What is the difference between a fire wall and a fire partition? The use of fire walls in construction

There are many barriers that serve to prevent the spread of fire. One of them, the most common, is a fire wall. It serves to minimize fire damage after a fire, or to keep it within a certain area. If walls of this type are installed incorrectly, a fire can quickly spread, followed by significant damage to property, and more seriously, loss of life. Therefore, each structure must be built taking into account fire safety requirements.

What are fire walls used for?

Fire protection structures, regardless of their type, are subject to certain requirements. They must be made of materials that do not burn; fire resistance must be at a certain level. In addition, they should not be installed in any place in the building, but on partitions, where it will be possible to block the path of the flame in the event of a fire. Gas tightness must also be at a certain level.

They can be installed to separate rooms with different fire hazard characteristics. Sometimes rooms have different fire loads. In such cases, walls must also be installed. When drawing up the project, it is necessary to take into account the required fire resistance limit of the premises so that the wall can withstand the required load if necessary. Its strength limits are sometimes increased or decreased, depending on the specific situation.

If the fire resistance limit is reduced, coordination with the authorities monitoring the fire safety of the structure is necessary.

Classification of fire walls


The structures can be installed both inside the building and outside. They are subject to different loads: there is a load-bearing and self-supporting structure. The first type shows that the wall is under load not only of its own, but also of various floors and building elements that exert pressure. The second is only under its own weight; no other pressure is exerted on it.

In addition to those listed above, they can be classified according to fire resistance limit. It depends on the method of construction, the type of structure. If a building is being built according to special requirements, fire walls must be installed around the entire perimeter so that the fire cannot spread to adjacent rooms. In the event of a collapse, the flame may be open. Therefore, fire walls must also be installed inside it, in certain places.

Walls must be built along the entire height of the building. The fire should not be able to spread horizontally. The support for the structures is the foundation, or foundation beams. The number of floors is not important; the wall runs the entire height of the building. It can be constructed from non-combustible materials that meet certain requirements. Maximum fire resistance should be at the joints with other structures. This ensures the stability of the wall and the junction with other partitions.

Construction of fire walls

A structure of this type necessarily rises above the level of the building by about 60 cm. As the height increases, this figure also increases. If all roof elements are made of materials that do not burn, the fire barrier may not protrude beyond the building. If the external ones belong to hazard classes K1, K2, K3, the fire wall must intersect them and protrude beyond their boundaries by 30 cm.

It is worth knowing that depending on the type of wall, the method of its construction differs. They can be built from piece blocks, bricks, frame blocks. If there is a void inside, it is filled with non-combustible materials, for example, panels. When constructing walls from piece materials, their thickness should be at least half a brick.

If there is a fire in a building, the flames will affect the building from three sides. All indications must be taken into account, and the result will be the lowest tensile strength. It depends on whether the wall will withstand the impact of the flame.

It is worth distinguishing between fire walls and partitions. The latest structures are fences that delimit the territory and ensure fire safety on only one floor. Their main function is to delay the flame within the limits set in a given location. Their installation is required in places where there are accumulations of explosive or flammable compounds. They can be installed in niches from elevators, in basements, and other places through which flames can spread to other floors.

Fire walls can delimit more than just one floor. They are installed along the entire height of the building. In this case, it is necessary to have high-quality sealing of the gaps that will be between the panel parts. There should be no voids anywhere so that the flame does not penetrate from that place into another room. To remove them, special foam is used, which is then coated with non-flammable compounds.

In order to better understand the structure and purpose of fire-resistant partitions, you first need to understand the definitions and find out what is the difference between a fire partition (hereinafter FP) and a fire wall (hereinafter FS).

  1. Fire walls - divide the building along the entire height, and parts of the building between the substations are called fire compartments (a more complete definition is given in SNiP 21-01-97 * P: 7.16).
    Accordingly, fire protection systems are designed to ensure that fire does not spread from one compartment to another along the entire height of a building or structure.
  2. Fire partitions - divide the room within the floor, and the parts between the fire walls are called fire sections.

