Deck 7: Fire and Smoke-Related Properties

Question 1

Among the various types of construction included in a building code, which is the most fire- resistive type?

A)Type HT
B)Type V(A)
C)Type V(B)
D)Type I(A)
E)None of the above

Answer 1

D

Question 2

Noncombustible/combustible types of construction are

A)Types 1 and 2.
B)Types V and VI.
C)Types III and IV.
D)Types I and II.
E)Types 1, 2, and 3.

Answer 2

C

Question 3

Based on the statistics of fatalities in building fires in the United States, which building type has the worst record?

A)Hotel buildings
B)Industrial buildings
C)Multifamily dwellings
D)One- and two- family dwellings
E)Office buildings

Answer 3

D

Question 4

Combustible types of construction are

A)Type VI.
B)Type V.
C)Types 4 and 5.
D)Types 4, 5, and 6.
E)Types IV, V, and VI.

Question 5

Noncombustible types of construction are

A)Types 1, 2, and 3.
B)Type I.
C)Types I and II.
D)Types III and IV.
E)Types 1 and 2.

Question 6

The total number of types of construction, including their sub- classifications, in a building code is

A)6)
B)7)
C)8)
D)9)
E)10.

Question 7

The design of the means- of- egress system in a building is a part of

A)passive fire protection.
B)upgraded fire protection.
C)basic fire protection.
D)active fire protection.
E)none of the above.

Question 8

Fire detection system in a building is a part of

A)upgraded fire protection.
B)basic fire protection.
C)passive fire protection.
D)active fire protection.
E)none of the above.

Question 9

Statistics based on autopsies conducted on people who died in building fires indicate that most deaths occur due to

A)emotional shock.
B)smoke.
C)burns.
D)heart failure.

Question 10

The automatic sprinkler system in a building is a part of

A)basic fire protection
B)active fire protection.
C)upgraded fire protection
D)passive fire protection.
E)none of the above.

Question 11

Fire- resistance rating of building assemblies is generally obtained from fire tests, not through calculations.

Question 12

The fire code is one of the most important chapters in a building code.

Question 13

Based on ASTM E136 test, fire- retardant- treated (FRT)wood is a

A)combustible/noncombustible material and hence it can be used in assemblies where the use of noncombustible materials is mandated.
B)noncombustible material.
C)combustible material and hence it cannot be used in assemblies where the use of noncombustible materials is mandated.
D)combustible material but is allowed to be used in several assemblies where the use of noncombustible materials is mandated.
E)none of the above.

Question 14

Fire- resistance rating is a property of

A)the total thickness of assembly.
B)the assembly as a whole.
C)the material of which the assembly is made.
D)the materials and the weight of assembly.
E)none of the above.

Question 15

Building codes divide the types of construction into

A)Types I to VI.
B)Types 1 to 5.
C)Types 1 to 6.
D)Types I to V.
E)none of the above.

Question 16

Fire- resistance rating of an assembly is measured in units of

A)total heat released by assembly in fire test.
B)pounds per square inch.
C)time.
D)rate of temperature increase of assembly during fire test.
E)none of the above.

Question 17

In which type(s)of construction, the exterior nonbearing walls must be of noncombustible materials?

A)Type IV(C)
B)Type IV(A)and Type IV(B)
C)Type V(B)
D)Type V(A)
E)All types except Type V(A)and Type V(B)

Question 18

In determining the fire- resistance rating of an assembly through ASTM E119 test, which of the following properties of the assembly are investigated?

A)Structural integrity during the fire
B)Change of color of assembly during the fire
C)Occurrence of cracks in assembly during the fire
D)(a)and (b)
E)(a)and (c)

Question 19

Which type of construction is commonly used in a typical single- family dwelling in the United States?

A)Type II(B)
B)Type IV
C)Type II(A)
D)Type V(B)
E)Type V(A)

Question 20

A material whose core is noncombustible but is covered with a combustible lamination or paint is considered a noncombustible material, provided that the thickness of the paint or lamination does not exceed

A)1/8 in.
B)1/16 in.
C)1 in.
D)1/2 in.
E)1/4 in.

