Building Construction for Fire Protection

This article provides an overview of building construction, including the five types of building construction, structural designs, and the application of building and fire codes. It also discusses the hazards associated with each type of building and the effects of building construction on firefighting operations. The article concludes with a discussion of building collapse and the awareness that firefighters should maintain on the fire ground.

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BUILDING CONSTRUCTION FOR FIRE PROTECTION
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Overview
Building construction refers to the industry and techniques that are involved in the erection and
assembly of building and other structures, mainly those are used in offering shelter. The
construction of shelters is an ancient human activity, which started with the only functional
requirements for a controlled setting to regulate the impact of climate. The constructed structures
were one of the ways that ware one of the methods by which people were able to familiarize
themselves to a extensive range of climate conditions and become a universal species (Chudley,
2016).
Building construction types
Buildings are categorized into five groups ranging from the stoutest of construction in the kind of
structure which is likely to fail rapidly when it is exposed to fire conditions (Steadman, 2014).
The type of building construction includes;
Fire-Resistive building construction (type 1)
This Type of buildings are usually high-rise buildings, and they are considered to be the firmest
type of buildings when they are open to fire conditions.
Non-Combustible Building construction (type 2)
The type 2 of the buildings are usually found in the new models and buildings .The roofs and
walls of this type of buildings are constructed of materials which are non-combustible (Cobeen,
2014).
The ordinary Building construction (type 3)

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This type of structures can be of old or new buildings, and they usually have walls made of
materials that are non-combustible and the roof is made of wood.
Heavy timber Building construction (type 4)
This type of buildings is typically found in older structures, and they utilize huge dimensional
timber for interior elements and structural members.
Wood-framed building construction (type 5)
The type 5 of buildings is found mostly in current homes. Walls and the roof are made out of
flammable materials mostly wood.
Designs of structures
Structural designs are the systematic investigations of the strength, stability, and rigidity of
structures. The main aim of the design of structures and analysis is to produce a structure which
has the ability to resist all applied loads without failure during its lifespan. The primary function
of a structure is to support or transmit loads. In the situations where the structure is poorly done,
the building will properly fail to function as intended during its design, that will follow serious
consequences (Cobeen, 2014).
Application of Building and fire codes
Building and fire codes refer to a set of rules which specify the standards for structures such as
building and other engineering and architectural structures. All buildings must conform to the
building and fire codes in order to obtain planning permissions, mostly from the authorities from
the local councils (Ogunsemi, 2012). The main goal of having fire and building codes is to
protect public safety, health and the overall wellbeing as they relate to the occupancy and

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construction of structures and buildings. The fire codes, advanced life, and fire for first
responders and the public as well as the property protection by offering a broad, cohesive
approach to fire code guideline and management of hazards (Lataille, 2013).
Hazards associated with the various types of buildings
Fire resistive structures are made of protected steel and concrete. They are designed in such a
way to grip fire for a lengthy time with the aim of keeping the fire at bay in the floor or room
where it originated from. As far as the usual ventilation operations in type 1 buildings are
involved one reaching on the roof and making a hole is the best option (Steadman, 2014). Even
the plane ventilation becomes puzzling because the windows are dense and not be able to
ventilate the structure. The main hazard-exposed to this type of buildings is the content, whereby
the stuff that is put in place as insulation is knocked out in the action of fire thus exposing the
structural steel to the heat resulting to collapse (Geren, 2016).
Type 2 buildings are having their tops usually roofed with light foam, concrete, an illustrated
membrane or an arrangement of both. Since of these type of the building are modern builds, they
are regularly up to the expected codes, and they include all the fire destruction systems. And due
to that, the metal roofs may collapse with the heat and not with the fire, with that expect a
prompt collapse, mainly in some of the large buildings that might be having a considerable fire
load (McGrail, 2017).
Type 4 buildings having most of their components made of heavy timber can be easily affected
by the direct fire. Having the heavy timber as the major structural elements the likelihood of the
structure failing after the incidents of fire is very high. The fire hazards associated with this type
of buildings includes the collapse of the structure.

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Type 5 buildings include the wood frame construction which includes structures of balloon-
frame structures, post-and-frame, and the log cabins. With the nature of the materials that are
used in the construction, it is very easy for the fire to spread from the floor or the room of origin
to other parts of the structure (McGrail, 2017).
Effects of Building construction in relation to the firefighting operations
Type 1, the fire resistive construction has numerous factors which can assist firefighters. In this
type of construction, the floors and walls tend to compartmentalize the fire thus holding it within
one area.
Type 2 of the buildings having the same materials as fire resistive construction, the buildings
have the ability to hold fire within one area, thus limiting the spread of the fire from one point
within the building to another. In this type of the building since the steel is not protected more
elongation is expected which results to further elongation and collapse. In this type of
construction, the contents are still the main problem (Delmar, 2014).
Once the fire has entered into ordinary buildings, it takes control of the spaces of the building
very fast. Most of this buildings can be aerated straight up, although it may take time due to the
many sheets of roofing materials or the rainwater on the roof.
Building collapse
Building collapse can be defined as the incapability of the building components to perform what
they are usually to perform. The building phenomena is a common occurrence in most parts of
the world mostly in the cases related to fire firefighting (Ogunsemi, 2012). The collapse of
buildings due to fire can be attributed to the weakening of the structural components of the
building thus resulting in an inability to hold the structural loads.

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Awareness, the firefighters, should maintain on the fire ground
Some of the awareness the firefighters should maintain the include;
Constant communication, the firefighters should ensure that there is constant communication
with the team to ensure that there is no confusion between then to avoid further accidents.
Adhering to the objective measures. All the firefighters who are present at the foreground must
be working restrict themselves with their main aim at the foreground in order to control and tame
the fire from spreading.
Avoiding succumbing to tunnel vision. The firefighters must practice staying relaxed to control
the entire surroundings and not succumbing to a narrow vision that can make them forget the
surroundings which can be very dangerous (Delmar, 2014).

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References
Chudley, R. (2016). Building Construction Handbook. London: Routledge.
Cobeen, K. (2014). Design of Wood Structures. Texas: McGraw Hill Professional,
Delmar, A. (2014). Firefighter's Handbook: Essentials of Firefighting and Emergency Response.
London: Thomson Delmar Learning.
Geren, R. L. (2016). Applying the Building Code: Step-by-Step Guidance for Design and
Building Professionals. Paris: John Wiley & Sons.
Lataille, J. I. (2013). Fire Protection Engineering in Building Design. London: Butterworth-
Heinemann.
McGrail, D. M. (2017). Firefighting Operations in High-Rise and Standpipe-Equipped
Buildings. Berlin: PennWell Books.
Ogunsemi, A. (2012). Building collapse: causes, prevention, and remedies. Abuja: Nigerian
Institute of Building.
Steadman, P. (2014). Building Types and Built Forms. Chicago: Troubador Publishing Ltd.

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