CHAPTER 5: FIRE PROTECTION SYSTEM IN BUILDINGS

Chapter 5: GROUP 3
FIRE PROTECTION SYSTEM IN BUILDINGS

The protection of building structures from the hazards of fire is one of the
utmost concern of the government. Hence, for a continued citizen awareness of
damages brought by fire to life and property, the month of march was declared as
fire prevention month in the Philippines.
Planners and builders have their own contribution in this campaign, by
making their plans and constructions conform to the fire code requirements. The
owner on the other hand, is much more concern of his investment protection.
However, despite the advancement in fire protection technology, fire is still
common occurrence in buildings of all types. Records showed that the loss of life
and damages to property is considerably enormous in every incident of fire.
Modern design and construction techniques, did not escape the blame for
allegedly having increased the potential of fire, especially in tall buildings attributed
to one of the following: (1) Light material construction methods do not offer inherent
protection against fire unlike the cement plaster or concrete, (2) Non-integrally
constructed floors and walls provide fuse for fire and smoke, (3) False ceiling
containing electrical and other services, are hidden locations where fire can start
unnoticed, (4) Punched-hole for installation of telephone and other related services,
violates the design structural integrity, (5) the central air conditioning system can
serve as passage for smoke (6) The use of plastic materials for trim and covering of
interior structures create potential ignition for fire and smoke, and (7) Furniture
style and materials including the interior designs could pose a great flammability
and could spread a fire quickly.

CONTENT:

1. Type of Building Construction in reference with Fire protection

2. Elements of Fire protection system in building
3. Fire Detection and Alarm system

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1. TYPES OF BUILDING CONSTRUCTION IN REFERENCE WITH FIRE

PROTECTION
There are five fundamental categories of building construction known
as types of building construction. Each type of building construction has fire-
resistive strengths and weaknesses—that is, some types burn much more
readily than others. The five building construction types are arranged in the
form of a scale based on the amount of combustible material used in their
construction.
➢ Fire-Resistive (Type I) Construction
Fire-resistive (Type I) construction, with its concrete and protected
steel walls, floors, and structural framework, was initially intended to confine
a fire by its method of construction— that is, by containing the fire with
noncombustible wall, ceiling, and floor assemblies so it is confined to one
floor or one space on a floor. However, fire does spread several floors in a
modem fire-resistive building through two paths: through ductwork in the
central heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) system and by
flames extending vertically from window to window.
➢ Noncombustible (Type II) Construction
Noncombustible (Type II) construction is also built of noncombustible
steel or concrete walls, floors, and structural framework; however, the roof
covering is combustible, which can burn and spread fire. The roof covering
of a Type II building can be constructed of a combustible built-up roof
covering, a layered asphalt and felt paper covering, or an ethylene propylene
diene monomer (EPDM) or polyvinylchloride (PVC) thermoplastic
membrane. Combustible foams may be used as thermal insulation. When a
fire occurs inside a Type II building, flames can rise to the underside of the
steel roof deck, conduct heat through the metal, and ignite the combustible
roof covering. The asphalt, felt paper, and foam insulation may burn and
spread fire along the roof covering.

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➢ Ordinary (Type III) Construction

Ordinary (Type III) construction is built of noncombustible masonry-
bearing walls, but the floors, structural framework, and roof can be made of
wood or another combustible material. The major recurring fire spread
problem with Type III construction is concealed spaces and penetration.
These small voids, cavities, and openings through which smoke and fire can
spread are found behind the partition walls, floors, and ceilings. Wood studs,
floor joists, and suspended ceilings create concealed spaces. Penetrations are
created by small openings for utilities. These small openings around pipes
and wires allow fire to spread into concealed spaces. Flames can spread
vertically several stories or horizontally to adjoining occupancies through
concealed spaces. Fire spreads inside concealed spaces of a Type III building
by convection, the transfer of heat by motion of a liquid or gas. Heated fire
gases and flames in a concealed space can travel upwards several floors and
break out in an attic space, engulfing the entire building envelope.
➢ Heavy-Timber (Type IV) Construction
Heavy-timber (Type IV) construction is built of a structure that
consists of large timbers. In this type of construction, a wood column cannot
be less than 8 in thick in any dimension and a wood beam cannot be less than
6 in thick. The floor and roof decking can be thick wood planks. Exposed
timber beams, columns, and decks, if ignited in a fire, create large radiated
heat waves after the windows break during a blaze. If a fire in a heavy-timber
building is not extinguished by the initial firefighting attack, a tremendous
fire with flames shooting out of the windows will spread fire to adjoining
buildings by radiated heat. A fully involved type IV building requires large
water supply sources to protect nearby buildings.
➢ Wood-Frame (Type V) Construction
Wood-frame (Type V) construction is the most combustible of the five
types of building construction. A wood-frame building is the only one of the

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five types of construction that has combustible exterior walls. The interior
framing and exterior walls are typically constructed of slender repetitive
wood studs, joists, rafters, and trusses that burn very rapidly. Flames can
spread out a window and then along the outside wood walls in addition to
the interior fire spread. A Type five building is rapidly engulfed in flame and
is therefore reserved for small structures with small occupancies.