Accordingly, we have come to the definition of fire partitions - this is one of the types of fire barriers, the purpose of which is to prevent the spread of fire within one specific floor.

Types, norms and requirements

According to GOSTs, SNiPs and technical regulations (Federal Law No. 123), fire partitions are divided according to the following main characteristics.

Types of fire partitions

  • PP type 1 – corresponds to fire resistance limit EI 45 (for glazed PP with a glazing area of ​​more than 25%, EIW 45 is used);
  • PP type 2 - corresponds to the fire resistance limit EI 15 (for glazed PP with a glazing area of ​​more than 25%, EIW 15 is used).

The types of software are directly related to the following indicator.

Fire resistance limits

According to Federal Law No. 123, two indicators are used to determine the degree of fire resistance of fire partitions:

  • EI 45 (1st type);
  • EI 15 (type 2).

Which in turn tells us that the partition must contain the fire for at least 45 and 15 minutes, respectively.

Despite the fact that some manufacturers produce partitions with fire resistance limits significantly higher than the parameters required by law - EI 60, EI 90 and EI 120, all these products will be equated to type 1 partitions (EI 45), i.e. will be rounded down.

Glazing up to and more than 25%

Regulatory documentation divides fire partitions into glazed (translucent) up to 25 percent and more than 25% of the opening area.

For the average buyer in this case, only the marking will matter - EIW.

For PCB manufacturers, this means that fire tests of such structures will be carried out according to their specific GOST (GOST R 53303-2009).

There are no other significant differences between partitions glazed up to 25% and over 25%.

Types of materials

The production of PP is not subject to strict rules and regulations regarding the use of certain materials. Therefore, on the fire-fighting products market you can find partitions that consist entirely or partially of wood, steel, aluminum, plasterboard and, of course, fire-resistant glass.

Let's take a closer look at each of these materials.

Tree

Wood is rarely used in the production of fire-resistant partitions, but, nevertheless, it has its place in the market.

Both the frame (profile) and the actual fabric of the product can act as wood.

The wood, of course, undergoes a special fire treatment similar to the same technology that is used in the production of wooden fire doors.

Among the advantages of wooden fire partitions, one can highlight the high aesthetic qualities of such a design. Especially when it comes to stylized interior design in compliance with all fire safety requirements.

The disadvantages include:

  • Insufficient load-bearing capacity - a wooden frame does not allow the installation of large-sized structures due to the large weight of the partition fabric;
  • Lack of light transmission - such a partition does not transmit light (except when a wooden profile with a fire-resistant glass sheet is used), therefore this design cannot be used where a lighting source is needed;
  • The cost of this type of partition is quite high.

Steel

Most often, steel is used as a frame (frame, profile), less often for the actual fabric of fire partitions. And then, in this case, the steel sheet is steel sheets with which the insulating material is sheathed - fire-resistant gypsum plasterboard sheets (or any other fire-resistant sandwich panels) or fire-retardant-treated wood or mineral mats.

Among the advantages of steel partitions are:

  • High load-bearing capacity – steel frames are the most reliable and durable of all types of frames;
  • Wide variety in design - steel sheets can be finished to imitate almost any surface, including plastic, wood and stainless steel.

The disadvantages include:

  • High cost;
  • Large weight of the structure (especially large-sized ones);
  • Lack of light transmission when making a partition in a solid design and without glazing.

Aluminum

One of the most popular materials for making profiles (frames, frames), especially when using fire-resistant glass together as a canvas.

In addition, wooden sheets, gypsum plasterboard sheets, and mineral wool (basalt) insulating mats can also be used with an aluminum frame.

The advantages of aluminum fire partitions are:

  • High reliability;
  • Light weight compared to steel profile;
  • Excellent appearance and performance characteristics.

There are practically no disadvantages to this type of structure. That is why, in most cases, these partitions are the best choice in terms of price-quality ratio.

Drywall (GKL)

Fire-resistant partitions made of fire-resistant plasterboard (GKL) are very popular due to their relatively low cost.

GKL sheets are, of course, used exclusively as a PP sheet and are not used as a load-bearing frame. The gypsum plasterboard canvas can be additionally sheathed with steel, aluminum or wooden sheets.

