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October 5, 2015
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Wood Framing in Concealed Spaces
"We have a noncombustible steel purlin/girder building where a soffit system and
the hard lid ceilings throughout the building were constructed of combustible
wood.
The direction from the consultants is that the soffit can be wood because it's
"nonstructural". Can you advise on the term structural and nonstructural wood
in
reference to ceiling systems and soffits?"
We have reviewed NFPA 13, 2013 edition as the applicable standard as well as the
2012 edition of the IBC. Our informal interpretation is that NFPA 13 does not
allow omission of sprinklers from soffits with wood framing.
The NFPA 13 standard does not define structure or structural in the standard,
but
the IBC does in Chapter 2. The building code such as the IBC can be referenced
when the NFPA 13 standard does not address a specific topic. Section 202 of the
IBC defines structure as that which is built or constructed. The commentary
for
the definition says that it is intentionally broad so as to include everything
that
is built as an improvement to real property within the scope of the code. The
IBC
also has definitions of light-frame construction as a type of construction whose
vertical and horizontal structural elements are primarily formed by a system of
repetitive wood or cold-formed steel framing members. Specifically for wood is
a definition of conventional light-frame construction as type of construction
whose
primary structural elements are formed by a system of repetitive wood-framing
members.
As such, there will be repetitive use of wood to a concealed space and it would
be considered structural. It does not have to be load bearing to be
structural.
The base requirement of NFPA 13 in paragraph 8.1.1 parenthesis (1) is that
sprinklers
are required to be installed throughout the premises and parenthesis (4)
sprinklers
can be omitted from areas specifically allowed by the standard. Paragraph
8.15.1.1
indicates that concealed spaces of exposed combustible construction must be
protected
by sprinklers except where sprinklers are not required by paragraphs 8.15.1.2.1
through 8.15.1.2.18 and 8.15.6. Paragraph 8.15.1.2.1 indicates that concealed
spaces
of noncombustible and limited-combustible construction with minimal combustible
loading having no access shall not require sprinkler protection. The annex says
in A.8.15.1.2.1 that minor quantities of combustible materials such as but not
limited to cabling, nonmetallic plumbing piping, nonstructural wood, and so
forth
can be present in concealed spaces constructed of limited or noncombustible
materials
but should not typically be viewed as requiring sprinklers. This section is not
about the framing material since it states the construction must be
noncombustible
or limited-combustible materials but is about the presence of other combustible
materials referred to as loading. The annex expands on this issue by providing
the examples cabling, piping, and nonstructural wood. Then it goes on to
discuss
that this allowances is affected by the amount of combustibles. This section
does
not allow a minor amount of wood framing since it is definitely part of the
structural
components of the building. Pretty much all of the remaining paragraphs in this
section address omitting sprinklers in concealed spaces with combustible
structural
members. Your description does not qualify for any of the remaining exceptions.
Technical Update is prepared by the Technical Services Dept. of the AFSA: Vice
President
of Engineering and Technical Services Roland Huggins, a PE registered in fire
protection
engineering; Phill Brown, a NICET IV certified automatic sprinkler technician
and
NFPA Certified Fire Protection Specialist (CFPS) and Tom Wellen, a PE registered
in fire protection engineering. This is provided with the understanding that
the
AFSA assumes no liability for this opinion or actions taken on it and they are
not
to be considered the official position of the NFPA or its technical committees.
Copyright 2015, American Fire Sprinkler Association. All Rights Reserved
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For more info, call:
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