2. ELEMENTS OF FIRE PROTECTION SYSTEM IN BUILDINGS

➢ Classification of Fire according to Sources
As provided by the Fire code of the Philippines (R.A. 9514 s. 2008),
below are the classifications of fire according to source:
1. Class A Fires - Fires involving ordinary combustible materials such
as wood, cloth, rubber and plastics.
2. Class B Fires - Fires involving flammable liquids and gases.
3. Class C Fires - Fires involving energized electrical equipment.
4. Class D Fire - Fires involving combustible materials, such as
sodium, magnesium, potassium, and other similar materials.
5. Class K Fires - Fires in cooking appliances that involve combustible
cooking media (vegetable or animal oils and fats).

➢ Classification of Fire Protection Methods

Although heat alone can prove deadly to occupants, toxic gases in
smoke cause the majority of deaths and injuries. About half of all fatalities
from fires are from carbon monoxide poisoning, and more than a third are
from cardiopulmonary complications. Fire is one of the greatest fears of any
homeowner, business owner, or director of an institution. Although the
prime concern is always loss of lives in a fire, more than half of all businesses
never reopen after the devastating effect of a fire.

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1. Passive Fire Protection - Passive fire protection in buildings

involves constructing walls, floors, ceilings, beams, columns, and shaft
enclosures so they can resist, control, and contain the damaging effects of a
fire. It is intended to entail the following:
o Provide structural and thermal integrity of floor, wall, and
ceiling assemblies during a fire for a specified time period
• use materials and construction assemblies that contain the
fire in a small area and confine the fire in the room or area
for a specific period of time
o Compartmentalize a room or space to control the fire spread
• separating a building into compartments so that if there is
a fire, the fire damage is confined to certain a room or
certain section of the building only such as firewalls, fire
separation and firestop
o Provide exiting systems and evacuation plans for occupants to
safely and rapidly evacuate the building
• provision of fire exit doors and fire escape
ladders/structures and provision of emergency plan.
2. Active Fire Protection - Active fire protection systems include
standpipe, sprinkler, and spray systems designed to extinguish the fire
outright or control the fire by delaying its damaging effects. Types of
firefighting media include water, foams, inert gases, and chemical powders.
Active fire protection systems are extremely effective in containing and
fighting a fire if they are designed and maintained so they work properly.
These systems require regular inspection, testing, and maintenance. Poor
maintenance leads to a false sense of security and lack of proper protection
when the system is needed under an emergency situation.

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o Stand Pipe Systems

A standpipe system is an internal piping network
connected to fire-hose stations that are used to rapidly suppress
a fire. Firefighters can use hoses connected to the standpipe
system or connect their hoses to valve outlets near the fire.
• Wet Stand Pipes - This system always has water in the
piping. The water in the system is always under pressure.
In some cases, a fire pump may be used to increase the
water pressure. The wet pipe system is the most commonly
used standpipe system. It is used in heated buildings where
there is no danger of the water in the piping freezing. Any
part of the standpipe system that is exposed to freezing
temperatures should be insulated. It is very important that
the water in the piping does not freeze. Frozen water may
prevent a standpipe system from working.
• Dry Stand Pipes – Dry stand pipes has no other special
construction as compared to wet stand pipes, the only
difference is dry stand pipes does not contain standing
water in the piping that eliminates the possibility of fitting
leaks and water freeze. Types of dry stand pipes are Dry
Standpipe with an Automatic Dry Pipe Valve, Dry Standpipe
with a Manual Control Valve, Dry Standpipe with No
Permanent Water Supply.

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Building fire house outlet connected to Stand pipe

GROUP 4
o Sprinkler System
A conventional sprinkler system is fitted with automatic
devices designed to release water on a fire. These devices are
called sprinkler heads. A rise to a predetermined temperature
causes the sprinkler head to open. Water is then discharged in
the form of spray. When the sprinkler heads open, they are said
to have fused. The sprinkler heads are fitted at standard
intervals on the piping. If more than one head opens, the area
sprayed by each overlaps that of the sprinkler head next to it.
Types of automatic sprinkler systems are:
• Wet-Pipe Automatic Sprinkler Systems - Wet-pipe
automatic sprinkler systems have pressurized water in the
pipe and mains. Water is released when the sprinkler head
is activated. Because of the potential for freezing, this
system is suitable for buildings where the indoor ambient
temperature is not lower than about 40°F (5°C). Wet-pipe
sprinkler systems are the most common in use today. In wet
systems exposed to freezing temperatures, pipes containing
an antifreeze solution of water–glycerin or water–
propylene glycol are connected to a water supply.

