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125 Cards in this Set

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Define "assembly"
Two or more interconnected structural components combined to meet a specific function or design requirement.
Define "attic"
An open space between the roof and the ceiling of a building; most commonly found in single- and multi-family residential occupancies.
Define "balloon frame"
A type of wood-frame construction in which the studs in exterior walls extend from the basement or foundation to the roof.
What is a problem with balloon frame construction?
This type of construction allows fires to spread -- often undetected -- from the basement to the attic through the hollow walls.
Why do attics pose a danger?
Attics provide open spaces in which fires can burn undetected or spread throughout a structure.
What are some common "assemblies" you will find in a structure?
Typical assemblies are roof trusses, wall frames, and doors including their frames.
Define "bar joist"
A joist constructed of steel with bars in the vertical web space. A common structural component in office buildings and other commercial structures. Very high strength-to-weight ratio except when exposed to fire, at which point early failure becomes likely.
Define "beam"
A horizontal structural component subjected to vertical loads.
What typical types of beams will you see?
1) Steel or wooden I-beams
2) Large-dimension wooden members
Define "bowstring truss"
A roof assembly with a curved (arched) top chord and a horizontal bottom chord. These assemblies are very strong except when exposed to direct flame contact when catastrophic failure without warning may occur.
Define "butterfly roof"
A V-shaped roof in which the two sides slope toward a valley in the middle. An unusual type of roof that is rarely seen in cold climates where snow load is a factor.
Define "cantilever"
A beam that is unsupported at one or both ends. Typically used to support balconies on apartments and some office buildings.
Define "chipboard"
It's another word for "oriented strand board (OSB)," which is a wooden structural panel formed by gluing and compressing wood strands together under pressure. This material has replaced plywood and planking in the majority of construction applications. Roof decks, walls, and subfloors are all commonly made of OSB.
Define "chord"
The main structural members of a truss as distinguished from diagonals. Chords span the open space between the upper and lower diagonal members in a truss assembly. They are kind of the horizontal "beams" in a truss.
Define "cockloft"
an open space between the roof and ceiling of a commercial or industrial building. Usually found under flat or nearly flat roofs. In a fire, these spaces can conceal spreading flame, much like an attic can.
Define "column"
A vertical supporting member. Columns may be wooden or steel posts. Steel posts often support lightweight roof assemblies, and if unprotected by surface insulation, steel posts may fail quickly in a fire.
Define "compression"
Force that tends to push the mass of a material together. Beating walls in a building are under compression from the weight of the roof and other materials above.
Define "course"
Horizontal layer of masonry units. A row of bricks is an example of a "course."
Define "curtain board"
Nonload-bearing interior wall extending down from a roof or ceiling to limit the horizontal spread of fire and heat. If curtain walls are penetrated by unprotected openings, fire can spread unchecked.
Define "curtain wall"
Nonload-bearing exterior wall used as a weather barrier but not for structural support. On many high-rise buildings, the outside walls are curtain walls.
Define "decking"
Planks or panels of plywood or OSB that form the substrate of a roof assembly. In vertical ventilation through a roof, the decking must be removed from the ventilation opening to realize the full effect of the opening.
Define "drywall"
Gypsum wall board. A fire-resistive wall covering also called Sheetrock.
Define "eave"
The edge of a pitched roof that overhangs an outside wall. Attic vents in typical eaves provide an avenue for an exterior fire to enter the attic.
Define "engineered I-beam"
A wooden I-beam consisting of continuous wooden upper and lower chords separated by a web of OSB or similar sheet stock. Engineered I-beams are very strong and resist fire well.
Define "fire door"
A rated assembly consisting of a solid core door, door frame, and hardware. Fire doors are used to confine a fire to one room or section of a building by closing a communicating opening when triggered by a fire. If fire doors are to function as designed, they must not be prevented from closing by being blocked open.
Define "fire load"
Total potential heat release if a building and its contents burned. The fire load of a fully stocked lumber yard is considerably higher than that of an empty building of the same dimensions.
Define "fire wall"
A rated assembly that extends from the foundation to and through the roof of a building to limit fire spread. Fire walls are intended to confine a fire to one room or section of a building.
Define "flat roof"
A roof that is flat or nearly flat relative to the horizon.
Where will you frequently find flat roofs?
Commercial buildings.
What are flat roofs usually covered with?
Tar and gravel or other weatherproofed material.
How can a fire wall be rendered useless?
If it is penetrated by openings not protected with fire doors, fire can spread unchecked.
Define "gable roof"
A pitched roof characterized by square-cut ends and sides that slope down from the ridge line to the eaves. These are the most common roof style on homes and other small buildings.
Define "gable wall"
A wall rising to meet a gable roof at the end of a building. Often contains attic vent near the top.
When dealing with a building with gable roof construction, where will you most likely find an attic vent?
Near the top of the gable wall.
What is another common architectural term for "gable roof?"
Pitched roof
Define "gambrel roof"
A roof characterized by a single ridge line from which roof sections on both sides of the ridge descend at two different pitches. Think of the roof of a barn.
Define "girder"
A horizontal structural member used to support beams or joists. Almost always larger than the members they support.
Define "GluLam beam"
A wooden structural member composed of relatively short pieces of lumber glued and laminated together under pressure to form a long, extremely strong beam. Fairly fire-resistant.
Define "gusset plate"
wooden or metal plate used to connect structural members that are butted together. Most often used in the construction of trusses.
