Session 10 | Codes | Gary Parker

IBC 2006 Chapter 6

Types of Construction (contd)

Types of Construction

Types I and II of Construction

The building elements of Type I and Type II construction are of noncombustible
materials. The definition of noncombustible material is contained in 703.4 and
requires meeting the criteria of ASTM E 136.

Type I-A, providing the highest level of fire-resistance-rated construction, requires

passive protection for all elements of the structure

Type I-B is similar to Type I-Am but permits a 1-hr reduction in fire-resistance rating
for the structural frame, bearing walls and floor construction, and a hr reduction
for roof construction.

Type II-A construction allows active or passive protection of all elements of the
structure.

Type II-B construction allows unprotected noncombustible building elements. Before

this was described as Type II nonrated.

Combustible Materials in Types I and II Construction

The key to the use of combustible materials in a noncombustible construction type
is understanding that these uses are ancillary to the primary structure of the
building.

The premise for allowing the use of these combustible materials is that they will be
of limited quantity and used under defined conditions where they will not contribute
in any large measure to compromising the desired level of fire-resistance in the
structure.

There are a number of exceptions providing the use of combustible materials in

Type I and Type II constructions.

Exceptions for Combust. Materials in Type I and Type II

603 contains a list of notes specifying which combustible materials can be used in
buildings of Type I and Type II constructions.

1
Reiterates allowances for the use of fire-retardant-treated FRT wood for
non-bearing walls and partitions and for the roof construction noted in the footnotes
of Table 601.

2
Materials with a flame spread of less than 25 have ratings corresponding
to Class A interior finishes per ASTM E 84. These indices may be higher, as noted in
the exception, where insulation is encapsulated between layers of noncombustible
materials without an air space.

3
Foam plastics are allowable of complaint with the provisions of Chapter
26 of the IBC.

4
Most of roof coverings have a classification or A, B or C, so this should
almost always be workable.

Exceptions for Combust. Materials in Type I and Type II

5
IBC recognizes that combustible decorative and utilitarian interior
finishes such as wood floors, will be applied over the noncombustible structural
elements.

6
Wood trim at or near grade level is acceptable if it is not beyond ready
fire-fighting access up to a level of 15 above grade..

Fire-stopping is required in wood floors in Type I and II construction.

8
The key to this section is that the area in question be occupied and
controlled by a single tenant. Also, these partitions must not define exit access
passages that could be construed as corridors for the use of more than 30
occupants. Single tenant floors can have partitions of wood or similar light
construction if they are lower than 6 and allow standing occupants to generally
survey the occupied space in the event of emergency.

9
Platforms are defined in 410 as raised areas used for worship, lectures,
music plays or other entertainment.

Exceptions for Combust. Materials in Type I and Type II

10

These refer to incidental materials defined in 602 of IMC.

11
Provisions from Chapter 14, Chapter 26 and Chapter 7 that regard the
fire-separation and fire-resistive properties of combustible veneers in projections
from exterior walls.

12
Combustible blocking and nailers are incidental to the structural fireresistance of the building as a whole. This note acknowledges the necessity for their
usage.

13
Plastic glazing materials are permitted in conformance with the
requirements of Chapter 26.

14

Similar to Note 12

15
Decorative plastic veneer is allowable if installed in accordance with
requirements of Chapter 26.

Exceptions for Combust. Materials in Type I and Type II

16

Similar to Note 12.

17

This is a cross-reference to Footnote C of Table 601 and is redundant.

18
These aggregates are allowed to be combustible provided that the
assembly meets the fire-resistance-test criteria of the IBC.

19-22
These exceptions allow for combustible materials to be used if they meet
specific criteria spelled out in other sections of the IBC.

Exceptions for Combust. Materials in Type I and Type II

Type III Construction

Type III buildings are a mix of noncombustible and combustible elements, having
noncombustible exterior walls and combustible interior construction.

These building types arose in the US in late 1800s out of the need to end
conflagrations that struck congested business districts such as Chicago.

The buildings were designed to prevent a fire from spreading from one building to
another by igniting the exterior wall of adjacent buildings.

Type III Construction

Type III buildings are a mix of noncombustible and combustible elements, having
noncombustible exterior walls and combustible interior construction.

These building types arose in the US in late 1800s out of the need to end
conflagrations that struck congested business districts such as Chicago.

The buildings were designed to prevent a fire from spreading from one building to
another by igniting the exterior wall of adjacent buildings.

Type III Construction

The construction materials on the exterior of a
Type III building are required to be of
noncombustible materials. FRT wood is
allowable in the exterior walls where the required
fire-resistance rating is 2 hrs or less.

Table 601 requires 2hr walls for Type III-A

buildings, thus FRT wood is acceptable except
where this is superseded by the requirements of
Table 602 based on the fire separation distance.
This would only occur in Group H occupancies
with a fire-separation distance of of less than 5.

Type III buildings are considered combustible

since the IBC allows their interior building
elements to be of combustible materials and
also to be of unprotected construction of allowed
by the building height and area allowances
based on occupancy.

Type IV Construction
Type IV buildings came about to address firesafety conditions for manufacturing and storage,
as Type III did for office and residential
occupancies.

It is also known as mill construction.

They utilized heavy timber HT structural

members and heavy wood floor decking inside of
exterior walls of noncombustible construction.

Many of these buildings have also movable

heavy metal shutters to close off exterior
openings to prevent a fire to propagate from
outside or into the neighboring building.

Type IV Construction
The criteria for HT construction are based on the past performance of historical
construction, not on the scientific rationales of ASTM E 136 and E 119.

Type III buildings burn slower under fire conditions. As the charring of the HT
members continues, it retards further deterioration of the wood members by
insulating the core of the wood from the fire.

This type of construction utilizes heavy-sawn timbers in older buildings, but likely will
use glued-laminated structural wood members in modern construction.

Type IV Construction
A key element of HT construction is that there
are no concealed spaces in the building
elements. This prevents the development of
unobserved fires. This would prevent sudden
structural collapse. Lumber sizes are called out
as nominal, hence the actual dimensions of
wood members will be smaller. Ex. 8x8 nominal
= 7 x7 actual.

Floor framing requires a minimum nominal

thickness of 3 and floor are required to be held
away from the exterior wall but blocked with fireblocking or corbeling under floor members.

Sprinkler substitutions criteria for the roof of HT

buildings are contained in 602.4.3 and not
called in footnote d of Table 601 like other
constructions. Also, the separation criteria for HT
buildings are noted in 602.4.7 and not in Table
602 like other types of construction.

Type V Construction
Type V construction is the least restrictive
construction type. It allows the use of any
materials permitted by the IBC. A typical example
is the conventional light-wood-framed single
family residence.

Due to the fact that elements are combustible,

the fire resistance of building elements is
typically provided by the application of fireresistance materials to the building parts.

Type V-A construction is a protected

construction, hence all major building elements
must have a 1hr rating.

Type V-B construction is unprotected and

requires no fire-resistance ratings except where
602.1 and Table 602 require exterior wall
protection.