Title: Interior construction
1Interior construction Technical criteria for
design
Harvard Graduate School of Design
http//www.gsd.harvard.edu/courses/6204
2Technical criteria for interior construction
- 1. Safety regulations governing material behavior
in fire/natural disaster - 2. Durability relative to impact loads (humans,
furnishings, etc) - 3. Ease of maintenance
- 4. Tactile environment
- 5. Acoustic environment (reflective/absorptive
surfaces) - Weathering and waterproofing concerns less
important
3Fire safety regulations building codes classify
buildings by
- 1. Use or occupancy
- assembly, business, educational, factory,
hazardous, institutional, mercantile,
residential, storage, utility - 2. Construction type (types 1 thru 5)
- combustible, noncombustible, and combination
- These classifications together determine
- allowable building footprint
- height
- number of stories
4Construction types based on fire ratings of
structural and enclosure materials
Types 1 2All noncombustibleconstruction
Type 5Combustible structure
Types 3 4Noncombustible exterior walls
combustible interior structure
5Construction types based on fire ratings of
structural and enclosure materials
6Interior finish materials and assemblies are
given fire resistance rating.
- Class I (ASTM 0 - 25) least combustible
- Class II (ASTM 26 - 75)
- Class III (ASTM 76 - 200) most restricted use
- Ratings based on material composition, thickness,
conditions of substrate and attachment. - American Society for Testing and Materials
7Special areas of regulation
- Fire stairs and means of egress
- very strict in most occupancies
- 2. Vertical shafts, duct penetrations
- 3. High-ceiling spaces
- 4. Doors and their hardware
- 5. Glazed areas
- Many traditional flooring materials (wood,
vinyl tile, terrazzo) exempt from restrictions
except in cases of unusual danger.
8Maintenance issues
- 1. Porosity of finish surface
- acceptance of dirt, grease, dust
- 2. Exposure to water
- 3. Exposure to human touch/ interaction