Question 21

In terms of fire- related fatalities in buildings in the U.S., which of the two building types is more vulnerable:
(i)Residential buildings or non- residential buildings?
(ii)One- and two- family dwellings or multifamily residential buildings?

Question 22

FSI of cement board is

A)20.
B)zero.
C)200.
D)50.
E)100.

Question 23

What is the essential difference between the building code and the fire code of a city?

Question 24

Based on their fire properties, interior finishes are divided into

A)Classes I, II, III, and IV.
B)Classes W, X, Y, and Z.
C)Classes A, B, C, and D.
D)Classes A, B, and
E)Classes X, Y, and Z.

Question 25

A fire wall must be constructed of noncombustible materials with no exceptions.

Question 26

Describe what constitutes passive fire protection in buildings.

Question 27

A fire barrier refers to a

A)fire- rated wall.
B)fire- rated floor.
C)fire- rated roof.
D)all of the above.
E)none of the above.

Question 28

The exit access corridor walls in most occupancies need not be fire rated if the building is provided with automatic sprinklers throughout.

Question 29

Which building code provision deals with fire- safe maintenance of buildings after its occupancy?

Question 30

The walls enclosing an exit stair are generally designed as

A)fire walls.
B)fire partitions.
C)fire barriers.
D)any one of the above.
E)none of the above.

Question 31

A fire wall divides a building into two parts in such a way that

A)if the automatic sprinklers have been installed in one part, it is as if they have been installed in both parts.
B)the two parts behave as two separate buildings so that if one part burns down and collapses along with the fire wall, the other part will remain intact.
C)the aggregate area of each part is the same.
D)the occupant load in each part is the same.
E)the two parts behave as two separate buildings so that if one part burns down and collapses, the other part and the fire wall will remain intact.

Question 32

SDI measures

A)toxicity of smoke.
B)visibility through smoke.
C)rate of smoke generation.
D)amount of carbon dioxide in smoke.
E)none of the above.

Question 33

In broad terms, there are two ways to provide fire protection in buildings. Name them.

Question 34

The maximum value of SDI recognized by building codes is

A)50.
B)150.
C)300.
D)450.
E)none of the above.

Question 35

A rectangular area of building that is bounded on all three sides by exterior walls, on the fourth side by a fire barrier, and with fire- rated floors above and below, may be treated as a fire area.

Question 36

The spread of flames on floor finishes is ignored.

Question 37

The term firestop refers to

A)a fire- rated floor with a minimum fire rating of 3 h.
B)a fire- rated wall with a minimum fire rating of 3 h.
C)a fire seal in a non- fire- rated wall or floor.
D)a fire seal in a fire- rated wall or floor.
E)none of the above.

Question 38

The term FSI refers to

A)fire and smoke index.
B)fire- speed index.
C)flame- spread index.
D)fire safety index.

Question 39

The fire properties that determine the class of interior finishes are

A)fire- resistance rating and FSI.
B)fire- resistance rating, FSI, and SDI.
C)fire- resistance rating and SDI.
D)FSI and SDI.

Question 40

Describe what constitutes active fire protection in buildings.

Question 41

If a material passes ASTM E136 test, qualifying it as a noncombustible material, does it mean that it will perform better than a combustible material in a building fire? Explain.

Question 42

Name two commonly referenced publications for obtaining the fire ratings of frequently used building assemblies.

Question 43

The nine types of construction in the International Building Code are divided into three groups: (i)noncombustible group, (ii)combustible group, and (iii)noncombustible/combustible group. Name the types of construction in combustible group.

Question 44

When determining the fire rating of an assembly through laboratory testing, is the test specimen scaled half full- size, quarter full- size or some other size?

Question 45

Is the fire rating of non- load- bearing walls (i.e., partition walls)a determinant for the type of construction of a building?

Question 46

Which factor determines the type of construction of a building?

