How to Determine the Construction Type of a Building

2024 Author: Samantha Chapman | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-01-15 13:47

There are many different factors to determine the type of construction of a building and it takes a keen eye for detail. If you want to identify the type of construction of a building, start with step 1 below to get an idea of how it is done. You will also find specific information on the six different types of buildings.

Steps

Part 1 of 7: Determine the Construction Type

Step 1. How the category of a building is determined:

All buildings must be classified into six buildings (see 3). These classifications are based on two factors: building elements and fire resistance. These factors may not be included in the presentation / documentation, in which case additional information should be requested.

• Elements of a building: The materials used in the construction of a building determine its category, wood, steel or masonry.

  • Structure:
  • External load-bearing walls
  • Internal load-bearing walls
  • Non-load-bearing external walls and partitions
  • Non-load-bearing internal walls and partitions
  • Floor construction, including support beams
  • Roof construction including support beams included

• Fire resistance: This is another factor in determining the classification of the building. The material used in the construction of the building elements will have a certain fire resistance. This means the duration that a passive fire protection system can withstand a standard fire resistance test. It can be quantified simply as a measure of time (e.g. 0 hours, 1 hour, 2 hours), or it could involve other functional or fitness test criteria.

  "Minimum" rule: It is important to remember, when choosing a building classification, that the building is only as strong as its weak elements. For example, a brick building might have an unprotected wooden roof. A wooden roof is the weakest factor since Not has fire resistance. Therefore the building classification will be called Masonry (see below). Now imagine the same building with a metal clad roof. If the building does not contain wood elements, it will be considered Non-Combustible Masonry (see below).

  

  Step 2. What to ask:

  To determine the international organization for standardization (ISO) of a building, the following composition of its elements must be known:

  • Structure
  • Load-bearing walls (internal and external)
  • Construction of the plan
  • Roof construction
  • Fire resistance of materials

  

  Step 3. Classifications of a building:

  All types of buildings must be classified in the following ways (which are explained below):

  • Half-timbered construction (ISO Class I, IBC Type V)
  • Masonry (ISO Class 2, IBC Type III, IBC Type IV)
  • Non-combustible Lightweight (ISO Class 3, IBC Type IIB)
  • Non-combustible masonry (ISO Class 4, IBC Type IIA)
  • Fire Resistance Modified (ISO Class 5, IBC Type IB)
  • Fire resistant (ISO Class 6, IBC Type IA)

  

  Step 4. The International Construction Code (IBC) against the Office of Insurance Services (ISO):

  These are the two most important sources that identify the types of constructions, which we will discuss below. ISO is traditionally what insurance companies use to denote type, while IBC is used by architects and builders. While a company may use ISO, many of the documents presented may be written with IBC classifications and it is therefore important to know how to convert them to ISO. (There have been cases where half-timbered constructions have been incorrectly classified with regard to fire resistance, because the factors reported in the documentation have been misread!) Here's what to expect from both:

  • The International Construction Code (IBC): It is a model developed by the International Code Committee (ICC). Adopted by most of the United States. A large portion of this code has to do with fire prevention. It differs from the relevant International Fire Code as the IBC prevents fires based on construction and design while the International Fire Code is based on continuous fire prevention. Parts of the code also mention other codes, including piping, mechanical, electrical, and other fire prevention codes. The IBC is more descriptive and also includes a type A and B of constructions for each class.

    • A is protected, i.e. that the construction material is covered with fire protection or plasterboard, spray or other approved methods. These protections increase stamina by one hour.
    • B is unprotected, i.e. that the construction material does not have additional protections. And therefore the exposed material has a natural resistance, based on the material itself used.
  • Insurance Services Office (ISO): It is a data, coverage, risk and legislative / regulatory services for insured customers.

  Part 2 of 7: Half Timbered Construction (ISO Class I, IBC Type V)

  

  Step 1. Classification: The half-timbered construction is ISO Class 1

  ISO Class 1 includes the Type VA IBC and the Type VB IBC. Although the IBC classification can be A (protected) or B (unsecured), the ISO class is 1.

