BUILDING CONSTRUCTION

Construction Classifications

Type I Fire Resistive Type II Noncombustible Type III Ordinary Type IV Heavy Timber Type V Wood-Frame

Type I Fire Resistive

Maintains structural integrity thus allowing occupants to exit

Consists mainly of reinforced concrete Structural members(walls, columns,

beams, floors, roof) protected by blown on insulation or automatic sprinklers

Fire-resistive compartmentation

Parking Garage

Primary Hazards

Contents of the structure Interior finishes Difficult to ventilate Difficult to breach for access or escape

Type IINon-Combustible

Same as Type I, except that structural components lack the insulation or other protection.

All metal buildings fall into this classification

Materials without fire resistive ratings may be used in limited quantities

Often have flat, built up roofs

Warehouse / Storage Facilities

Primary Hazards

Contents of structure Interior finishes Fire extension to the roof can eventually

cause the entire roof to fail Unprotected structural steel components

may fail due to heat

Type IIIOrdinary

Exterior walls or structural members are made of non-combustible or limited combustible materials

Interior structural members are completely or partially made of wood

Relatively easy to vertically ventilate Resists fire spread from the outside For instance… This station.

Most buildings in downtown Enumclaw

Primary Hazards

Fire spreads through concealed spaces Interior structural members vulnerable to

fire Susceptible to water damage

Type IVHeavy Timber

Interior and exterior walls made of non-combustible or limited combustible materials

Other interior structural members are made of solid or laminated wood with no concealed spaces

Used in old factories, mills, warehouses, and old churches… ski lodges… log homes etc.

Heavy Timber

Primary Hazards

Massive amount of combustible contents can produce massive amounts of heat

Susceptible to fire spread from the outside

Susceptible to water damage

Type VWood Frame

Structural components are made completely or partially of wood or other approved materials

Commonly used to construct typical single family residences and apartment buildings up to seven stories.

Easily breached for access, ventilation, or escape

Resistant to collapse from earthquake

Single Family Residence

Primary Hazards

Susceptible to fire spread from the outside and in.

Susceptible to total collapse due to fire or explosion

Contents of structure (Furniture, Carpet etc. burn hot and produce large amounts of toxins

Lightweight wooden trusses

Non-Standard Construction

Many parts of North America allow non-standard buildings to be constructed under certain circumstances.

Structures do not conform to any of the standard construction types

Usually found on large properties in remote areas

One example is “hay bale construction” Name another non-standard construction

example…?

Firefighter hazards related to building construction

Fire Loading Combustible furnishings and finishes Roof coverings Wooden floors and ceilings Large open spaces Building collapse

Construction Terminology

Assembly

Two or more interconnected structural components combined to meet a specific

design function or design requirement

Balloon Frame Construction

Bowstring Truss

Sweet Potato Fries

Bar Joist

Beam

Butterfly Roof

Cantilever

OSB (Oriented Strand Board)

Flying Suit

Chord

Cockloft

Column

Compression

Course

Curtain Board / Wall

Decking

Drywall

Eave

Orange Flavored Drinks

Engineered I-Beam

Fire Door

Fire Load

Fire Wall

Flat Roof

Kool-Aid Man

Gable Roof

Gable Wall

Gambrel Roof

Girder

Snack - Pack

Glue-Lam Beam

Gusset Plate

Header Cousre

Hipped Roof

He-Man & Skelator

HVAC

Interstitial Space

Joists

Spam

Lamella Arch

Mansard Roof

Mortar

Parallel Chord Truss

Parapet

Party Wall

Pitched Roof

Snack Food

Plate

Platform Construction

Two Famous 90’s Skiers

Plywood

Rafters

Rated Assembly

Snoop Dogg

Rebar

Reinforced Concrete

90’s Alternative

Sawtooth Roof

Sheathing

Shed Roof

Spalling

Spawning

Stud

Tension

Truss