Fire Protection of Construction Joints
Saving Lives and Property
Through Fire and Smoke Containment
©2004 IFC
Question: Why So Much Concern About
Fire-Resistive Construction Joints?
Answer: Because
Joints Move and
may present a
weakness in fire
containment
Saving Lives and Property
Through Fire and Smoke Containment
©2004 IFC
Where Do I Find These Applications?
Saving Lives and Property
Through Fire and Smoke Containment
©2004 IFC
Construction Joint Terminology
D
A
E
B
C
A – Overall depth of concrete floor assembly
B – Flute depth
C – Joint width
D – Minimum concrete depth
E - Valley
Saving Lives and Property
Through Fire and Smoke Containment
©2004 IFC
Construction Joint Terminology
• Assembly Rating
• Movement
• Nominal Joint Width
• Extension
• Compression
• Percent (%) Extension / Compression
• Mineral Wool Compression
• Sealant Depth
Saving Lives and Property
Through Fire and Smoke Containment
©2004 IFC
Tests for Fire Resistance of
Building Joint Systems
Standards:
ASTM E 1966
UL 2079
Test Items:
Building Joint Systems Including:
• floor-to-floor
• floor-to-wall
• head-of-wall
• wall-to-wall
Report:
Fire rating in hours, i.e., 1, 2, 3 or
4 hours
Saving Lives and Property
Through Fire and Smoke Containment
©2004 IFC
Tests for Fire Resistance of
Building Joint Systems
• ASTM E 1966 & UL 2079
• All Model Building Codes Now Require
Cycling per ASTM E 1399
• Time temperature curve (ASTM E 119)
• Must meet Assembly Rating (T Rating) criteria
– 250° F + ambient average (ASTM E 1966)
– Any 1 thermocouple over 325° F + initial temp (UL 2079)
• Hose stream applicable to walls and wall tops
Saving Lives and Property
Through Fire and Smoke Containment
©2004 IFC
Building Construction and
Materials Fire Tests:
Joint Systems (ASTM E1966, UL 2079)
ASTM E 119
UL 263
NFPA 251
Through-Penetration
Firestop: (ASTM E 814,
UL 1479)
Fire Inside
Saving Lives and Property
Through Fire and Smoke Containment
©2004 IFC
ASTM E 1399
Cyclic Movement and Measuring the Minimum and
Maximum Joint Widths of Architectural Joint Systems
No. of Cycles
Rate
(Cycles/Min.)
Thermal Expansion/Contraction
500
1
Seismic
100
30
Wind Sway
500
10
Combination
100
400
30
10
Joint Type
Saving Lives and Property
Through Fire and Smoke Containment
©2004 IFC
Joints in Action
Floor/wall assembly
Backer (Mineral Wool)
Firestop
Minimum Joint Width:
Sealant – Compressed - thickest
Mineral wool – Compressed - most dense
Nominal Joint Width:
Sealant – As installed
Mineral wool – As installed
Maximum Joint Width:
Sealant – Stretched - thinnest
Mineral wool – Stretched least dense
Saving Lives and Property
Through Fire and Smoke Containment
©2004 IFC
How Firestop Joint Systems are
Listed
Underwriters Laboratories Inc.
Letters
Numbers
FF - Floor to Floor
0000 - 0999 < 2”
FW - Floor to Wall
1000 - 1999 < 2” < 6”
HW - Head of Wall
2000 - 2999 < 6” < 12”
WW - Wall to Wall
3000 - 3999 < 12” < 24”
D - Dynamic
4000 - 4999 < 24”
S - Static
Saving Lives and Property
Through Fire and Smoke Containment
©2004 IFC
For proper installation
practices, always refer to
manufacturer’s
installation instructions
and test laboratory listing.
Saving Lives and Property
Through Fire and Smoke Containment
©2004 IFC
Fluted Deck with Sprayed-On Fireproofing
Concrete
Fireproofing
Wall Parallel
to Flutes
Mineral
Wool
Packing
Concrete
Firestop
Spray
Fireproofing
Firestop
Spray
Wall Perpendicular
to Flutes
Fire Rated
Block Wall
Saving Lives and Property
Through Fire and Smoke Containment
Mineral
Wool
Packing
©2004 IFC
About the IFC
The International Firestop Council is a not-for-profit association of manufacturers,
distributors and installers of fire protective materials and systems.
IFC's mission is to promote the technology of fire containment in modern building
construction through research, education and development of safety standards and
code provisions.
Website - www.firestop.org
Email - Info@firestop.org
Voting Members
Saving Lives and Property
Through Fire and Smoke Containment
©2004 IFC
Available educational seminars on
our website include…..
• Firestop 101 – An introduction to firestopping
• Perimeter Curtain Wall Fire Protection
• Firestop System Selection
• Flexible Duct Wrap Systems
• Fire Protection of Construction Joints
Saving Lives and Property
Through Fire and Smoke Containment
©2004 IFC