  

  Step 2. Construction elements:

  • Half-timbered constructions are constructions with external walls, floors and roofs with combustible constructions - or with non-combustible or fire resistant external walls with combustible floors and roofs.
  • Half-timbered constructions usually have a roof, floor and supports of combustible material, usually wood and combustible walls.

  • Two variations to half-timbered constructions do not change the class:

    • Masonry facing (brick facing) - is a thin layer of brick, stone or stucco used for aesthetic reasons rather than for support.
    • Metal cladding - A building with a metal cladding on the wood and beams will look different than a normal structure, but the ISO will consider it as such.

  • Other conditions that lead to the same classification are:

    • Metal walls or floors with combustible materials.
    • Metal floors or roofs with combustible insulation, or with ceiling material 45cm from horizontal supports.
    • Assembly of non-combustible material with combustible material.

    

    Step 3. Advantages:

    • Easy to erect and modify
    • Economic
    • Versatile
    • Resistant to earthquakes

    

    Step 4. Disadvantages:

    • The fire can spread easily
    • Easily damaged
    • It can become unstable in a fire
    • There may be spaces where the fire could spread unexpectedly

    Part 3 of 7: Masonry (ISO Class 2, IBC Type III, IBC Type IV)

    

    Step 1. Classification:

    Masonry construction is ISO Class 2. ISO Class 2 includes IBC Type IIIA and IBC Type IIIB. Although the IBC classification can be A (protected) or B (unprotected), the ISO class is 2. The IBC Type IV is a heavy timber construction and is considered ISO Class 2. The reason is that heavy timber it is fine and resists a little fire.

    

    Step 2. Construction elements:

    The masonry buildings have external walls in masonry that are resistant to fire for at least an hour, with combustible floors and roofs. There are several types of masonry used for the exterior of the load-bearing walls:

    • Bricks
    • Concrete - reinforced and unreinforced.
    • Concrete blocks
    • Tiles
    • Stone
    • Note that the external load-bearing walls can also be made of a non-combustible material that is resistant to fire for at least an hour.

    

    Step 3. Variations:

    There is a variation in masonry construction that does not change the class - half-timbered constructions, with heavy timber, or factory constructions, with thick masonry walls and wooden floors. Half-timbered constructions with heavy timber have wider timber components than normal half-timbered constructions (Class 1) or masonry constructions. If the building has steel columns or wall beams, the beams must be protected to have a good fire resistance of at least one hour. Half-timbered constructions with heavy timber (IBC Type IV); They are classified as such by ISO if they meet the following requirements:

    • Masonry walls
    • Tops of 7cm in wooden blocks or 10cm in laminate, both with a coating of 2.50cm.
    • Roof of 5cm of wooden blocks, 7cm of laminate, or 2, 50cm of plywood cladding
    • Support columns of at least 20cm x 20cm, wooden beams of at least 15cm x 15cm, or protected metal.

    

    Step 4. Advantages:

    • It hardly catches fire
    • It consumes more slowly when exposed to fire
    • More stable
    • Greater saving possibilities
    • Lack of hidden spaces (heavy timber)

    

    Step 5. Disadvantages:

    • Floors and roofs of combustible material subject to damage created by fire.
    • Presence of hidden spaces

    Part 4 of 7: Light Non-Combustible (ISO Class 3, IBC Type IIB)

    

    Step 1. Classification:

    Non-combustible construction is ISO Class 3. ISO Class 3 includes IBC Type IIB (unprotected).

    

    Step 2. Construction elements:

    Light non-combustible buildings are constructions with external walls of light metal or other non-combustible materials with non-combustible floors and roofs:

    • Constructions with non-combustible or fire resistant external walls, floors and roofs.
    • Supports of non-combustible or fire resistant material
    • Non-combustible or fire-resistant roof coverings - regardless of the type of roof surface insulation

    

    Step 3. Advantages:

    • Easy to erect
    • Economic
    • Materials that do not ignite easily

    

    Step 4. Disadvantages:

    • Contains steel, which loses strength at high temperatures
    • Highly damageable constructions
    • Unstable constructions in case of fire
    • Fire resistant material that burns anyway - adding fuel to the fire

    Part 5 of 7: Non-combustible masonry (ISO Class 4, IBC Type IIA)

    

    Step 1. Classification:

    Non-combustible masonry construction is ISO Class 4. ISO Class 4 includes IBC Type IIA (protected).

