Guidance on Fire-Resistive Duct Assemblies
HOW IT APPLIES TO NON-SYMMETRICAL WALL CONSTRUCTION
An important aspect of limiting the spread of fire, smoke and toxic gases is ensuring horizontal and vertical mechanical metallic ducts are not a conduit throughout a building during a fire. The code achieves this by requiring the protection of certain ductwork by fire-resistance rated (FRR) shaft enclosures. Unfortunately, many fire-resistance rated duct assemblies do not meet this basic requirement for fire resistance from both the outside of the duct and the inside. While presented as fire-resistive, they cannot withstand fire exposure, wherever symmetry testing is mandated.
After reading this paper, you will:
- Learn what fire-resistance rating symmetry is and how it applies to vertical and horizontal duct assemblies
- Understand the requirements of the International Building Code (ICC) and how they relate to practical applications
- Review current challenges with practical applications
- Prepare for an alternative code path using fire resistance duct assemblies
Read the whitepaper.