For profiles, aluminum and wooden frames are most often used, less often steel.

Glass

Glass fire partitions are undoubtedly the leader among other types of PP. Of course, only PP fabric is produced from fire glass.

Fire-resistant glass has all the necessary fire protection, technical and aesthetic qualities, and in addition provides endless opportunities for interior designers and planners.

The manufacturing technology of fire-resistant partitions with glazing is identical to the manufacturing technology of glass fire-resistant doors.

Here are just some of the advantages of glass PP:

  • High strength;
  • Any required fire resistance limit;
  • Excellent sound insulation characteristics;
  • Impeccable appearance;
  • 100% light transmission (completely transparent);
  • Relatively light weight;
  • Possibility to produce designs of any non-standard shapes.

The disadvantages of glazed fire partitions include their relatively high price.

Glass PP can be either solid (otherwise called all-glass fire-resistant partitions) or with a built-in fire door - this option is used most often.

Moreover, the fire door can be made of any material - it can be metal, wood or glass (translucent).

Also, doors can open in one direction or in both directions - such a fire partition is sometimes called pendulum, although only the door itself is pendulum.

Installation locations

Fire partitions, like any other fire-resistant structures, are installed in a wide variety of buildings and structures, but most often they can be found at construction sites in the following areas:

  • Healthcare – in clinics, hospitals, maternity hospitals, etc.;
  • Education – in kindergartens, schools, universities, etc.;
  • Trade – in shopping centers, pavilions and markets;
  • Real estate - in private and multi-apartment residential buildings;
  • Services – in restaurants, cafes, public canteens, etc.;
  • Business – in office and business centers, banks, etc.;
  • Entertainment - in entertainment centers, cinemas, clubs, circuses, etc.;
  • Production - in factories, factories and other production enterprises, as well as various warehouse facilities, especially when it comes to storing flammable and explosive materials.

If we talk about specific places for installing fire partitions in all of the above objects, then most often they are installed:

  • In vestibules and halls;
  • On elevator platforms;
  • In close proximity to stairs (especially those leading to an emergency exit);
  • In corridors for various purposes (especially long ones);
  • In server rooms;
  • In electrical switchboard rooms and premises;
  • In kitchen and dining rooms of buildings and structures.

Required Documentation

Fire partitions, like any other fire-resistant structure, must have the following set of mandatory documents:

  • Certificate - without it, any fire structure, including PP, cannot be called fire-resistant and is not valid. Installing the product without a fire safety certificate is strictly prohibited. A certificate for a PP is issued to the manufacturer after successful completion of the relevant fire tests.
  • The passport is also a mandatory operational document and must be included with the partition.

In every construction project there are load-bearing walls (from the first to the last floor) and intra-floor walls, called partitions. The latter do not have the strength of load-bearing walls, but architects, designers, consumers and firefighters have their own requirements for them.

For architects, stability and strength are important; for designers, aesthetic appearance is important; the consumer wants the wall to be soundproof.

Firefighters require that interior partitions have the ability to contain flames for a given time, and call them fireproof if they meet the requirements set out in Federal Law-123, the relevant SNiPs and Rules. Type 2 fire partitions are widespread and are often found in residential buildings, institutions and factories.

What are they?

Fire barriers are installed within one floor to divide rooms into sections. They are tasked with preventing the fire from spreading to other sections, trapping the flame where the fire occurred and preventing it from spreading. For such barriers, a reduction in PP is accepted.

There are no strict standards for the choice of building materials used in production. Therefore, they are made of brick, plasterboard, aluminum, wood, steel, and fire-resistant glass. They differ with a fire resistance limit of EI 45 and the second type with a fire resistance limit of EI 15.

Glazing and fire resistance

Fire partitions of the second type have a lower fire resistance limit than PP of the first type. They are designed to contain fire for 15-45 minutes in order to enable people to evacuate and remove valuable materials and documents from the premises.

