Fuel load open to corridor

[Sifu]

Consider a school, sprinklered, with a large corridor between two exit stairs at either end. The corridor is unrated. Between the exit stairs there is a library which is entirely open to the corridor and in fact there are book shelves on both sides of the corridor. Essentially the corridor runs down the middle of the library, although they delineate the library form the corridor with flooring. By definition, I don't think the books and shelves would be considered interior finish so I am not sure of any IBC provisions that would affect/prohibit this. Have I missed any? This came out of a presubmittal meeting.

 

[north star]

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Sifu, ...did you have some questions in your posting ?

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[mtlogcabin]

I don't believe this meets the intent of the definition of a corridor.

[BE] CORRIDOR. An enclosed exit access component that defines and provides a path of egress travel.

How are they controlling the air movement in the corridor separate from the library areas?

1020.5 Air movement in corridors.
Corridors shall not serve as supply, return, exhaust, relief or ventilation air ducts.

 

[classicT]

For some reason, my memory drives me to think we discussed this before. I swear an answer was found in the commentary diagram to Section 1020.7.

1020.7 Corridor Continuity​

Fire-resistance-rated corridors shall be continuous from the point of entry to an exit, and shall not be interrupted by intervening rooms. Where the path of egress travel within a fire-resistance-rated corridor to the exit includes travel along unenclosed exit access stairways or ramps, the fire-resistance rating shall be continuous for the length of the stairway or ramp and for the length of the connecting corridor on the adjacent floor leading to the exit.
Exceptions:

1. Foyers, lobbies or reception rooms constructed as required for corridors shall not be construed as intervening rooms.
2. Enclosed elevator lobbies as permitted by Item 1 of Section 1016.2 shall not be construed as intervening rooms.

 

[Sifu]

I don't believe this meets the intent of the definition of a corridor.

[BE] CORRIDOR. An enclosed exit access component that defines and provides a path of egress travel.

How are they controlling the air movement in the corridor separate from the library areas?

1020.5 Air movement in corridors.
Corridors shall not serve as supply, return, exhaust, relief or ventilation air ducts.

I only got a glance at the plans as the applicant shared a screen, but you are right, it may not meet the intent of corridor since it encompasses the open area that has a use other than as a means of egress, which is where the "media center" is. Otherwise it is enclosed by the bounding walls and doors of the classrooms as far as I can remember. My wording may have been off in that case, so we will call it an aisle.

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Sifu, ...did you have some questions in your posting ?

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I looked at exit access, corridors (aisles), finishes, so the question is did I miss something? I am obviously uncomfortable with the concept but I can't find an applicable code that would preclude the idea, and without that my comfort is irrelevant.

For some reason, my memory drives me to think we discussed this before. I swear an answer was found in the commentary diagram to Section 1020.7.

1020.7 Corridor Continuity​

Fire-resistance-rated corridors shall be continuous from the point of entry to an exit, and shall not be interrupted by intervening rooms. Where the path of egress travel within a fire-resistance-rated corridor to the exit includes travel along unenclosed exit access stairways or ramps, the fire-resistance rating shall be continuous for the length of the stairway or ramp and for the length of the connecting corridor on the adjacent floor leading to the exit.
Exceptions:

1. Foyers, lobbies or reception rooms constructed as required for corridors shall not be construed as intervening rooms.
2. Enclosed elevator lobbies as permitted by Item 1 of Section 1016.2 shall not be construed as intervening rooms.

It does seem that the subject has come up, which may be why it stood out to me. 1020.7 isn't applicable because it is not rated.

 

[mtlogcabin]

A corridor in principle acts the same as a cattle shoot. Once you are in there you do not get out till you get to an exit. One of the purposes for being enclosed is to follow the wall to get out if needed. What you have defeats the intent of the corridor.

 

[Sifu]

I tend to agree, which is why I am trying to make sure it is allowed, but I can't find a code to say it can't exist. The path I found seems to allow it:

The aisle is part of the exit access, which must comply with applicable provisions of 1003 to 1015, which it appears to satisfy. The arrangement of the exit access must comply with 1016 to 1023, which it appears to satisfy. The EATD is met, it works as an aisle and the aisle leads to the exit access stairs or exit stairs (I wasn't shown details for the stairs). The aisle is not required to be enclosed, it is defined by the flooring (the intervening room has a flooring break to define the parameters of the room) and it meets width and capacity requirements, which is unobstructed. So as far as I can tell I guess I have answered my own question...unless I have missed something, which was the original question.

 

[mtlogcabin]

Your options for egress are not limited in an aisle because you are not in an enclosed component of the exit access. IMHO you have both, 2 corridors and an aisle through the library portion. Like you I am not comfortable with the design, but I can't point to a code section to deny it.


[BE] AISLE. An unenclosed exit access component that defines and provides a path of egress travel.

[BE] CORRIDOR. An enclosed exit access component that defines and provides a path of egress travel.

 

[tmurray]

Does your code provide requirements for occupancies in an access to an exit (like a kiosk in a mall). This might be the avenue for enforcement.

 

[ICE]

[BE] AISLE. An unenclosed exit access component that defines and provides a path of egress travel.

[BE] CORRIDOR. An enclosed exit access component that defines and provides a path of egress travel.

Does the floor, ceiling and walls of an enclosure define the path of egress travel? That ceases as soon as there is a library in the mix. If the walls are not there, neither is the corridor.

An aisle could be as simple as a contrasting floor surface.

 

[Sifu]

Does your code provide requirements for occupancies in an access to an exit (like a kiosk in a mall). This might be the avenue for enforcement.

Not in the same regard as far as I know. A mall/kiosk is covered in that respect but only within a covered mall as a special occupancy. As far as I can tell the only restriction is in saying the required width can't have obstructions. These are very wide aisles (just seems weird to not say corridors), so any of the obstructions from the media center would be outside of the required width, which is delineated by the floors. So the aisle has a hard surface (not sure what) and the media center is carpet. The media center is out of the path of travel, but open to it, which is my concern. But every avenue I take is telling me to move on, it is allowed.

 

[Sifu]

Being fresh in my mind this topic has come up on a different project related to dead-ends. Dead ends are specific to corridors, which is enclosed...so I have a design that is using unenclosed "aisles", open to several rooms and spaces that are not used in the MOE (best definition of enclosed I can come up with in this context). On this project I have an "aisle" with a dead end that exceeds 50' (B, sprinklered), but it is not a corridor. So I go to the commentary to see what it may offer, and not surprisingly it offers up a different term: passageway. That term is not defined in the code by itself. So the code says a corridor can't have a dead end that exceeds 50', but the commentary expands that to include passageway. So do I now include any passageway (undefined) in the exit access elements that limit dead-ends? Or did they just forget to add the word "exit" to passageway?

 

[mtlogcabin]

Or did they just forget to add the word "exit" to passageway?

Yes, they forgot to include the word "exit" in the commentary.
Exit Passageway is mentioned 36 times in Chapters 1 thru 11. So, the commentary is referring to an Exit Passageway.

[BE] EXIT PASSAGEWAY. An exit component that is separated from other interior spaces of a building or structure by fire-resistance-rated construction and opening protectives, and provides for a protected path of egress travel in a horizontal direction to an exit or to the exit discharge.

 

[Sifu]

Maybe, but it seems to be a glaring omission in 1023. Plus an exit passageway is always required to be rated, and in some cases to a greater extent than a rated corridor. I'm not so sure the inclusion of the term "passageway" wasn't an editorial extrapolation by the author, or even an intent to include dead-end limits on all similar exit access components. Wonder if the original code proposal is floating around out there somewhere.