Fire Safety of Tall Wood Buildings:A Research Review

Robert Gerard, MSc, PE, ,Arup, San Francisco26 February 2014

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Course Description

Recent architectural trends in sustainable urbanRecent architectural trends in sustainable urbandensification have spurred a movement towardincreasingly tall buildings made from mass timberproducts or a combination of wood and other

l ll b b ldmaterials. Many tall timber building concepts aremotivated by their suggested advantages insustainability resulting from the use of wood as arenewable resource and low carbon constructionrenewable resource and low carbon constructionmaterial. However, to ensure occupant safety andthe protection of property, the next step is to fullyassess the fire performance of these buildings. This

t ti ill di lt f i iti l t dpresentation will discuss results of an initial studyperformed in coordination with the Fire ProtectionResearch Foundation, as well as recommendationsfor research and testing.g

Learning Objectives

1. Explain the current state of fire and life safety codes and standards as theyrelate to allowing timber as a structural materialrelate to allowing timber as a structural material.

2. Describe the current understanding of fire performance of tall timber buildings,including results of fire testing and examples of high rise timber buildings.

3 Id tif f f t t ti d h d d t d t t f t i3. Identify areas for future testing and research needed to demonstrate safety intall timber buildings.

4. Understand the importance of effective risk communication with timberbuilding stakeholders.building stakeholders.

AgendaI d i fi f• Introduction to fire safety

• Introduction to timber buildingsTi b b ildi l i• Timber building regulations

• Timber fire performanceG i k l d• Gaps in knowledge

• Risk communication: performance based design and building codes

6

Fire SafetyS f f fi• Safety from fire- Occupant evacuation- Emergency operations

• Safety from structural failure- Structural stability

• Safety during building use- Occupation

7

Timber BuildingsH i• Human experience

8

Timber BuildingsN l li i• Non-structural applications- Flooring, linings, facades, finishes

9

Timber BuildingsS l li i• Structural applications- Building materials

10

Timber BuildingsLi h i b f d• Light timber frame products- 2” x 4” studs- “I” joists

11

Timber BuildingsLi h i b f i• Light timber frame construction- Stick framing

12

Timber BuildingsH i b f d• Heavy timber frame products- Engineered wood products

Glue laminated wood (Glulam) Laminated Veneer Lumber (LVL)

13

Glue laminated wood (Glulam) Laminated Veneer Lumber (LVL)

Timber BuildingsH i b f i• Heavy timber frame construction- Post and beam construction

14

Timber BuildingsH i b f d• Heavy timber frame products- Engineered wood products

Cross Laminated Timber (CLT)

15

Cross Laminated Timber (CLT)

Timber BuildingsH i b f i• Heavy timber frame construction- Panelized construction

16

Timber BuildingsH i b f d• Heavy timber frame products- Composite wood products

Post-tensioned timber

17

Post tensioned timber

Timber BuildingsH i b f d• Heavy timber frame products- Composite wood products

Timber-concrete composite floors

18

Timber concrete composite floors

Historical ExamplesHi i l l• Historical examples

Yi i P d Chi 1056Leckie Building,

V C d 1908

19

Yiangxian Pagoda, China, 1056 Vancouver, Canada, 1908

Contemporary ExamplesP li d i• Panelized construction- Stadhaus, London, UK, 2009

20

Contemporary ExamplesP li d i• Panelized construction- Stadhaus, London, UK, 2009

21

Contemporary ExamplesP li d i• Panelized construction- Forte Building, Melbourne, Australia, 2013

22

Contemporary ExamplesP li d i• Panelized construction- Forte Building, Melbourne, Australia, 2013

23

Contemporary ExamplesP d b i• Post and beam construction- Life Cycle Tower One, Austria, 2012

24

Contemporary ExamplesP d b i• Post and beam construction- Life Cycle Tower One, Austria, 2012

25

Contemporary ExamplesP d b i• Post and beam construction- Wood Innovation Design Centre, Prince George, Canada, 2014

