving an internal training to our younger staff and I'm particularly interested in opinions from contractors and vendors who regularly read a variety of specifications for bidding.

What advice would you give for those who write specifications? I'd be interested in helping train our staff as well as improve myself.

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In my experience I've seen a handful of methods in Revit to create life safety plans, and in general they're all developed by the teams I've worked with using a combination of "rooms" and "railings" to calculate occupant loads and travel distances. 

Is there any third-party add-ins or software that others use that could possibly help streamline these efforts?

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A dormitory has 1/2-hour fire barriers separating each residential unit. On each side of the 1/2-hour wall, penetrating the 5/8" gypsum, are shower valves that serve showers within bathrooms on each side.

The shower valves have the valve assembly itself and an opening that's covered with a metal escutcheon. These would qualify as a membrane penetration under the International Building Code.

For back-to-back vales in the wall, how is this commonly addressed to still maintain the 1/2-hour fire resistance rating?

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Is it necessary to provide a UL firestop for a sprinkler through a fire-rated partition?

I would think that since the penetrating item is a sprinkler that it would not require an actual UL firestop penetration, however I am having trouble finding a code reference to back up my thoughts. My scenario is a sidewall going to through a vertical double layer gypsum partition. 

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I've had the request multiple times from architects to provide closely spaced sprinklers near interior windows to provide the equivalent of a 1-hour wall. 

The only support I see for such an arrangement in the International Building Code or in NFPA 13 for glass is specific to the "Enclosure of Atriums," Section 404.5 (2003-2009 Editions) or 404.6 (2013-2015 Editions).

If someone is looking to provide the equivalent of a 1-hour wall, with glass, that is not a part of an atrium enclosure, then are the only options to provide rated glass or the Tyco WS Window Sprinkler?

I sense a lot of confusion on this topic from architects, whom I guess see other project arrangements and just assume they're standard closely-spaced sprinklers.

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​A new-construction high-rise is being installed. Where a vertical trash chute has openings into a room on each floor, which of the following is not required?
     a. The room must not be greater than 400 square feet (37 square meters)
     b. The chute can be no greater than 24 square feet (2.2 square meters)
     c. The room may only be used for storage
     d. The room must have automatic sprinklers

Solution | Posted 10/11/18

An opening within a smoke partition for air transfer requires what type of protective device?
a. fire/smoke damper, minimum 45 minute rating
b. fire/smoke damper, minimum 1.5 hour rating
c. smoke damper, minimum 250 F rated
d. smoke damper, minimum 350 F rated

Solution | Posted 09/04/18

An open, unobstructed space connects an entry level lobby with a balcony on the level above in a fully sprinklered residential building while separated from the remainder of the building with a smoke barrier. If the space only has low hazard contents and meets egress requirements, what type of space does it qualify as?
a. Atrium
b. Communicating Space
c. Convenience Opening
d. Two-Story Opening with Partial Enclosure

Solution | Posted 09/03/18

Considering all potential components in a building, which of the following occupancies have the most restrictive requirements for material flame spread and smoke development?
a. new day-care centers
b. existing duplex home
c. existing Class B department store
d. new large warehouse

Solution | Posted 08/22/18

Considering all potential components in a building, which of the following occupancies has the most restrictive requirements for material flame spread and smoke development?
a. new day-care centers
b. existing duplex home
c. existing Class B department store
d. new large warehouse

Solution | Posted 08/21/18

A four-story low-rise senior retirement living facility is being designed without the need for health support services. Which of the following areas which each serve the entire floor level require a minimum of one-hour fire resistance rating?
a. A 300 sqft laundry room
b. A 50 sqft trash room
c. A 100 sqft storage room
d. All of the above

Solution | Posted 08/16/18

An equivalency is being developed for a building with unprotected steel W24x76 columns. Determine the fire endurance time (in minutes) for one of these columns W24x76 columns have an approximate flange and web thickness of 0.68 inches, and a flange width of 8.99 inches.
a. 4.3 minutes
b. 7.8 minutes
c. 9.7 minutes
d. 55.3 minutes

Solution | Posted 08/14/18

A building addition is to connect two existing buildings of different construction types. Which of the following construction type arrangements is always permissible?
a. Provide the least fire-resistive construction type of the connected portions with no fire barrier separation
b. Provide 1-hour vertically aligned fire barrier wall is installed between them to create separate buildings
c. Provide any construction type for the connection portion with 2-hour fire barrier between buildings
d. none of the above

Solution | Posted 06/27/18

​Which of the following arrangements is not permitted for a new prison, under NFPA standards?
a. Sprinkler Protected, Type II (222) Construction, High-Rise Building
b. Sprinkler Protected, Type II (000) Construction, 3-Story Building
c. Sprinkler Protected, Type IV (2HH) Construction, 2-Story Building
d. Sprinkler Protected, Type V (000) Construction, 1-Story Building

Solution | Posted 06/21/18

A continuous membrane with a fire protection rating constructed to limit the spread of fire is which of the following?
a. smoke partition
b. fire compartment
c. fire barrier
d. proscenium wall

Solution | Posted 06/19/18

A hospital's patient tower has an an exit access corridor with 1/2 hour partition fire resistance rating on
the first level. If the interior architect would like to provide side transoms (narrow windows) along the side
of the doors that lead to the exit access corridor, what fire resistance rating must the transoms have?
a. 1/3 hour
b. 1/2 hour
c. 3/4 hour
d. 1-hour

Solution | Posted 06/13/18