NFPA 13 requires closely spaced sprinklers with a draft curtain around unenclosed moving stairways, staircases, or similar unenclosed floor openings which are not large (20 feet or more across and 1000 sqft or greater), as an alternative to the enclosure of the vertical opening (NFPA 13 8.15.4.1 in 2016 and 9.3.5.1 in 2019).
This seems to jive with NFPA 101, but where does it come into play with the International Building Code? As a sprinkler designer I want to be cognizant of situations where closely spaced sprinklers and draft curtains are necessary, but would they only surface as an AHJ-approved code alternative by IBC 104.11 (Alternative materials, design and methods)? Posted anonymously for discussion. Discuss This | Submit a Question | Subscribe
2 Comments
PETE
4/24/2019 10:20:20 am
NFPA 13 also calls for closely spaced sprinklers when putting water curtain sprinklers on windows to fire rate the partition.
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IBC (2015) addresses this situation specifically in section 712 - VERTICAL OPENINGS, and references the protection methods of NFPA 13:
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