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Insulated Metal Panels with Foam Plastic Insulation in Type 1 Construction

K

Kevin

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Mar 25, 2020
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philadelphia
I had a preliminary code review with AHJ for a project I'm working on and the reviewer raised a concern about insulated metal panels. They thought the exterior walls should be fire rated with a symmetrical assembly that is resistant from both sides.

The building will be large, low occupancy and about 200' from any nearby building. I've been able to get the allowable area to work out with a frontage increase using Type 1B construction. The building will be steel framed and the largest volume only needs to be semi-heated since it's all equipment. I don't see anything in the code telling me that the exterior walls have to be fire rated per IBC 601 and IBC 705.5.

The large volume (H-2 use) will be about 45' tall and "book-ended" by utility spaces on each end . One end will have electric with a 2 hour fire rated separation between it and the H-2 use. This end will be ~ 15' tall. and the other end will be incidental space with non-hazardous mechanical equipment, sprinkler riser and additional utility space. The incidental end will have another 2 hour fire rated separation between it and small business occupancy for the people that run the plant. The business end will also be ~ 15' tall. I was planning on CMU walls to achieve the 2 hour separation at each end. I could extend the cmu walls 30" above the lower roofs to meet 706.6.1 stepped buildings, but I don't think that is necessary per IBC 707.5 Continuity for Fire Barriers.

I found a memo from Centria that explains how their foam plastic insulated metal panels meet code since they meet special approval. As stated above this was a preliminary review, so the AHJ isn't that familiar yet w/ the project and all the specifics. Is there something I'm missing. They are of the mindset that this has to have tilt-up concrete panels and I just don't see it in the code. We will be calling for all of the steel structure to have Spray Applied Fireproofing or Intumescent Paint, perhaps they are thinking of IBC 704.2 Column Protection?

I'd love to hear some thoughts on this, I find this site is more helpful sometimes than calling ICC. Thank you!

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I've found a few memo's from IMP manufacturers that explain how their IMP's meet chapter 26.
 
Kevin said:
Type 1B construction. The building will be steel framed and the largest volume only needs to be semi-heated since it's all equipment. I don't see anything in the code telling me that the exterior walls have to be fire rated per IBC 601 and IBC 705.5.
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If it is Type I-B, the primary structural frame and all bearing walls need to be 2-hr. If this is a PEMB with IMP, I don't believe you would be likely able to use Type I-B.

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One other note... be sure to review Sec. 704 Fire-Resistance Rating of Structural Members. You may be able to encase individual members of the PEMB instead of using rated wall assemblies. But again, I do not see the proposed construction as being Type I-B.
 
classicT said:
If it is Type I-B, the primary structural frame and all bearing walls need to be 2-hr. If this is a PEMB with IMP, I don't believe you would be likely able to use Type I-B.
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This will actually be stick-framed and and not a Pre-engineered Metal Building. There won't be any bearing walls either. I interpret Note A under primary frame:

a. Roof supports: Fire-resistance ratings of primary structural frame and bearing walls are permitted to be reduced by 1 hour where supporting a roof only.

To allow 1 hour rating for the columns and roof joists. With that said, we are planning to create an equipment shelf to hang off the columns along the exterior wall for cabling and infrastructure, so that might make note a Null and Void. Thoughts?
 
Kevin said:
This will actually be stick-framed and and not a Pre-engineered Metal Building. There won't be any bearing walls either. I interpret Note A under primary frame:

a. Roof supports: Fire-resistance ratings of primary structural frame and bearing walls are permitted to be reduced by 1 hour where supporting a roof only.

To allow 1 hour rating for the columns and roof joists. With that said, we are planning to create an equipment shelf to hang off the columns along the exterior wall for cabling and infrastructure, so that might make note a Null and Void. Thoughts?
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Stick framed? As in wood? NOPE!! Not with Type I-B.

I do believe that you have a PEMB design. Steel columns, perlins, etc. If so, the columns, perlins, etc. all make up part of the primary structural frame. You can either encapsulate within a rated wall assembly, or can go the route of individual member encasement per Sec. 704 Fire-Resistance Rating of Structural Members.
 
Also, be sure to review Section 2603 - Foam Plastic Insulation, notably 2603.5 Exterior Walls of Buildings of Any Height.
 
classicT said:
Stick framed? As in wood? NOPE!! Not with Type I-B.

I do believe that you have a PEMB design. Steel columns, perlins, etc. If so, the columns, perlins, etc. all make up part of the primary structural frame. You can either encapsulate within a rated wall assembly, or can go the route of individual member encasement per Sec. 704 Fire-Resistance Rating of Structural Members.
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Got it, I meant steel framed and not a pre-engineered metal building. I also think the gray area about supporting roof only is more for cases where the columns are supporting floors too.
classicT said:
Also, be sure to review Section 2603 - Foam Plastic Insulation, notably 2603.5 Exterior Walls of Buildings of Any Height.
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According to the Centria document, 2603.5 and 2303.5.1 thru 2603.5.7 are either exempt or meet the requirements through their large-scale tests (FNPA 286 and FM 4880)
 
classicT said:
As in cold-formed steel stud?

If steel stud, how are there not bearing walls?
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No, they will be wide flange steel columns clad with Insulated Metal Panels for the H-2 space. The office section will be the same, but it will also get cold-formed furring for extra insulation that will terminate at the underside of the wide flange steel beams along the perimeter.

We discussed actual pre-engineered metal building systems, but they always have a procurement issue and want you to buy the system before they give you reactions. This building will also get a lot of penetrations since the gas mixture is piped back and forth between exterior and interior equipment as it's processed
 
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Kevin said:
No, they will be wide flange steel columns clad with Insulated Metal Panels for the H-2 space. The office section will be the same, but it will also get cold-formed furring for extra insulation that will terminate at the underside of the wide flange steel beams along the perimeter.

We discussed actual pre-engineered metal building systems, but they always have a procurement issue and want you to buy the system before they give you reactions. This building will also get a lot of penetrations since the gas mixture is piped back and forth between exterior and interior equipment as it's processed
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What elements are supporting lateral forces in the building?

In any case, the structural elements making up the primary structural frame need to be protected per Table 601.

[BG] PRIMARY STRUCTURAL FRAME. The primary structural frame shall include all of the following structural members:
  1. The columns.
  2. Structural members having direct connections to the columns, including girders, beams, trusses and spandrels.
  3. Members of the floor construction and roof construction having direct connections to the columns.
  4. Members that are essential to the vertical stability of the primary structural frame under gravity loading.
 
classicT said:
What elements are supporting lateral forces in the building?

In any case, the structural elements making up the primary structural frame need to be protected per Table 601.

[BG] PRIMARY STRUCTURAL FRAME. The primary structural frame shall include all of the following structural members:
  1. The columns.
  2. Structural members having direct connections to the columns, including girders, beams, trusses and spandrels.
  3. Members of the floor construction and roof construction having direct connections to the columns.
  4. Members that are essential to the vertical stability of the primary structural frame under gravity loading.
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The columns support the lateral forces but commentary doesn't touch on that. I asked ICC about it and they agreed w/ my conclusion. I wish there was more clarification on issues like this.
 
Kevin said:
The columns support the lateral forces but commentary doesn't touch on that. I asked ICC about it and they agreed w/ my conclusion. I wish there was more clarification on issues like this.
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Columns do not resist lateral forces on their own. There has to be some type of sheathing/diaphragm, diagonal bracing, or moment frames.
 
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