26

Contemporary ExamplesO h• Other structures- Sculptures- Leisure

27

Metropol Parasol, Spain, 2011 Pyramid Tower, Austria, 2013

Timber BuildingsF ibili di• Feasibility studies

“Office Building of the Future”, CEI A hit t 2013 Ti b T SOM 2013

28

CEI Architecture, 2013 Timber Tower, SOM, 2013

Timber BuildingsF ibili l• Feasibility examples- Case for Tall Wood

30-story high-rise,i h l G A hi 2012

29

Michael Green Architecture, 2012

Timber BuildingsGl b l d• Global precedent

30

Building Regulations in TimberI i l l i• International regulations

31

Building Regulations in TimberI i l l i• International regulations

Country Applicable Building Code Maximum # of StoriesS i kl d U i kl dSprinklered Unsprinklered

Australia 2013 Building Code of Australia (BCA) 3 3

Austria Austrian Building Codes 8 (*72 feet) 3

Canada 2010 National Building Code of Canada (NBCC)

4 3

Germany 2012 Federal Building Code 8 (*59 feet) 3

Sweden 2013 Planning and Building Act 8 2

UnitedKingdom

2010 Building Regulations 5** 4**

* Indicates a height limit in addition to a maximum story limit

32

Building Regulations in TimberUS l i• US regulations

Applicable Building Code Maximum # of StoriesS i kl d U i kl dSprinklered Unsprinklered

2013 International Building Code (IBC) 5* 4*

2012 National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 5000

6* 5*(NFPA) 5000

* Number of heavy timber stories permitted

33

Timber Fire PerformanceCh i• Charring- Well-understood- Predictable

- ~0.03 in/min [0.7mm/min]

34

Timber Fire PerformanceFi f• Fire performance- Light timber vs. heavy timber

35

Timber Fire PerformanceFi i• Fire protection- Light timber

36

Timber Fire PerformanceFi i• Fire protection- Heavy timber

Sacrificial char layerSolid “cold” timber

37

Timber Fire PerformanceFi f• Fire performance- Connections

38

Timber Fire PerformanceFi i• Fire protection- Connections

39

Timber Fire PerformanceFi f• Fire performance- Composite members

40

Timber Fire PerformanceTi b F 2000 (TF 2000)• Timber Frame 2000 (TF 2000)- Cardington, UK, 1999- Fire resistance mid-rise timber building

41

Timber Fire PerformanceN l fi i F i d F 2005• Natural fire testing, Frangi and Fontana, 2005- Light timber framing- Combustible lining vs. gypsum lining- Sprinklered vs. non-sprinklered

Sprinkler protectionCombustible lining Gypsum board

42

lining

Timber Fire PerformanceTi b i bli (O’N ill 2012)• Timber composite assemblies (O’Neill, 2012)- Fire performance based on testing- Up to 2-hour ratings for assemblies

43

Timber Fire PerformanceCLT bli (O b D i B i h 2012)• CLT assemblies (Osborne, Dagenais, Benichou, 2012)- Charring rate consistent with wood (~0.03 in/min

[0.7mm/min])- Predictable behavior- Improved performance with gypsum board protection

44

Gaps in KnowledgeS l l i• System-level testing- Exposed steel testing

45

Gaps in KnowledgeC i bli• Composite assemblies

• Connections

46

Gaps in KnowledgeD l i i• Delamination

47

Gaps in KnowledgeP i• Penetrations- Fire-stopping

48

Gaps in KnowledgeP i f i k• Perception of risk- Model building codes

50

Risk CommunicationT h i l j ifi i• Technical justification

51

Risk CommunicationP f b d d i• Performance based design- Alternative solution to prescriptive codes

52

Risk Communication

• We cling to the myth that timber construction presents risks, while concrete and steel do not. Nonsense. Every materialwhile concrete and steel do not. Nonsense. Every materialpresents risks, but we manage them in different ways…

- Russell Fortmeyer, Arup Structures

53

AcknowledgementsFi P i R h A i i• Fire Protection Research Association

• National Fire Protection AssociationW dW k• WoodWorks

54

Q ti ?Questions?

This concludes TheThis concludes TheAmerican Institute ofArchitects ContinuingEd i SEducation SystemsCourse Robert Gerard, MSc, PE

A S F iArup, San Franciscorobert.gerard@arup.com