Partitions of the second type differ in the composition of the material from which they are made, as well as in the glazing method:

  • blind, made of opaque material without glazing;
  • with partial glazing, less than 25%;
  • glazed by more than 25%;
  • glass wall panels in aluminum or steel frame metal structures.

Partitions are tested for fire resistance in accordance with GOST 30247.1-94, according to which the preservation of thermal insulation properties (E) for a given time and the preservation of the integrity of the wall (I) are also determined for a given time.


The difference between the first type and the second

It is impossible to talk about fire resistance type 2 partitions without mentioning more fire-resistant walls for comparison.

Fire partitions differ in the material from which they are made. Barriers with a fire resistance limit of EI 45 are made from building materials with high fire resistance: brick, reinforced concrete panels, fire-resistant plasterboard mounted on a metal frame.

These fire barriers are distinguished by the time it takes to restrain the spread of fire, regardless of the severity of the fire.

The first type is capable of restraining the penetration of flame into the adjacent room for 45 minutes or more. The fire containment time of the second type of partition is limited to 15 to 45 minutes.

Type I partitions are permanent in nature, installed once and for all, and cannot be dismantled. Structures with a second, lower fire resistance limit can be permanent, dismantled or portable.

Manufacturing materials

For the production of partitions of the second type, materials of varying price and flammability are used. There is only one requirement for them - they must withstand the flame for at least 15 minutes.

Drywall

Manufacturers have developed 3 types of drywall:

  • standard (GKL);
  • waterproof (VGKL);
  • fire-resistant (OGKL).

The first two types of plasterboard sheets are used for the installation of EI 15 walls. The frames are made of wooden and aluminum elements. Such intra-floor walls are capable of containing the flames for the first 45 minutes.

OGCL connected to a steel frame acts as a partition of the first type (EI 45).

Comparative table of fire resistance of plasterboard partitions

Wood

Wood materials undergo special flame retardant treatment, that is, they are impregnated with substances that inhibit combustion. They are used as frame structures, and sheet material (plywood, OSB) is also used to cover partitions.

Fire resistant glass

Glass panels are manufactured in the form of sheets, used as partitions of both the first and second types. Glass, compared to other building materials, has a high light transmittance, an ideal appearance, and the ability to produce a panel of any original shape.

Tempered glass is durable and provides sound insulation. Fire-resistant glass is increasingly used in public buildings and business centers as walls separating rooms from each other.

Steel

Steel is commonly used in the second type of framing system, which is sheathed with plasterboard, plywood or OSB, and serves as a frame for glass in glass or composite structures. The installation uses steel sheets that line the walls made of sandwich panels.

Indoor installation

EI 15 partitions can be temporary, mobile, or designed for redevelopment of premises.

Fire partitions are installed to prevent the spread of fire within one floor or room; sometimes they are installed on landings and transitions from floor to floor. With their help, it is easy to redevelop an object that is already in operation, repurpose a separate room or floor as a whole for use for a different purpose, create new jobs and areas, equip technical compartments and warehouses.

We can say that fire partitions in the hands of an architect are a very convenient, almost universal tool for equipping and refurbishment of any building. Capital walls and ceilings are not affected. Depending on the planned design of the room and its general purpose, partitions of different types, types and designs are used. They must be certified and tested to achieve a specific fire resistance rating.

For general purpose partitions, the most common are two classes - EI15 and EI45, but in some places structures with fire resistance of 30 minutes and 60 are also installed. The type and class of the partition is determined by the fire safety requirements for the building, noted in the design and operating rules. There are many factors to consider here:

  • Type of fire hazard of the premises;
  • Material of construction;
  • The number of people constantly staying in the premises;
  • Purpose of the structure;
  • Intensity of use...
There are many more such factors, because the overall level of fire safety depends even on the placement of equipment or the location of desks of office employees.

Types of fire-fighting stationary structures:

Fire partitions of type 1 fire resistance are structures of level EI45, which are constructed indoors, the walls of which are built from non-combustible building materials - brick, concrete, foam concrete and their combinations. They can be used both in premises for work or study of a large number of people, as well as in warehouses or technical premises - the manufacturing materials allow the use of such partitions as ordinary walls that have sufficient mechanical strength to protect against burglary.

