Corridor and Smoke Barrier Doors

[AegisFPE]

Similar language is present in the 2009 and 2012 IBC for fire door and shutter assemblies. References from 2009 are provided below:

715.4.1 Side-Hinged or Pivoted Swinging Doors. Fire door assemblies with side-hinged and pivoted swinging doors shall be tested in accordance with NFPA 252 or UL 10C. After 5 minutes into the NFPA 252 test, the neutral pressure level in the furnace shall be established at 40 inches above the sill.715.4.2 Other Types of Assemblies. Fire door assemblies with other types of doors, including swinging elevator doors and fire shutter assemblies, shall be tested in accordance with NFPA 252 or UL 10B. The pressure in the furnace shall be maintained as nearly equal to the atmospheric pressure as possible.

715.4.3 Door Assemblies in Corridors and Smoke Barriers. Fire door assemblies required to have a minimum fire protection rating of 20 minutes where located in corridor walls or smoke barrier walls having a fire-resistance rating in accordance with Table 715.4 shall be tested in accordance with NFPA 252 or UL 10C without the hose stream test.

These sections reference four tests:

1. UL10B
2. UL10C
3. NFPA 252
4. NFPA 252 with specified neutral pressure level after 5 minutes

That said, we can conclude from the list above that door assemblies in a corridor or smoke barrier:

1. Need only be tested per item 2. or 3.
2. Side-hinged or pivoted swinging doors would be required to meet item 2.
3. Need only meet item 3. if an "other type of assembly" such as swinging elevator doors, fire shutter assemblies, horizontal doors (not specifically stated in 715.4.2, but they'd be on my list)
   

Because of the similarity of items 1. and 3. as shown in 715.4.2, does 715.4.3 effectively permit "other types of assemblies" meeting 10B to be located in corridors and smoke barriers, or should the reference in 715.4.3 to item 3. really be a reference to item 4.?

 

[LGreene]

This is the way I understand the requirements:

UL10C and NFPA 252 with the neutral pressure plane at 40" AFF are "positive pressure" tests. This test more accurately reflects what happens in a fire. 715.4.1 requires swinging fire doors to be tested with this method.

UL10B and NFPA 252 are "neutral pressure" tests...the ones we used before positive pressure came along. 715.4.2 allows this test method for other types of assemblies. In my opinion this would not apply to swinging fire doors.

NFPA 252 and UL10C without the hose stream is for 20-minute doors, which are located in corridors and smoke barriers. It seems like 715.4.3 should refer to NFPA 252 with the neutral pressure plane at 40" AFF to be consistent, or otherwise UL10C listed in this paragraph should be UL10B.

 

[RLGA]

I agree with Lori.

NFPA does not have "positive pressure" in their test standard, so it is mentioned by the code to do it. UL 10C includes the requirement to move the pressure level to 40" after 5 minutes.

The reason 715.4.3 doesn't mention the positive pressure requirement for NFPA 252 is that the doors to corridors or smoke barriers could be either the swinging/pivoting type or another type. Therefore, if the corridor door is swinging, then 715.4.1 is applicable. If it's a horizontal sliding door that meets the specific requirements for use, then 715.4.2 is applicable. Either way, they don't have to pass the hose stream test.

 

[AegisFPE]

The question of the acceptable test standards, though a bit ambiguous in the code text, is clarified in the Tables of IBC 2012.

Section 716.5.3 references Table 715.6. This table identifies "D-20" doors for corridors and smoke barriers. Table 716.3 notes that a D door may be tested in accordance with NFPA 252 or UL 10B or UL 10C.

Why the text of the code is different than the tables, I don't understand, and have submitted an errata.