Fire compartmentation
| Fire protection engineering | |
|---|---|
| Function: | Limits spread of fire, smoke, and combustion gases |
| Applications: | Buildings, tunnels, ships, aircraft, submarines |
| Related: | Fire-resistance rating; Smoke control; Firestop |
| Standards: | National Building Code of Canada; International Building Code; NFPA standards |
In fire safety, compartmentation is a key strategy for passive fire protection in structures such as buildings, tunnels, ships, and spacecraft.
A structure is divided into fire compartments, defined as enclosed spaces that are separated from all other parts of the building by enclosing construction providing a fire separation with a required fire-resistance rating.[1] This subdivision is intended to limit the spread of fire, smoke, and combustion gases, thereby contributing to the primary objectives of fire protection:
- life safety
- property protection
- continuity of operations
See also
External links
- Wisegeek.com article on fire compartments
- Province of Alberta Code Interpretation Concerning Fire Compartments Archived 2011-01-02 at the Wayback Machine
- National Research Council of Canada, Institute for Research in Construction Article entitled Fire Compartmentation and Fire Resistance
- Article by William E. Koffel entitled Fire compartments and building height
Reference
- ^ Canadian Commission on Building and Fire Codes (2023). National Building Code – 2023 Alberta Edition (PDF) (11th ed.). Ottawa: National Research Council of Canada. ISBN 978-0-660-68449-9.