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• Dry-Pipe Automatic Sprinkler Systems - Dry-pipe

automatic sprinkler systems have pipes filled with
compressed air or nitrogen. The pressure in these lines is
slightly above the water pressure, and this pressure
difference is what keeps the water out of the sprinkler lines.
When a sprinkler head is activated, the air will begin to be
released and the air pressure will drop. As air pressure
drops, water will begin to advance throughout the lines and
flow through the activated head(s). The dry-pipe type is
typically used in unheated buildings where there is danger
that the water in the pipes would freeze and burst the pipes.
• Preaction Automatic Sprinkler Systems - Preaction
automatic sprinkler systems are similar to dry-pipe except
that the water first fills the pipe as an alarm is set off,
providing an opportunity to extinguish the fire manually
before the sprinklers open. Water is stopped at feeders (in
the walls before the pipes supplying the sprinkler heads) by
a valve. This valve is electronically activated by a heat-
detecting device within the area, and a signal is sent to the
valve and the valve opens. Water will then flow to all heads,
but will only discharge through the activated heads. If there
is an accidental break of a sprinkler line, water will not
immediately discharge because the valve is holding back
the water flow and not the sprinkler heads (unlike the wet-
pipe or dry-pipe systems). The preaction sprinkler system
is often used where the use of sprinklers could cause
extensive material or equipment damage, such as in retail
stores and computer areas.

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• Deluge Automatic Sprinkler Systems - Deluge automatic

sprinkler systems allow all sprinkler heads to go off at the
same time. This system is very similar to the preaction
system, except all sprinkler heads are open. Once a heat-
detecting device activates the valve, water will flow from
all heads within the area. Deluge systems are generally
installed in hazardous areas where extremely rapid fire
spread is anticipated and that requires immediate
application of water.

A type of wet-pipe sprinkler system

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Water distribution line from a sprinkler head

Stand pipe connections for building emergency water supply

(Siamese connection, right)

o Alternative Fire Suppression Systems

Conventional sprinklers demand high water supply
rates and are associated with fixed large diameter pipe
networks around the area to be protected. The necessity for
large amounts of water has some inherent disadvantages: it
damages most of the building’s contents and interior finishes;

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flammable oils tend to float on the water’s surface and continue

to burn; it conducts electricity; and if it vaporizes into steam, it
may be harmful to the firefighters. Other methods may be
considered when these disadvantages are of major concern.
These alternative methods include the following.
• Water Mist Automatic Sprinkler Systems - Water mist
automatic sprinkler systems rely upon a fine spray of water
to suppress a fire. Water mist systems must produce a
directional mist or fog of fine water drops through a nozzle.
The optimum water droplet size ranges from 0.003 to 0.005in
(80 to 200µm), although larger droplet sizes can be used. The
nozzle design must produce a small droplet with an orifice
sufficiently large to avoid clogging from suspended
particulates that may be present in the water stream. The
droplets must be small enough to penetrate all areas behind
obstructions, yet large enough to penetrate to the surface of
the combusting fuel.
• Clean Agent Gas Fire Suppression Systems - Clean agent gas
fire suppression systems discharge as a gas on the surface of
combusting materials. A typical system consists of cylinders
of a liquid agent under high pressure, heat/smoke detectors,
and discharge nozzles connected to a network of pipes. See
the next figure. Large amounts of heat energy are absorbed
from the surface of the burning material, lowering the
surface temperature below the ignition point. Clean agent
gases can be released in a building space without leaving
residue. When released, they extinguish the fire rapidly but
do little harm to building occupants, firefighters, interior
contents, and equipment.

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Sample Plan of Clean Agent Gas Fire Suppression Systems

• Carbon Dioxide (CO2) Fire Suppression Systems - Carbon

dioxide (CO2) fire suppression systems discharge a CO2 gas
that extinguishes fire by displacing oxygen or taking oxygen
away from the fire. The principal problem with CO2 is that it
must be used in fairly high concentrations and because high
CO2 concentrations deplete much of the oxygen in a space,
this type of system cannot be used with occupants or other
living beings present.
• Foam Fire Suppression Systems - Foam fire suppression
systems discharge a high volume of gas-filled bubbles that
rapidly fill a space. Foam masses are lighter than water and
flammable liquids, and they may be either air or chemical gas
bubbles. They float on the surface of burning liquids to
deplete oxygen and smother the fire.

