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Essay / Research Paper Abstract
This 4 page paper explains the type of building known as "ordinary construction," and why it is dangerous to firefighters. It also explains various types of load, protective equipment and alarms. Bibliography lists 4 sources.
Page Count:
4 pages (~225 words per page)
File: D0_HVOrdCon.rtf
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Unformatted sample text from the term paper:
being very dangerous. This paper answers some questions about ordinary construction, the loads such buildings carry, and the fire dangers inherent in them. Discussion In the United States, five basic
groups of construction are used: "fire-resistive (type I), non-combustible (type II), ordinary (type III), heavy-timber (type IV) and wood-frame (type V)" (Dunn). On this scale, the building least likely to
burn is the type I; that most likely is the type V (Dunn). Ordinary construction then is less fire-resistant than other types of construction. Construction: Ordinary construction buildings are also
called "brick-and-joist" structures (Dunn). The walls are masonry but the "floors, structural framework and roof are made of wood or other combustible material" (Dunn). According to Dunn, firefighters call this
type of building a "lumberyard enclosed by four brick walls" (Dunn). The major problem of fire spread in this type of construction is that it gets into "concealed spaces and
poke-through holes. These small voids, crevices and openings through which smoke and fire can spread are found behind the partition walls, floors and ceilings" (Dunn). The "poke-through holes" are crated
by "small openings for utilities," while the concealed spaces are . Concealed spaces are formed by "wood studs, floor joists and suspended ceilings" (Dunn). The poke-through holes in particular allow
fires to "spread into concealed spaces" running either horizontally or vertically (Dunn). The largest concealed space in an ordinary construction building is called the "cockloft," and is the space between
the top floor and the roof deck (Dunn). This space is large and sometimes extends through several structures (Dunn). It is extremely dangerous: "A fire in a cockloft or roof
space extending over a row of three or four houses or stories can destroy the entire row of structures" (Dunn). In a type-III structure, fire spreads by convection-hot gases and
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