Specific Requirements for Parking Stackers?

7/2/2020

Anybody in this group has experience to design or approval of parking stackers inside the building?

This is outside the code will be reviewed as Amended Means & Methods.

They occur on two different projects (1) The Car's engine shall be off when enter the parking garage and electronic left will park the cars in stack, and (2) The car will be driven inside the garage to platform to be parked.

In both cases the fire sprinkler design density, exhaust system and means of egress requirements are in question.

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6 Comments

FIREPE25

7/2/2020 10:30:47 am

As far as the sprinkler system is concerned I believe the 2016 edition of NFPA13 added design criteria for two level car stackers. It is now an extra hazard group 2. If you are talking about more than two levels you could potentially use some type of sprinkler arrangement similar to in-racks.

firemanmike

7/6/2020 07:01:01 am

We recently ran into this situation where we have 70+ "suites" where you can store your car(s) and most were to have some type of vehicle lift. The house "shell" sprinkler system was designed to a .20 OH2 density (based off 2013 NFPA 13). The Standard changed, and created a large group of upset owners who cannot use their lifts. We have explored designs similar to "in rack" systems, however no one can get a design to work as they go deep into a negative safety factor.

Jeremy

12/11/2020 01:21:23 pm

Hi was this ever resolved, what was the resolution? I have a three tier car stacking system which is being designed.

Rick Rantamaki

8/5/2021 01:46:05 pm

The 2019 San Francisco Fire Code provides the following design guideline:

Parking garage areas containing Car Stackers / lift systems with 2 or more lift platforms shall be protected by an automatic wet-pipe sprinkler system designed to Extra Hazard (Group 2). In addition, non-extended coverage standard-response sidewall sprinklers, listed for Ordinary Hazard, shall be acceptable for use to cover under each parking platform, including the bottom level, if the stacker is provided with a pit. The hydraulic calculation design criteria shall include all ceiling-level sprinklers within a minimum 2,500 square feet area of sprinkler operation, or the maximum area containing car stackers/lift systems extending 15 feet into adjacent areas that do not contain car stackers/lift systems. In addition a total of six (6) sidewall sprinklers under lift platforms shall be included in the area of sprinkler operation. The design density for the sidewall sprinklers shall be Ordinary Hazard Group 2. The sidewall sprinkler flow shall be from two (2) sidewall sprinklers covering under the top level parking platform at three (3) adjacent stalls or areas with car stacker/lift platforms.

Artur link

7/30/2020 12:56:56 pm

We've done recently 2 story garage with car stackers (as contractor). We didnt do the design though.
Engineer wanted from us Extra hazard 1, dry pipe system + sidewall sprinkler protecting lower level of car stackers.
Ceiling sprinklers k=11.2 and those sidewalls were k=5.6.
Also PE wanted us to show him calculations of both ceiling sprinklers and sidewalls discharging at the same time.

Rick Macieko, PE

10/6/2021 03:49:41 pm

The 2019 San Francisco Fire Code specifies a wet-pipe sprinkler system, does this preclude using a dry pipe sprinkler system? I have an application in NJ in an open parking garage that is not heated and was looking to use this design approach.

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Specific Requirements for Parking Stackers?

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