1、 Printed in U.S.A. Copyright Gypsum Association 2004. All rights reserved. GYPSUM ASSOCIATION 810 FIRST STREET NE, #510 WASHINGTON, DC 20002 BUILDING AND INSPECTING SMOKE BARRIERS (GA-618-04) Introduction. The building and fire codes throughout the United States and Canada are pri-marily concerned w
2、ith the life safety of building oc-cupants. Most modern residential and commercial buildings are designed and built to exacting code provisions that are observed by architects and builders and enforced by building officials. An im-portant focus of the codes is on fire-resistive mate-rials and constr
3、uction techniques to protect people from the effects of unwanted fires, but smoke and its related toxic components can also be deadly stalkers. By expanding the use of effective smoke barriers in all types of structures, building officials, architects, contractors, and owners can add an ex-tra margi
4、n of safety when they design, construct, maintain, and inspect buildings. The most common routes for smoke migra-tion in most buildings are corridors and penetra-tions in walls, partitions, ceilings, or floors, such as door openings, vents, shafts, chutes, mechanical air-handling systems, expansion
5、joints, and service penetrations (i.e., plumbing, telephone, and electri-cal lines). Officials responsible for developing build-ing and fire codes have realized for many years that specially designed, carefully constructed, cor-rectly sealed, and properly maintained wall and ceiling systems built of
6、 gypsum board serve as highly effective smoke barriers. This knowledge has been translated into “real-world“ practice where gypsum board fire- and sound-control sys-tems frequently serve as smoke barriers. (The In-ternational Building Code (IBC) typically requires a one-hour fire-resistance rating f
7、or smoke barriers.) This practice may be based on common sense and intuition gained through experience by fire protec-tion professionals, but it is also grounded in the technically sound proposition that systems de-signed and constructed to achieve a significant de-gree of fire resistance, sound iso
8、lation, and reduc-tion of air leakage have characteristics that are also conducive to reducing the spread of smoke. Creating Smoke Barriers. Owners, designers, builders, and inspectors should work together and carefully adhere to the recommendations below to improve the effectiveness of smoke barrie
9、rs and to increase the life-safety features of new and reno-vated buildings. Walls, partitions, and other systems serving as smoke barriers must form a barrier to smoke movement, including at the perimeter and any penetrations. The membrane must also be continuous through all concealed spaces. Each
10、fire-resistance rated gypsum board sys-tem must be installed as it was tested. Perimeters, intersections of dissimilar materials, and areas extending above ceilings, must be tightly sealed. Recessed cabinets, outlet boxes, and other penetrations should be located in separate framing cavities and bet
11、ween partition faces. The openings around penetrations should be sealed. Transfer grilles, louvers, and similar openings should not be placed in membranes that serve GA-618-04 2 as smoke barriers unless the devices close automatically upon detection of smoke. All exposed joints, angles, and abutment
12、s in the system, including those above a ceiling and at the floor, must be taped and finished with a minimum Level One finish as described in the Gypsum Associations publication GA-214, Recommended Levels of Gypsum Board Finish. The interface between the partitions and door jambs or sidelight frames
13、 should be sealed. MEMBER COMPANY LIST 2004 AMERICAN GYPSUM NATIONAL GYPSUM COMPANY BPB AMERICA INC. PABCO GYPSUM BPB CANADA INC. a division of PABCO building products, LLC CGC INC. TEMPLE-INLAND FOREST PRODUCTS CORP. G-P GYPSUM CORPORATION UNITED STATES GYPSUM COMPANY LAFARGE NORTH AMERICA INC. GYPSUM ASSOCIATION 810 First Street NE, #510 Washington, DC 20002 202-289-5440 Fax: 202-289-3707 www.gypsum.org
