fire protection of construction joints

Saving Lives and PropertyThrough Fire and Smoke Containment ©2004 IFC

Fire Protection of Construction Joints

Saving Lives and PropertyThrough Fire and Smoke Containment ©2004 IFC

Answer: Because Joints Move and may present a

weakness in fire containment

Question: Why So Much Concern About Fire-Resistive Construction Joints?

Saving Lives and PropertyThrough Fire and Smoke Containment ©2004 IFC

Where Do I Find These Applications?

Saving Lives and PropertyThrough Fire and Smoke Containment ©2004 IFC

Construction Joint Terminology

A

A – Overall depth of concrete floor assemblyB – Flute depthC – Joint widthD – Minimum concrete depthE - Valley

BC

D

E

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• Assembly Rating

• Movement

• Nominal Joint Width

• Extension

• Compression

• Percent (%) Extension / Compression

• Mineral Wool Compression

• Sealant Depth

Construction Joint Terminology

Saving Lives and PropertyThrough Fire and Smoke Containment ©2004 IFC

Tests for Fire Resistance of Building Joint Systems

Standards: ASTM E 1966UL 2079

Test Items: Building Joint Systems Including:• floor-to-floor• floor-to-wall• head-of-wall• wall-to-wall

Report: Fire rating in hours, i.e., 1, 2, 3 or 4 hours

Saving Lives and PropertyThrough Fire and Smoke Containment ©2004 IFC

Tests for Fire Resistance ofBuilding Joint Systems

• ASTM E 1966 & UL 2079

• All Model Building Codes Now RequireCycling per ASTM E 1399

• Time temperature curve (ASTM E 119)

• Must meet Assembly Rating (T Rating) criteria

– 250° F + ambient average (ASTM E 1966)

– Any 1 thermocouple over 325° F + initial temp (UL 2079)

• Hose stream applicable to walls and wall tops

Saving Lives and PropertyThrough Fire and Smoke Containment ©2004 IFC

Building Construction andMaterials Fire Tests:

Joint Systems (ASTM E1966, UL 2079) ASTM E 119UL 263NFPA 251

Fire Inside

Through-PenetrationFirestop: (ASTM E 814,

UL 1479)

Saving Lives and PropertyThrough Fire and Smoke Containment ©2004 IFC

ASTM E 1399

RateJoint Type No. of Cycles (Cycles/Min.)

Thermal Expansion/Contraction 500 1

Seismic 100 30

Wind Sway 500 10

Combination 100 30400 10

Cyclic Movement and Measuring the Minimum and Maximum Joint Widths of Architectural Joint Systems

Saving Lives and PropertyThrough Fire and Smoke Containment ©2004 IFC

Joints in Action

Minimum Joint Width:Sealant – Compressed - thickestMineral wool – Compressed - most dense

Nominal Joint Width:Sealant – As installedMineral wool – As installed

Maximum Joint Width:Sealant – Stretched - thinnestMineral wool – Stretched -

least dense

Floor/wall assemblyBacker (Mineral Wool)Firestop

Saving Lives and PropertyThrough Fire and Smoke Containment ©2004 IFC

Letters

FF - Floor to Floor

FW - Floor to Wall

HW - Head of Wall

WW - Wall to Wall

D - Dynamic

S - Static

Numbers

0000 - 0999 < 2”

1000 - 1999 < 2” < 6”

2000 - 2999 < 6” < 12”

3000 - 3999 < 12” < 24”

4000 - 4999 < 24”

Underwriters Laboratories Inc.

How Firestop Joint Systems are Listed

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For proper installation practices, always refer to manufacturer’s installation instructions and test laboratory listing.

Saving Lives and PropertyThrough Fire and Smoke Containment ©2004 IFC

Fluted Deck with Sprayed-On Fireproofing

ConcreteFireproofing

FirestopSpray

MineralWoolPacking

Fire Rated Block Wall

Wall Parallelto Flutes

FirestopSpray

Fireproofing

MineralWoolPacking

Concrete

Wall Perpendicular to Flutes

Saving Lives and PropertyThrough Fire and Smoke Containment ©2004 IFC

About the IFCThe International Firestop Council is a not-for-profit association of manufacturers, distributors and installers of fire protective materials and systems.

IFC's mission is to promote the technology of fire containment in modern building construction through research, education and development of safety standards and code provisions.

Website - www.firestop.org

Email - Info@firestop.org

Voting Members

Saving Lives and PropertyThrough Fire and Smoke Containment ©2004 IFC

Available educational seminars on our website include…..

• Firestop 101 – An introduction to firestopping

• Perimeter Curtain Wall Fire Protection

• Firestop System Selection

• Flexible Duct Wrap Systems

• Fire Protection of Construction Joints