← Back to Home

Chapter 7: Fire & Smoke Protection Features

Master fire-resistance rated construction and compartmentalization

0/7 Levels Complete
Start Learning

Building Scenario

Throughout this chapter, you'll apply fire-resistance rated construction requirements to:

3-Story Mixed-Use Building

  • • Ground floor: 8,000 SF retail (Group M)
  • • Second floor: 8,000 SF office (Group B)
  • • Third floor: 8,000 SF apartments (Group R-2)

Construction Details

  • • Type IIIA construction
  • • Fully sprinklered (NFPA 13)
  • • 24,000 SF total area

What You'll Learn

Fire Walls

Create separate buildings with 2-4 hour ratings

Fire Barriers

Enclose shafts and separate occupancies

Fire Partitions

Protect dwelling units and corridors

Smoke Barriers

Defend-in-place compartmentalization

Horizontal Assemblies

Floor and ceiling fire ratings

Opening Protectives

Fire doors, dampers, and firestopping

Level Overview

Level 1: Fire-Rated Construction Overview

Learn the hierarchy of fire-rated assemblies: fire walls, fire barriers, fire partitions, and smoke barriers.

Assembly hierarchyFire walls vs barriers vs partitionsSmoke barriers

Level 2: Fire Walls (Section 706)

Understand fire walls that create separate buildings for code purposes.

Separate buildingsStructural independenceTable 706.4 ratingsParapets

Level 3: Fire Barriers (Section 707)

Master fire barriers for shaft enclosures and occupancy separations.

Shaft enclosuresTable 508.4 occupancy separations1-2 hour ratings

Level 4: Fire Partitions (Section 708)

Apply fire partitions for dwelling units and corridor walls.

Table 1020.1 corridor ratingsDwelling unit separations20-minute doors

Level 5: Smoke Barriers & Partitions (709-710)

Understand defend-in-place strategies with smoke compartmentalization.

Defend-in-place22,500 SF compartmentsI-2/I-3 requirements

Level 6: Horizontal Assemblies & Opening Protectives

Master floor ratings, fire doors, fire dampers, and firestopping.

Table 601 floor ratingsTable 716.1 door ratingsFire dampersFirestopping

Level 7: Integration Challenge

Apply all Chapter 7 concepts in a comprehensive 10-question assessment.

Comprehensive assessmentReal-world scenariosAll Chapter 7 concepts
Start Chapter 7