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UNRESTRAINED
FIRE RATINGS:
A PRACTICAL
APPROACH
Many structures sidered unrestrained can be sub-
I
N THE PAST, BUILDINGS FRAMED
WITH FABRICATED STRUCTURAL stantial. It is the authors’ opin-
have reserve STEEL were mostly considered
restrained construction for the
ion that most welded, bolted or
riveted steel frame construction
strength capacity purpose of establishing structur-
al fire resistance ratings and
can be considered restrained,
and this article presents a prac-
which can be determining fire proofing
requirements. This was based,
tical procedure to evaluate this
for specific cases.
utilized for mainly, on interpretive informa-
tion in Appendix X3 of ASTM
In the past few years, changes
in the Underwriters Lab-
resisting loads E119 (ASTM-E119-88, 1994).
However, recently there has
oratories, Inc., (UL) Fire
Resistance Directory , ULFRD,
resulting from been a trend to classify many
such structures as unrestrained.
(UL, 1996) resulted in certain
fire tested floor or beam assem-
extraordinary The Uniform Building Code,
UBC, (ICBO, 1994) places the
blies, which used to be classified
as restrained for fire resistive
events onus of proving that a structure
is restrained (all structures, not
purposes, to now be interpreted
as being unrestrained. The addi-
only steel) on the Structural tional cost for fireproofing these
By Socrates A. Ioannides, Engineer of Record. The BOCA structures due to the perceived
Ph.D., S.E., and Sandeep National Building Code (BOCA, change in classification can be
Mehta, Ph. D., P.E. 1996) issued an interpretation, substantial depending on the
in 1993, stating that the support size and type of structure. In the
conditions in actual buildings past UL incorporated Appendix
must be considered when apply- X.3 of ASTM E119 (also
ing restrained/unrestrained rat- Appendix C of UL 263) in the
ings. In 1995, a significant ULFRD resulting in most steel
change was approved by the structures being considered
Standard Building Code restrained. The following is the
Congress International to specif- pertinent excerpt from table
ically include Appendix X.3 of X3.1 of ASTM E119 which states
ASTM E119 in the 1997 edition that structures that meet the fol-
of Standard Building Code, SBC, lowing description can be consid-
(SBCCI, 1994). The available ered restrained:
information as to how to deter- “....II.Steel Framing:
mine if a steel structure (or any (1) Steel beams, welded, riveted
structure) is restrained or unre- or bolted to the framing members
strained is confusing at best, and (2) All types of cast-in-place floor
the additional cost of fire proof- and roof system (such as beam
Socrates A. Ioannides ing a steel structure that is con- and slabs ....) where the floor or