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Fire Wall Continuity / Exterior Exit

D

DOD22

Registered User
Joined
Dec 29, 2019
Messages
14
Location
Pennsylvania
Happy New Year All:

We are designing a 4 story, 8 unit multifamily project on an in-fill site. Construction type is VB. The two means of egress at the ground floor are at the side of the building. The ground floor, where the exits are located is recessed from the property line 5 feet, while the above 3 stories form a party wall at the property line.

My questions for the forum are as follows:

-In this instance, is IBC2018 706.6 (vertical continuity of firewalls) applicable, thus requiring the fire wall / party wall to continue down to grade?

-Is there a requirement that there be fire rating on the open side of the exterior path of egress along the property line (even where the building itself is setback on all levels)?

-Would this space be considered an exterior exit passageway?

Please see the attached diagrams. I appreciate any thoughts and feedback. Thanks

view
 
Welcome

Is this under PA code?

Give it a few days, with the holidays, for some great replies
 
I do not think the IBC has an ""exterior exit passageway""

Or could you provide a code reference
 
What you’re describing are not fire walls but exterior walls with no fire separation distance. A party wall is a single wall shared by buildings on both sides of a lot line. In your case, it appears that you’re building the walls entirely on your side of the lot line. The owners of the adjacent property could either build a building with an exterior wall right up to the lot line, too.
 
@cda it's located in Philadelphia, which uses IBC 2018. I think you are correct that exterior passage way is not the correct term but rather this would be the exit discharge area ( the area between the exit and the public right of way).

@RLGA Thank you for this note. The firewall vs exterior wall with no separation distance is an important clarification.


I think the follow up question would whether or not the exit discharge area requires any kind of fire rating or protection at the property line?

Thank you both for your responses and help with this code question.
 
I would treat it as a corridor since there’s a possibility that the owner of the adjacent property could build right up to the lot line that would completely enclose the pathways except at the ends.
 
@RLGA By considering it a corridor, are you suggesting that I preemptively close it off at the property line rather than leave it open? Would it be considered a corridor even though it is beyond the exit in the exit access system?
 
The termination of an exit defines the beginning of the exit discharge. But per Section 1028.3, an exit discharge must be “sufficiently open to the exterior so as to minimize the accumulation of smoke and toxic gases sufficiently open to the exterior so as to minimize the accumulation of smoke and toxic gases.” Once it is closed on the long sides and the top, it would not be considered “sufficiently open”; thus, what you called an “exit” would actually be an “exit access door” and the “exit” would be where the enclosure ends.

You can preemptively enclose it, but it would not be necessary.
 
@RLGA I am with you until your last point that it would not be necessary to enclose it on the long side (property line) if I consider it a corridor. Corridors for R2 occupancy require min 30 min rating. Is it your thought that the rating would be supplied by the neighbor if they were to ever build up to the property line? Thank you for humoring me on this, it's very helpful.
 
LDC28 said:
@RLGA I am with you until your last point that it would not be necessary to enclose it on the long side (property line) if I consider it a corridor. Corridors for R2 occupancy require min 30 min rating. Is it your thought that the rating would be supplied by the neighbor if they were to ever build up to the property line? Thank you for humoring me on this, it's very helpful.
Click to expand...
If you provide a wall, it would have to be a 1-hour exterior wall with no openings due to the fire separation distance. If the neighbor built up to the lot line, they would have to provide either a 1-hour or 2-hour wall (depending on occupancy group) with no openings, so you would have the same (or greater) protection regardless. If the neighbor doesn’t build up to the lot line, then it’ll be open and have an exit discharge that is protected. Don’t offer the wall up front, have the city make you do it. Then you’ll have a reason to give the owner/developer for the added cost.

FYI, the exterior walls for the upper stories will also only need to be 1-hour as well as the floor construction for the dwelling unit separation, so the added 1-hour protection for the “corridor”—no matter what the neighbor does—really isn’t adding much to the construction cost.
 
steveray said:
Almost sounds like an egress court....

EGRESS COURT. A court or yard which provides access to
a public way for one or more exits.
Click to expand...
You'll notice that it refers to a court or a yard...

Court: An open, uncovered space, unobstructed to the sky, bounded on three or more sides by exterior building walls or other enclosing devices.

Yard: An open space, other than a court, unobstructed from the ground to the sky, except where specifically provided by this code, on the lot on which a building is situated.

In this case, the area under consideration is not unobstructed to the sky.
 
Thanks Ron!.....I am struggling a bit with the if it is not built as a party wall how is it built to meet the requirements of an exterior wall thing (cladding, rating, joints, etc...)....Mainly just from a constructibility standpoint. But I don't do a lot of zero lot line stuff other than firewalls to break up buildings.
 
LDC28 said:
Will there be a IBC 2018 Version?
Click to expand...


You would have to ask RGLA.

I am thinking no.

I would say if you get the book, most of it will apply to 2018.
You would just need to compare code sections for any changes.
 
LDC28 said:
Will there be a IBC 2018 Version?
Click to expand...
At this time, no. Wiley has already given me their rejection to do another version of the book. I'm trying to work with them to release me from any remaining obligations so I can either self-publish or go to another publisher.
 
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