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1. FIRE AND SMOKE
RESISTANT ASSEMBLIES
BARRIERS, ASSEMBLIES AND PARTITIONS

2.  Three basic types of rated assemblies:
 Fire barriers
 Fire partitions
 Horizontal assemblies

3.  Fire barriers are walls that a fire resistant rating
and in most cases must be continuous and extend
vertically from the bottom to the top of the
floor/ceiling assembly
 Additional fire blocking is required at the intersection
with other rated elements
 Openings are limited
 Opening assemblies need to be rated

4.  Floor/ceiling assemblies are horizontal assemblies
 Limited openings
 Openings and penetrations must be rated as well

6.  Fire partitions are similar to fire barriers but less
restrictive
 Separate exit access corridors, tenant spaces in malls,
dwellings and /or sleeping units
 Allowed to stop at the rated ceiling system
 Not required to be a full enclosure
 Rating of at least one hour

7.  Ratings depends on purpose, occupancy
classification and if space has sprinklers
 Openings required to be protected but not limited

9.  Fire enclosures separates occupancy types
 Not required between similar hazardous
occupancies

10.  Multiple tenants of different occupancies in the
same building
 Single user with multiple occupancies or uses within
the same structure

14.  Tenant separations in malls required to be rated
 Dwelling and sleeping units in residential
occupancies to be separated by fire partitions
 Some incidental accessory occupancies to be
separated

15.  Required for vertical shaft enclosures as elevators,
dumbwaiters, mechanical chases, etc.
 Smoke barriers provide protection form movement
and passage of smoke and fire gases
 Barriers are usually rated
 Partitions are not required to have fire resistance
rating

16.  Complete opening assemblies in rated barriers are
required to be also rated
 Although ratings of opening assemblies – doors,
windows, and other penetrations – is lower than the
assembly – the quantity and dimensions are limited
 Opening assemblies include the door, the frame, and
other required hardware.
 All rated doors are required to have a self closing
device that will close the door after each use. Not
necessary for it to be automatic (usually electrically
activated)

18.  Glazing products in rated assemblies must:
 Stay in place during a fire
 Resist thermal shock – by a hose stream
 Strength from human contact
 Resist heat transfer to unexposed side

19.  Codes allow the use of glass in some rated
partitions – type, size, and quantity is limited
 Wired glass – wire mesh sandwiched between two
layers of glass
 Safety resists impact
 Nonsafety does not resist impact
 Only type of glass addressed by codes for use in
rated opening protectives

20.  Specialty tempered glass – treated for fire
resistance
 Some can be used in 1 hr rated walls
 Cannot be used near sprinklers since it does not pass
the hose stream test
 Glass block
 Can be used in some 1 hr rated partitions – glass rated
to 45 minutes

21.  Clear ceramics
 High resistance
to heat
 Resists thermal
shock
 20mins to 2hr.
 Up to 23s.f. can
be used
 Sometimes has
more distortion
and tint

22.  Laminated glass

23.  Firestops and smokestops
 F-rated and T-rated
 T is stricter than F as it
includes a maximum
temperature resistance

24.  Fireblocks and Draftstops
 Restrict the spread of smoke and
fire through concealed spaces
 Fireblocks – small spaces
 Draftstops – large spaces
 Damper systems
 Interrupts air flow through ducts
going through rated assemblies

25. QUESTIONS

26.  An active fire-protection system is sometimes referred to
as a prevention system.
A. True
B. False
 The fire-resistance rating of a floor/ceiling assembly is
controlled only by the construction type of the building.
A. True
B. False

27.  All fire-protected doors must have an automatic dosing
device.
A. True
B. False
 The fire rating of a through-penetration is typically
lower than the fire rating of the construction assembly it
is penetrating.
A. True
B. False

28.  A fire-protected door can also be used as a
smokestop door.
A. True
B. False
 Fire barriers are typically used to create
compartments within a building.
A. True
B. False

29.  Occupancy separation walls and demising walls are
the same thing.
A. True
B. False
 Doors with fire-protection ratings are not allowed to
have glass lites as part of the door.
A. True
B. False

30.  __________Walls are used to create a continuous
vertical separation within a building or between two
different buildings.
 Fire/Party
 A door assembly typically consists of a door, frame,
and _____________.
 hardware

31.  What is the typical fire-resistance rating of a tenant
separation wall?
A. 2 hour
B. 1 1/2 hour
C. 1 hour
D. No rating is required.

32.  Which of the following statements is true about
firestops?
A. They are required at through penetrations in fire
barriers.
B. They are a means of restricting the passage of smoke,
heat, and flames in concealed spaces.
C. They can have two different ratings: a T-rating and a
stricter F-rating.
D. a and c only
E. All of the above

33.  A wall assembly with a 2-hour fire-resistance rating
is typically required for which means of egress
component?
A. Exit access
B. Public way
C. Exit discharge
D. Exit

34.  Which of the following devices is used to prevent
the movement of air, smoke, gases, and flame
through large, concealed spaces?
A. Firestops
B. Draftstops
C. Fireblocking
D. Dampers

35.  Which of the following types of glass is typically
considered to have a fire-protection rating?
A. Wired glass
B. Tempered glass
C. Glass block
D. a and c only
E. All of the above

36.  Which of the following statements about fire-protected
doors is correct?
A. The quantity of hinges is regulated but the type of
hinge is not.
B. Sills used at fire-rated doors do not typically need to
meet accessibility requirements.
C. Fire-rated doors are available as flush doors and
panel doors.
D. A variety of rated glazing can be used as lites in fire
rated doors as long as they are within a certain size
range.

37.  Which of the following is typically considered a fire
partition by the International Building Code?
A. A wall between two guest rooms in a hotel.
B. A wall between an office space and an exit access
corridor.
C. A wall between two tenants in a shopping mall.
D. a and c only
E. All of the above

38.  Which of the following can be used to help control
smoke during a fire?
A. Smoke barriers
B. Pressurized exits
C. Sprinklers
D. a and b
E. A and c

39.  Which type of through-penetration is required in a
duct that extends through a rated floor assembly?
A. Draftstop
B. Fire damper
C. Ceiling damper
D. None of the above

40.  Which of the following statements about smoke
dampers is NOT correct?
A. Smoke dampers are typically used in ducts that
penetrate smoke barriers.
B. Smoke dampers are usually installed with a smoke
detector.
C. Smoke dampers are typically installed adjacent to a
duct.
D. Smoke dampers can be classified in one of four
classes.
E. All of the above are correct.

41.  Which of the following would compromise the rating
of a 1 hour fire-resistant wall assembly?
A. Using a building material differently than
specified by the manufacturer
B. Not using rated caulk at the seams and joints
C. Installing an electrical box in the wall cavity for a
switch
D. a and b only
E. All of the above