    

    Step 2. Construction elements:

    Non-combustible masonry constructions are constructions with exterior walls of masonry material and with floors and roofs of non-combustible or fire resistant material.

    • Buildings with exterior masonry walls - at least 10cm thick, o
    • buildings with external fire resistant walls for at least one hour, e
    • with non-combustible or fire-resistant floors and roofs - regardless of the type of roof surface insulation

    

    Step 3. Advantages:

    • Floors and roof supported by external load-bearing elements that provide good stability, to avoid collapsing in the event of a fire
    • Material that doesn't actually burn

    

    Step 4. Disadvantages:

    • Unprotected steel for the interior elements of the floors and roof, and steel loses strength and becomes unstable when exposed to high temperatures.
    • Fire resistant material that burns anyway - adding fuel to the fire

    Part 6 of 7: Modified Fire Resistant (ISO Class 5, IBC Type IB)

    

    Step 1. Classification:

    Construction with modified fire resistant material is ISO Class 5. ISO Class 5 includes IBC Type IB.

    

    Step 2. Construction elements:

    Buildings with modified fire resistant material are constructions with external load-bearing walls with many load-bearing supports that are made of non-combustible material or masonry, but the external non-load-bearing walls and panels can be of fire-resistant, combustible or non-fire resistant material. fire.

    • Buildings with external walls, floors and roofs of fire resistant masonry (Class 6) - less thick than fire resistant constructions, not less than 10cm, or
    • With fire resistant material for chin of two hours but no less than one

    

    Step 3. Variations:

    • Protections of steel structures' '': Note that constructions of modified fire resistant material also include protections of steel structures - fire resistant material applied to steel. These materials include:

      • Cement
      • Plaster
      • Clay tile
      • Bricks or other masonry blocks
      • Block chalk
      • Plaster walls
      • Mastic coatings
      • Wool and fire panels
      • Rock wool
    • Ceilings to protect beams or supports: What happens when there is no fire protection on the beams or supports of the floors or roofs? ISO considers a building as such if it has an adequate ceiling. The ceilings can be of plasterboard or plaster, or of suspended tiles. The entire flat-ceiling (drone-resistant ceiling, which protects the floor) or roof-ceiling (which protects the roof supports) must be in accordance with and approved by law (Factory Mutual -FM, UL-listed). ISO evaluates each design individually.

    

    Step 4. Advantages:

    • Non-combustible material
    • It allows for a higher ceiling than other constructions
    • Many beams and supports or elements resistant to damage caused by fire

    

    Step 5. Disadvantages:

    • Expensive to build and repair
    • Provides a false sense of security

    Part 7 of 7: Fire Resistant (ISO Class 6, IBC Type IA)

    

    Step 1. Classification:

    The fire resistant construction is ISO Class 6. ISO Class 6 includes IBC Type IA.

    

    Step 2. Construction elements:

    The load-bearing exterior walls and all exterior wall supports must be made of non-combustible masonry material, but the load-bearing exterior walls and panels may be of fire-resistant, combustible or non-combustible material.

    • Walls:

      • Solid masonry, with reinforced concrete at least 10cm thick
      • Masonry blocks at least 30cm thick
      • Masonry blocks less than 30cm thick, but not less than 20cm with a fire resistance of not less than two hours.
      • Fire resistant assembled material for at least two hours

    • Floors and roofs:

      • Reinforced concrete at least 10cm thick
      • Fire resistant assembled material for at least two hours

    • Structural metal supports:

      Horizontal and vertical metal bearing supports - including prestressed and post-compressed reinforced concrete units - with fire resistance not less than two hours

    

    Step 3. Variations:

    Both types of concrete have steel cables installed inside to provide excellent stability. With prestressed concrete, builders pull cables before pouring the concrete and release them after the concrete hardens. With post compressed concrete, builders pull one end of the cable after pouring the concrete.

    

    Step 4. Advantages:

    • Non-combustible material
    • It allows for a higher ceiling than other constructions
    • Material resistant to damage caused by fire

    

    Step 5. Disadvantages:

    • Expensive to build and repair
    • Provides a false sense of security