BUILDING CONSTRUCTION IFSTA : Chapter 3

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BUILDING CONSTRUCTIONIFSTA Chapter 3
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BUILDING CONSTRUCTIONIFSTA Chapter 3

• Additional reading
• IFSTA Essentials 4 chapter 8, 9, 10
• Only for the information relating to building
  construction
• Some quiz, midterm and final questions will be
  from this material

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Learning Objectives

• List and define five types of building
  construction.
• Identify the effects fire has on common building
  materials to enable firefighters to effectively
  attack the fire.
• Identify the different occupancies and their
  effects at a structure fire.

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Learning Objectives

• Identify the hazards of building construction
  during fire suppression operations.
• Identify construction features during size up.
• Identify indicators of structural failure or
  collapse during fire suppression operations

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Types of Building Construction

• Most building codes have 5 types of building
  construction.
• Many buildings include several types of
  construction.

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Type I Fire Resistive Construction

• Structural members made of noncombustible /
  limited combustible materials.
• Construction intended to confine fire and its
  byproducts to a given location.
• Primary fire hazard is contents of structure.

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Type II Noncombustible Construction

• Lower degree of fire resistance than type I.
• Fire resistance rating on all exterior and
  interior load bearing walls.
• May have combustible features, as materials with
  no fire resistance rating may be used.
• Generally have flat roofs with combustible felt,
  insulation and roofing tar.

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Why is Size-up Important?
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Type III Ordinary Construction

• Exterior walls structural members of
  noncombustible / limited combustible materials.
• Interior members (walls, beams, floors, roof) are
  made of wood.
• Hazards smoke and fire spread through concealed
  spaces.
• Fire stops to limit spread.

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Type IV Heavy Timber

• Exterior / interior walls noncombustible
  material.
• Interior structural members (beams, columns,
  arches, floors etc.) made of solid or laminated
  wood with no concealed spaces.
• Found in old factories, warehouses, churches.

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Type V Frame Construction
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Type V Frame Construction

• Exterior and interior structural members made of
  wood.
• Fire Hazards unlimited potential for fire
  extension, fire extension to nearby structures.
• Typical residential home

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Platform Frame

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Silent Flooring
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Poor Construction Methods
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Fire Effects on Common Construction Materials
Wood

• May be used in load bearing and non-load bearing
  walls.
• Reaction of wood to fire conditions is based on
  the size of the wood and its moisture content.
• Water does not have a negative effect on woods
  structural strength.
• Plywood, particle board, paneling may be highly
  combustible, produce toxic gases and rapidly
  deteriorate under fire conditions.

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Fire Effects on Common Construction Materials -
Masonry

• Brick, concrete, and stonework.
• Commonly used for firewalls to separate connected
  structures and prevent fire spread.
• May be used as load bearing or veneer.
• Minimally affected by fire high temperatures.
• Mortar joints between bricks, blocks may
  deteriorate. (mortar mix is weakest part of wall)
• Rapid cooling of masonry by water may cause
  cracking or spalling.

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Fire Effects on Common Construction Materials -
Concrete

• Concrete is a mixture of portland cement, sand,
  gravel and water.
• Often used as a fire resistive protection for
  structural steel (reinforced concrete).
• May crack or spall if heated, indication of
  damage reduced strength.
• Heating may cause bond between steel and concrete
  to fail.
• Concrete tends to absorb and retain heat.

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Fire Effects on Common Construction Materials
Reinforced Concrete
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Fire Effects on Common Construction Materials -
Steel

• Primary use of steel is for structural members.
• Steel is an excellent conductor of heat.
• Steel loses strength as temperature increases
• Steel structural members will elongate when
  heated.
• Water can cool steel structural members and
  reduce risk of failure or collapse.

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Fire Effects on Common Construction Materials -
Steel
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Fire Effects on Common Construction Materials -
Plastic

• Becoming integrated to replace/improve common
  building materials
• Plastics are oil-based (hydrocarbons)
• Two general types
• Thermoplastics (melt, deform, vapourize burns!)
• Thermosets (decomposes, only burns with extreme
  temps)

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Fire Effects on Common Construction Materials -
Plastic

• General Rule of Thumb when fighting fires
  involving plastics
• Burn fast
• Very intense heat
• Dense black smoke
• Extremely toxic
• Can resemble a Class B Fire (flammable liquids)

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BREAK TIME
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Roof TypesThree Main Types(a) Flat(b)
Pitched(c) Arched
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Occupancy Versus Type of Construction

• Occupancy creates the fire load.
• Building codes specify building type based on
  occupancy classification.
• Fire code determines fire protection based on
  building and occupancy use.
• Occupancies are residential, commercial,
  business, industrial and educational.
• Each type has a number of hazards.

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Occupancy Hazards
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Building Uses

• Ontario Fire Code and Ontario Building Code
  separate buildings in groups A-F, as related to
  their major use (or major occupancy)
• With each type of building comes various
  requirements/restrictions on building
  construction
• Private dwelling residences are exempt (with some
  exceptions)

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Building Uses

• A Assembly
• Theatres, libraries, schools, large bars, pubs
  and restaurants
• B Institutional (compelled to sleep over)
• Jails, hospitals, orphanages, nursing homes
• C Residential
• Apartment buildings (common area) , group homes,
  houses, motels
• D Business and Personal Services
• Banks, barber shops, offices (medico legal),
  laundromat
• E Mercantile
• Markets, stores, shops, supermarkets,
  restaurants, bars and pubs
• F Industrial
• Flammable liquid plant, television studio,
  freight depot

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Firefighter HazardsStructure Fires

• Change in occupancy creating an unusually heavy
  fire load.
• Dangerous stockpiling and excessive stock
  creating access problems.
• Unknown design errors, renovations, contractor
  short cuts.
• Arsonists traps or tampering with fire protection
  systems.
• Occupancy may not be what it appears.
• (drug lab, boarding house, group home, etc.)

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Construction Features Assessed During Size Up

• What constructions features are important during
  size-up?

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Construction Features Assessed During Size Up
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Firefighter HazardsStructure Fires

• Combustible furnishings finishes.
• Wooden floors / ceilings.
• Large open spaces.
• Synthetic materials.
• Lightweight truss construction.

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Lightweight Wood or Steel Truss
ConstructionVery Dangerous Firefighting
Conditions
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Truss Roofs

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Bowstring Truss!
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Beware of the Truss!
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Structural Collapse

• Every structure fire has the potential for
  collapse.
• Firefighters must be aware and look for
  indicators to collapse.

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Signs of Potential Collapse

• Prolonged exposure.(time)
• Distorted structural members.
• Fire on floors below heavy machinery and heavy
  loads.

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Signs of Potential Collapse
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Building Collapse Zone
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Size Up What do you see?
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The Back?
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The Side?
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Summary

• Firefighters must know understand building
  construction.
• There are five common types of construction.
• Firefighters need to be aware of the hazards
  associated with structure fires.
• Effects of fire on building materials.
• Signs of structural collapse.