Building Construction

Purpose  Why should we, as firefighters, be concerned with building construction?

Introduction  In order to maintain a high expectation of safety with personnel, GCFES decided that a new program which is concerned with specific situations and construction in Gwinnett County be developed.

Introduction  The content of this class is comprised from Brannigan’s Building Construction for the Fire Service 4 th Edition.

 Photographs are from Gwinnett County structures.

Overview          Unit 1: Introduction to Concepts Unit 2: Fire Protection Unit 3: Structural Collapse Unit 4: Fire Resistive Unit 5: Non-Combustible Unit 6: Ordinary Unit 7: Heavy Timber Unit 8: Wood Frame Unit 9A/B: Structures of Interest

Terminal Performance Objectives  Understand the importance of building construction knowledge.

 Describe construction concepts/features that can help firefighters predict and mitigate hazards.

Enabling Objectives  Explain different types of loads placed on a structure.

 Examine the structural elements that are included in a structure.

 Analyze the transmission of loads.

    Gravity Compression Shear Tension Forces

    Dead Live Impact Lateral Impact Loads

    Static/Repeated Wind Concentrated Suspended Loads

Orientation of Loads  Axial  Perpendicular to the plane, passes through the center.

 Eccentric  Perpendicular to the plane but does not pass through the center.

Orientation of Loads  Torsion  Twist an object

Fire Loads  Potential energy  Heat Release Rate – All wood can generate approximately the same total amount of heat per pound.

 Not the same as flame spread rate.

 Can vary with contents.

Structural Elements    Beams Columns Walls  Bracing   Roofs Arches

 Types  Simple  Continuous  Fixed  Overhanging Beams

Beams  Types  Bracket  Joist  Steel and Bar  Girder  Built-Up and Spandrel

Beams  Lintel  Spans an opening  Grillage  Heavy Loads  Cantilever  Supported at one end.

Beams  Needle  Support  Suspended  Similar to cantilever, but uses cables.

 Can become undesigned cantilever.

 Transfer  Transfers loads laterally.

Walls   Load Bearing Non-Load Bearing

    Veneer Composite Panel or Curtain Fire  Partition/Party Walls

Walls   Cantilever Bracing  Buttresses  Rakers  Pilasters  Wall Columns  Cavity or Hollow Walls

  Decorative Single thickness Veneer

Composite  Brick and Concrete

Curtain   Non-Load Bearing Can fall out and the structure will remain

Fire  Should contain the fire with little or no help.

Partition/Party  Partition  Non-Load Bearing, subdivide areas of a floor.

 Party  Load Bearing, common to two structures.

Cantilever   Free standing Under construction

 Buttresses Bracing  Rakers

Bracing  Pilaster  Masonry columns built on the inside of structure.

 Wall Columns

Bracing  Cavity or Hollow  Masonry wall built two wythes thick  Allowed water to drain, now fill with foam insulation.

Roofs    Not as strong as floors.

Do not have the fire rating of floors.

Can be composed of multiple layers.

Roofs Vary according to type of construction Basic Types:      Arched Gabled Sawtooth Hip Butterfly      Shed Mansard Lantern Flat Gambrel

Arched

Gabled

Sawtooth

Hip

Butterfly

Shed

Mansard

Lantern

Flat

Gambrel

Arches  Combines the function of the beam and column.

  Under compression Keystone is critical.

Transmission of Loads   Top - to - Bottom Connections  Weakest point of a structure.

 Types   Pinned Rigid-Framed

Connections

Demolition, Renovation, Construction Phase       Increased level of danger If designed with fire protection probably not in place or operating.

Fall hazard Temporary shoring Formwork in place Susceptible to arson

Any Questions???

Summary  We looked at how gravity affects structures.

 We examined how different loads are applied to a structure.

 Live  Dead  Static  Torsion, Tension, and Compression

Summary  We examined structural elements within a structure.

 Beams  Columns  Walls  Roofs

Summary  We analyzed transfer of loads through connections.

 Weakest link.

 The End.

Any Questions?