Older buildings often contain materials that are fire-safe but not listed in current fire ratings sources. This lack of documentation hinders the modernization and reuse of our Nation's building stock. HUD has updated and reissued Fire Ratings of Archaic Materials and Assemblies. This important publication will remain a valuable resource for preserving and reusing our Nation's housing and building stock. Fire Ratings is a compilation of fire ratings from earlier sources for a wide variety of materials and assemblies found in buildings from the 19th to the mid-20th centuries. This guideline also provides methods for calculating the fire resistance of general classes of archaic materials and assemblies for which no documentation can be found. First published in 1980, this guideline has found widespread use and acceptance among architects, engineers, preservationists, and code officials. Modern building codes state the fire performance of key building elements—such as walls, floor/ceiling assemblies, doors, and shaft enclosure—in performance terms. ("Fire-related performance" includes fire resistance, flame spread, smoke production, and combustibility.) It does not matter whether these elements were built in 1850 or 2000, only that they provide the degree of fire resistance required by local building regulations. The difficulty with archaic materials and assemblies is not a question of suitability, but familiarity. Their continued use usually is not based on their fire performance, but on the lack of sufficient documentation. Lacking documentation, the building official may require a full-scale fire test or the removal of the construction in question. Fire Ratings is intended to provide a basis for the continued acceptance of archaic materials and assemblies that otherwise meet modern fire performance requirements. The guide provides a comprehensive bibliography, worksheets, and appendixes for designers, builders, and code officials. It also includes:
|
