Fire resistant construction
The present invention is directed to a structure having a fire resistance rated, area separation wall including: a first building unit; a second building unit; and a two- hour fire resistance rated, area separation wall having only outer membranes. In the preferred embodiment, the two-hour fire resistance rated, area separation wall includes: (a) an interior support structure; (b) only an outer membrane on each side of the interior support structure; and (c) a substantially organic thermal insulation barrier between the outer membranes. Also, in the preferred embodiment, the structure having a fire resistance rated, area separation wall includes a tying structure connecting the fire resistance rated, area separation wall to the first unit and the second unit.
1 . A structure having a fire resistance rated, area separation wall, said structure comprising:
(a) a first building unit;
(b) a second building unit; and
(c) a two-hour fire resistance rated, area separation wall having only outer membranes.
2 . The structure according to claim 1 , further including a tying structure connecting said fire resistance rated, area separation wall to said first unit and said second unit.
3 . The structure according to claim 2 , wherein said tying structure includes a top plate attached to the top edge of said fire resistance rated, area separation wall and a bottom plate attached to the bottom edge of said fire resistance rated, area separation wall.
4 . The structure according to claim 3 , wherein said tying structure and said top plate forms a double top plate.
5 . The structure according to claim 3 , wherein said top plate and said bottom plate are less than about 10 feet apart.
6 . The structure according to claim 1 , wherein said first building unit is an occupiable space.
7 . The structure according to claim 6 , wherein said occupiable space is residential.
8 . The structure according to claim 7 , wherein said residential occupiable space is a town home.
9 . The structure according to claim 1 , wherein said second building unit is an occupiable space.
10 . The structure according to claim 9 , wherein said occupiable space is residential.
11 . The structure according to claim 10 , wherein said residential occupiable space is a town home.
12 . A two-hour fire resistance rated, area separation wall for a structure, said area separation wall comprising:
(a) an interior support structure;
(b) only an outer membrane on each side of said interior support structure; and
(c) a substantially organic thermal insulation barrier between said outer membranes.
13 . The area separation wall according to claim 12 , wherein said interior support structure includes at least two structurally independent interior support members.
14 . The area separation wall according to claim 13 , wherein said structurally independent interior support members include a plurality of vertical members.
15 . The area separation wall according to claim 14 , wherein said plurality of vertical members are spaced apart.
16 . The area separation wall according to claim 15 , wherein said plurality of vertical members are spaced apart no more than about 16 inches.
17 . The area separation wall according to claim 14 , wherein said plurality of vertical members further include cross bracing at about the mid height of said plurality of vertical members.
18 . The area separation wall according to claim 13 , further including a physical gap between said structurally independent interior support members.
19 . The area separation wall according to claim 12 , wherein each of said outer membranes are fire resistant wallboard.
20 . The area separation wall according to claim 19 , wherein said fire resistant wallboard is a gypsum wallboard (GWB) Type X and Type C as defined in ASTM C11.
21 . The area separation wall according to claim 20 , wherein said gypsum wallboard conforms to ASTM Test C-36-96.
22 . The area separation wall according to claim 12 , wherein said substantially organic thermal insulation barrier is selected from the group consisting of fibrous material, granular material, pellet material, aggregated material, agglomerated material and mixtures thereof.
23 . The area separation wall according to claim 12 , wherein said substantially organic thermal insulation barrier is a natural material.
24 . The area separation wall according to claim 23 , wherein said natural material is cellulosic.
25 . The area separation wall according to claim 12 , wherein said substantially organic thermal insulation barrier is an acoustically non-conductive material.
26 . A structure having a fire resistance rated, area separation wall, said structure comprising:
(a) a first building unit;
(b) a second building unit; and
(c) a two-hour fire resistance rated, area separation wall having only outer membranes, said area separation wall including: (i) an interior support structure; (ii) only an outer membrane on each side of said interior support structure; and (iii) a substantially organic thermal insulation barrier between said outer membranes; and
(d) a tying structure connecting said fire resistance rated, area separation wall to said first unit and said second unit.
27 . The structure according to claim 26 , wherein said tying structure includes a top plate attached to the top edge of said fire resistance rated, area separation wall and a bottom plate attached to the bottom edge of said fire resistance rated, area separation wall.
28 . The structure according to claim 27 , wherein said tying structure and said top plate forms a double top plate.
29 . The structure according to claim 27 , wherein said top plate and said bottom plate are less than about 10 feet apart.
30 . The structure according to claim 26 , wherein said first building unit is an occupiable space.
31 . The structure according to claim 30 , wherein said occupiable space is residential.
32 . The structure according to claim 31 , wherein said residential occupiable space is a town home.
33 . The structure according to claim 26 , wherein said second building unit is an occupiable space.
34 . The structure according to claim 33 , wherein said occupiable space is residential.
35 . The structure according to claim 34 , wherein said residential occupiable space is a town home.
36 . The structure according to claim 26 , wherein said interior support structure includes at least two structurally independent interior support members.
37 . The structure according to claim 36 , wherein said structurally independent interior support members include a plurality of vertical members.
38 . The structure according to claim 37 , wherein said plurality of vertical members are spaced apart.
39 . The structure according to claim 38 , wherein said plurality of vertical members are spaced apart no more than about 16 inches.
40 . The structure according to claim 37 , wherein said plurality of vertical members further include cross bracing at about the mid height of said plurality of vertical members.
41 . The structure according to claim 39 , further including a physical gap between said structurally independent interior support members.
42 . The structure according to claim 26 , wherein each of said outer membranes is a fire resistant wallboard.
43 . The structure according to claim 42 , wherein said fire resistant wallboard is a gypsum wallboard (GWB) Type X and Type C as defined in ASTM C11.
44 . The structure according to claim 43 , wherein said gypsum wallboard conforms to ASTM Test C-36-96.
45 . The structure according to claim 26 , wherein said substantially organic thermal insulation barrier is selected from the group consisting of fibrous material, granular material, pellet material, aggregated material, agglomerated material and mixtures thereof.
46 . The structure according to claim 26 , wherein said substantially organic thermal insulation barrier is a natural material.
47 . The structure according to claim 46 , wherein said natural material is cellulosic.
48 . The structure according to claim 26 , wherein said substantially organic thermal insulation barrier is an acoustically non-conductive material.