Question 47

The building codes permit the use of fire- retardant- treated (FRT)wood or FRT plywood in some situations where noncombustible materials are required, although both these materials are not recognized by codes as noncombustible materials. Explain the reasons.

Question 48

Why is gypsum board recognized as a noncombustible material by the codes although it has paper lining on both sides, which is a combustible material?

Question 49

The nine types of construction in the International Building Code are divided into three groups: (i)noncombustible group, (ii)combustible group, and (iii)noncombustible/combustible group. Name the types of construction in the noncombustible group.

Question 50

The International Building Code classifies buildings into nine types of construction. Name them.

Question 51

The International Building Code classifies types of construction into three groups based on the requirement for the use of combustible or noncombustible materials. What is the requirement for the noncombustible group?

Question 52

The International Building Code classifies types of construction into three groups based on the requirement for the use of combustible or noncombustible materials. What is the requirement for the noncombustible/combustible group?

Question 53

The International Building Code classifies types of construction into three groups based on the requirement for the use of combustible or noncombustible materials. What is the requirement for the combustible group?

Question 54

In determining the fire rating of an assembly through laboratory testing, an important criterion to meet is that it should maintain its structural integrity for the duration of its fire rating. What other criterion/criteria should the assembly satisfy during that duration?

Question 55

Give one example where fire- retardant- treated (FRT)wood or FRT plywood is permitted by the codes as substitute for noncombustible materials.

Question 56

A fire creates heat and smoke in buildings. Although both-high temperature and smoke-are deadly, which of the two contributes more to human fatalities?

Question 57

The nine types of construction in the International Building Code are divided into three groups: (i)noncombustible group, (ii)combustible group, and (iii)noncombustible/combustible group. Name the types of construction in noncombustible/combustible group.

Question 58

Name the quantity that measures the fire endurance of an assembly and give its units.

Question 59

Is fire endurance a material property or an assembly property?

Question 60

Is the fire rating of an assembly determined through calculations or laboratory testing?

Question 61

Using a sketch and notes, explain how the fire- resistance rating of an assembly is determined using ASTM standard E119.

Question 62

What does the acronym NFPA stand for?

Question 63

List the three groups into which the types of construction of buildings are divided based on whether the materials used in assemblies are combustible or noncombustible.

Question 64

The International Building Code classifies interior finishes as Class A, Class B, and Class C. Which material property(ies)are these classes based on?

Question 65

List two materials commonly used to increase the fire rating of an assembly.

Question 66

List the factors that affect fire safety in buildings.

Question 67

Describe the differences between Class A, Class B, and Class C interior finishes based on FSI and SDI.

Question 68

The required minimum fire ratings of various assemblies in Type III(A)and Type IV are essentially the same. What is the difference between these two types of construction?

Question 69

What is the type of construction of the building of Problem 8 if the floor's fire rating is 2 h, while all else remain unchanged?

Question 70

What does smoke developed index (SDI)mean? Does SDI apply to a material or an assembly?

Question 71

Explain why we need a test standard to determine whether a building material is combustible or noncombustible when we generally know which material is combustible and which is noncombustible.

Question 72

List the building assemblies that determine the type of construction classification of a building.

Question 73

The exterior walls of a building may pose a fire hazard to the adjacent building within the same lot or across the property line. Therefore, an exterior wall's minimum required fire rating is a function of its distance from the adjacent building, defined as fire separation distance (FSD)by the International Building Code. What is the required minimum value of FSD for a non- load- bearing wall (such as a glass curtain wall)so that the wall's fire rating may be zero?

Question 74

What is the difference between Type III(A)and Type IV construction? Explain.

Question 75

What does flame spread index (FSI)mean? Does FSI apply to a material or an assembly?

Question 76

Which type of construction is commonly used for single- family dwellings in the U.S.?

Question 77

Using a sketch and notes, explain what a fire wall is.

Question 78

Discuss the differences between a fire code and a building code.

Question 79

What is a fire wall?

Question 80

Which is more fire safe-FSI = 10, or FSI = 50?