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o Portable Fire Extinguisher

Portable fire extinguishers can be used to put out most
fires in their early stages. They are classified according to their
ability to handle specific classes and sizes of fires. Not all fuels
are the same, and if a fire extinguisher is used on the wrong
type of fuel, it can make matters worse. Labels on extinguishers
indicate the class and relative size of fire that they can be
expected to handle. Types of portable fire extinguisher are as
follows:
• Class A Extinguishers - Class A extinguishers are suitable for
use on fires in ordinary combustibles such as wood, paper,
rubber, trash, and many plastics, where a quenching-cooling
effect is required. The numeral indicates the relative fire
extinguishing effectiveness of each unit. Class A
extinguishers are rated from 1-A to 40-A. Extinguishers rated
for Class A hazards are water, foam, and multipurpose dry
chemical types.
• Class B Extinguishers Class B extinguishers are suitable for
use on fires in flammable liquids, gases, and greases, where
an oxygen-exclusion or flame-interruption effect is essential.
Class B extinguishers are rated from 1-B to 640-B. (A
discussion follows.) Extinguishers rated for Class B hazards
are foam, Halon alternative, and CO2 and multipurpose dry
chemical.
(Note: The numbers indicate the level of effectiveness in
extinguishing fires, with 10 rated 10 times more effective than 1. A
1-A fire requires 1 1 ⁄4 gal (5 L) of water to extinguish. A 2-A fire
needs 2 1 ⁄2 gal of water (10 L) or twice that of the 1-A fire. So an
extinguisher rated 5- A will put out a fire five times as large as one

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rated 1-A. For Class B extinguishers, the numerical codes are even
more complicated, and generally this type of information is of most
use to professional firefighters.)
• Class C Extinguishers - Class C extinguishers are suitable for
use on fires involving energized electrical equipment and
wiring where the dielectric conductivity of the extinguishing
agent is of importance. For example, water-solution
extinguishers cannot be used on electrical fires because water
conducts electricity and the operator could receive a shock
from energized electrical equipment via the water.
• Class D Extinguishers - Class D extinguishers are suitable
for use on fires in combustible metals such as magnesium,
titanium, zirconium, sodium, and potassium. No numeral is
used for Class D extinguishers; the relative effectiveness of
these extinguishers for use on specific combustible metal
fires is detailed on the extinguisher nameplate
(Note: Other types of fire extinguisher includes an Air Pressurized
Water (APW) Extinguisher, CO2 Fire Extinguisher, Dry Chemical
Fire Extinguisher which includes combination of classes, e.i., “BC”,
“ABC” etc.)

A properly placed Fire Extinguisher with Label

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3. FIRE DETECTION AND ALARM SYSTEM

Fire alarm systems detect products of combustion, such as smoke
(aerosol particulate), heat, and light, and provide early occupant notification
to allow the safe egress of the occupants.
In medium to large buildings and building complexes, an alarm
system includes all or some of the following:
➢ A system control unit
➢ A primary or main electrical power supply
➢ A secondary (stand-by) power supply, usually batteries or an
emergency generator
➢ Alarm-initiating devices such as automatic fire detectors, manual pull
stations, and/or sprinkler system flow devices, connected to initiating
circuits of the system control unit
➢ Alarm-indicating devices, such as bells or lights, connected to
initiating circuits of the system control unit
➢ Ancillary controls such as ventilation shutdown functions, connected
to output circuits of the system control unit
➢ Remote alarm indication to an external response location, such as the
fire department
➢ Control circuits to activate a fire protection system or smoke control
system
Fire detection includes all or some of the following:
➢ Smoke Detector - a sensing device that identifies products of
combustion in air.
➢ Fixed-temperature Heat Detectors - signal an alarm after the
temperature at the detector reaches a set value.
➢ Rate of rise Heat Detectors - Rate-of-rise heat detectors signal an
alarm when the temperature at the detector increases at a rate
exceeding a preset value.

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➢ Flame Detectors - Flame detectors optically sense high levels of either

infrared (IR) radiation or ultraviolet (UV) radiation. Combination
UV/IR detectors are also commercially available.
➢ Ionization Smoke Detectors - Ionization smoke detectors are
designed with a sensing chamber that has a radioactive element.
➢ Photoelectric Smoke Detectors - Photoelectric smoke detectors use a
light scattering or light obscuration principle. They contain a light
emitting diode (LED) that is adjusted to direct a narrow IR light across
the unit’s detection chamber.
➢ Air-Sampling Smoke Detectors - Air-sampling smoke detectors use a
similar approach to light obscuration detectors, however, a laser or
xenon tube is typically used as a light source.

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