FR treated wood RF shielding enclosure in a Type I-A bldg.

[Redmund]

I have a project where a wood enclosure that is 18 feet x 23 feet in plan view and 10'-3" in height is proposed to be installed within a Type I-A building to house a new MRI machine. This enclosure will be made completely out of fire retardant treated (per IBC Chapter 2303.2) wood with a layer of copper installed as a radio frequency shield at the ceiling, walls and along the top of the slab-on-grade below the flooring of the wood enclosure.

This enclosure will have the MRI machine in it, and is of course intended for people to be able to walk into it (i.e.: it's not like wood cabinetry in a Type I building).

Looking at IBC 603.1, item 1 for allowable combustible materials in a Type I or II building, it looks like the treated wood enclosure could comply, except two of its sides will be bearing walls that support the ceiling assembly of the enclosure itself.

The question is, would this treated wood enclosure need to comply with Table 601 for Type 1-A construction, or just IBC sections 803 & 804 for the finishes?

 

[steveray]

Everything "bears" something..I would find a way to make that work....

 

[jar546]

I have a project where a wood enclosure that is 18 feet x 23 feet in plan view and 10'-3" in height is proposed to be installed within a Type I-A building to house a new MRI machine. This enclosure will be made completely out of fire retardant treated (per IBC Chapter 2303.2) wood with a layer of copper installed as a radio frequency shield at the ceiling, walls and along the top of the slab-on-grade below the flooring of the wood enclosure.

This enclosure will have the MRI machine in it, and is of course intended for people to be able to walk into it (i.e.: it's not like wood cabinetry in a Type I building).

Looking at IBC 603.1, item 1 for allowable combustible materials in a Type I or II building, it looks like the treated wood enclosure could comply, except two of its sides will be bearing walls that support the ceiling assembly of the enclosure itself.

The question is, would this treated wood enclosure need to comply with Table 601 for Type 1-A construction, or just IBC sections 803 & 804 for the finishes?

The enclosure is not a structural, load-bearing part of the Type I building it is constructed in.

However, Chapter 8 compliance is out of the question as the planned structure does not meet any of the definitions that the chapter is designed for.

IBC 603.1 (1) appears to allow it. Therefore, it is my opinion that as long as this is a fire-sprinkler protected building, which I assume it is, and the FR structure is protected per fire sprinkler standards, it would be allowed, provided it does not affect egress.

 

[Paul Sweet]

It will need some sprinkler heads inside the enclosure because it's wider than 4 ft.