Rated Fire Partition vs. Smoke Partition

[indyarchyguy]

I am currently reviewing a set of documents where a consultant had come through an existing senior health and living facility. The facility is of V-B construction. It has had several interior renovations over the many years it has been in service. This is located in Indiana. One of these renovations included the implementation of a surgical suite (7 Operating Rooms, Recovery, support areas and offices, etc.). Accordingly, there should be compartmentation between this area and the rest of the facility. This renovation occurred approximately 20 years ago. The consultant noted that while there were fire-rated partitions indicated on the drawings, they were not called out as smoke partitions.

It has always been my thought (probably incorrectly), that when you have a fire-rated partition it would be inherently a smoke-partition. If all penetrations were fire-sealed, the walls fire-sealed to deck and floor, ductwork provided with fire-dampers and doors rated with fire-seals, etc. it would already meet the requirements for smoke rating. Am I incorrect in my assumptions? I always considered the smoke rating (barrier) as less than a fire-sealed product. If it is not, what would make a rated fire-barrier a smoke-barrier as well? Please show me the way...I appreciate all your input. Thank you.

 

[Sifu]

It has always been my thought (probably incorrectly), that when you have a fire-rated partition it would be inherently a smoke-partition.

I know this is old, but I am researching this now. I was sure I had read in a code or commentary that this was a valid assertion, but can't locate it.

 

[klarenbeek]

One difference would be the dampers in the duct. You would need either combination fire/smoke dampers or add smoke dampers in conjunction with the fire only dampers.

 

[PETER CIRILLO]

I have a similar condition, I have 1 hour fire rated corridor walls with 45 min. doors and we would like to add louvers with fusable links in these doors (louvers are not permitted in doors located in smoke partitions) but I cannot find a definitive definition of where smoke partitions are required and if a fire partition is assumed to also be smoke partition ? any opinions would be appreciated.

 

[Sifu]

I found this in the commentary to 709.4 (smoke barrier continuity):

This is because of the general assumption that
a barrier which provides a fire-resistance rating will
be capable of limiting the spread of smoke through it.

Is "barrier" in the commentary being used in the generic sense, or the codified sense? I still think I have read more definitive language somewhere else.