Fire partitions of the first type are made from easy-to-process and install metals, plasterboard and mineral fillers. As a rule, these are frame structures covered with sheets of plasterboard impregnated with special wood compounds, or completely filled with heat-resistant double-glazed windows. Glazing can be partial in the upper part, or simply in the form of a window structure.

Fully glazed fire partitions of type 2 are characterized by a fire resistance limit of EI15. They are used in shopping malls, cinema lobbies and train stations. They are often installed at the entrances to educational institutions and public buildings to create access control zones in various institutions. Their frame is made of aluminum or stainless steel, which have high design qualities.

Plasterboard partitions:

To create blind structures or cover the lower part of office partitions, plasterboard sheets with fire-resistant properties (GKLO) are used. A type 1 fire partition made of plasterboard is mounted on a frame base made of steel or aluminum box profile, the internal volume of which is tightly filled with a heat-insulating substance of mineral composition. Some profiles are filled with polymer foaming compounds. Fillers serve to reduce the thermal permeability of the frame structure and uniformly distribute the thermal load to prevent thermal deformation.

Type 1 fire partitions are sheathed on both sides with GC sheets of the same thickness, between which thermal insulation slabs are installed. It is not permitted to lay electrical cables or gas pipes inside a fire-resistant partition. During installation, the fire partition must cross the suspended ceiling, if any, to its entire height and be closely connected to the main ceiling.
The fire resistance of the metal base on which type 1 fire partitions made of gypsum plasterboard are mounted must be 75 minutes, and for type 2 partitions - more than 45 minutes. This ratio guarantees the stability of the entire structure as a whole until its plane burns out. The same temporary requirements apply to junctions with walls and ceilings.

Doors and windows are installed in partitions with a fire resistance class one level lower. The minimum thickness of a gypsum plasterboard fire partition must be at least 125 mm. Depending on the number of layers of drywall and the quality of the insulating filling, the thickness can be significantly greater. But in this case, its specific gravity also increases, which must be taken into account when installing such partitions on the upper floors of buildings.
Fireproof partitions made of plasterboard are usually made in a stationary version. Mobile partitions of types 1 and 2 are best mounted from polymer sandwich panels with partial glazing.

To zone the workspace in offices or educational institutions, type 2 fire partitions with a fire resistance of 15 minutes are installed. It is allowed to install fireproof doors and windows, install double-glazed windows and ventilation devices in them. As a rule, they are quickly erected and quickly dismantled, allowing the layout to be changed without compromising the overall level of fire safety.

What is a fire barrier? A fire barrier is a building structure that separates different parts of a building from each other. The barrier serves to prevent the flame from spreading to other rooms.

Main types of fire barriers:

  • Partition (vertical enclosing structure),
  • Ceiling (floor, ceiling),
  • Wall,
  • Tambour locks (space with two doors), etc.

Typically, a fire barrier is designed to last a certain amount of time during which it can contain a fire. According to SNiP, fire walls resist the spread of flame for at least 2.5 and 0.75 hours, partitions - 0.75 and 0.25 hours, ceilings - 2.5, 1 and 0.75 hours, vestibules - 0.75 hours.

In fire-resistant walls of the 1st type, fire-resistant doors, as well as windows and gates of the 1st type are installed; in the walls of the 2nd type, the filling (doors, windows and gates) must be of the 2nd type. Partitions of the 1st type are equipped with fire-resistant doors and windows of the 2nd type, partitions of the 2nd type are equipped with doors and windows of the 3rd type. The floor and ceiling of the 1st type have hatches and valves of the 1st type; in the ceilings of the 2nd and 3rd types, hatches and valves of the 3rd type are installed.

Barriers are made from fire-resistant materials. This could be, for example, reinforced concrete or metal. For the manufacture of fire hatches and doors of types 1 and 2, that is, with a fire resistance limit of 60 minutes and 30 minutes, you can use wood with a thickness of 4 mm or treated with special substances to a non-flammable state.

Models of fire doors from STROYSTALINVEST