What is the most common type of roof construction on homes and most other small buildings?
Gable roof
Why should gusset plates scare firefighters?
They should scare firefighters if it's obvious that they are just pressed into the truss structural members rather than screwed or nailed. They will warp and fail early.
Define "gypsum board"
Interior finish material consisting of calcinated gypsum, starch, water, and other additives sandwiched between two sheets of specially treated paper. See "drywall."
Define "header course"
Course of bricks laid with ends facing outward -- only used in unreinforced masonry.
Define "hip roof"
A pitched roof in which the ends are all beveled so there are no gable walls. A common roof style on newer residences. Attic vents will be found under eaves or on the roof.
Define "HVAC"
Heating, cooling, air conditioning.
What makes HVAC ducts a problem for firefighters?
Unless properly protected with automatic fire dampers, the ductwork associated with these systems can allow smoke and fire to spread.
Define "interstitial space"
An accessible or inaccessible space between layers of building materials; an attic or a cockloft sometimes used to house HVAC and other machinery.
Define "joists"
horizontal structural members used to support a ceiling or floor. Drywall materials are nailed or screwed to the ceiling joists, and the sub floor is nailed onto the floor joists.
Define "lamella arch"
An arch constructed of short wooden members connected in a specific geometric pattern. Generally used in older buildings.
Define "mansard roof"
A roof characterized by steeply sloped facets surrounding a flat or nearly flat center section. DANGER: These are sometimes false roofs that consist of a fascia added to a flat roof, and fire can burn beneath.
Why are mansard roofs dangerous to firefighters?
1) The variety of angles make using a roof ladder difficult

2) Mansard roofs are often false roofs installed over a flat roof in order to make them more aesthetically pleasing. Fire can burn unchecked beneath the fascia
Define "mortar"
A mixture of sand, cement, and water used to bond masonry units into a solid mass.
When attempting to breach a masonry wall, what point is a good starting point?
The mortar joint -- it's probably the weakest.
Define "open web joist"
A joist constructed with a web composed of materials such as bars or tubes that do not fill the entire web space. Very common and they quickly weaken under fire stress.
Define "OSB"
A wooden structural panel formed by gluing and compressing wood strands together under pressure. This material has replaced plywood and planking in the majority of construction applications. Found in roof decks, walls, subfloors.
Where might a firefighter find OSB used in construction?
Anywhere and everywhere -- used in roof decks, walls, subfloors...
Define "parallel chord truss?"
A truss constructed with the top and bottom chords parallel. Used as floor joists in multistory buildings, used as ceiling joists in flat-roof buildings.
Where might a firefighter find a parallel chord truss?
Either used as floor joists in multistory buildings or as ceiling joists in flat-roof buildings.
Define "parapet"
A wall at the edge of some roofs. Most parapet walls range from a few inches to a few feet in height, but they can be high enough to require a ladder to reach the roof from the top of the wall.
Why are parapet walls dangerous to firefighters?
They present a significant trip hazard.
Define "party wall"
A wall shared by two adjoining buildings -- usually load-bearing and usually a fire wall.
What must you remember when you see that two buildings are connected by a party wall and the roof assembly of one building fails?
Know that the structural integrity of the building with the still-intact roof assembly is still compromised by the failure of the adjacent building.
Define "pitch"
The ratio of rise-to-span of a roof assembly. The steeper the pitch, the greater the slip hazard.
Define "pitched roof"
A roof that is sloped to facilitate runoff. Think of gable roofs, mansard roofs, gambrel roofs...
Define "plate"
The top or bottom horizontal member of a frame wall. The sole plate is nailed or screwed to the subfloor and the top plate is what the roof assembly rests upon.
Define "platform construction"
Frame-type construction in which each floor interrupts the exterior studs forming an effective fire-stop at every floor. Most common technique used in newer buildings.
Define "plywood"
A wooden structural panel formed by gluing and laminating very thin sheets of wood together under pressure. Mostly replaced in construction by OSB
Define "rafters"
Beams that span from a ridge board to an exterior wall plate to support roof decking.
What must firefighters avoid cutting when ventilating via the roof?
Rafters.
Define "rated assembly"
Two or more construction components combined to form an assembly that has a specific fire-resistance rating. A fire door is an example of a rated assembly as well as a wood-frame wall covered with a specified thickness of gypsum drywall.
define "rebar"
Short for "reinforcing bar." These steel bars are placed in concrete forms before the cement is poured to add to structural strength.
Define "reinforced concrete"
Concrete that has been poured into forms that contain an interconnected network of steel rebar.
Define "sawtooth roof"
A roof with a profile of vertical and sloping surfaces that resemble a sawblade. Common in older industrial buildings, usually laden with windows.
Define "sheathing"
Plywood, OSB, or wooden planking (sometimes called "sheeting") applied to a wall over which a weather-resistant covering is applied.
Define "shed roof"
A pitched roof that slopes in one direction only from the ridge
Define "spalling"
Degradation of concrete due to prolonged exposure to high heat. Water trapped within the concrete is vaporized and expands. Can sound like gun fire.
What is a term used to describe degradation of concrete due to prolonged exposure to high heat?
Spalling
Define "stud"
A vertical structural member in a frame wall. They are the assemblies to which wall coverings are attached. Made of wood or light gauge steel.
Define "tension"
Force that tends to pull the mass of a material apart. Tension is what causes some roof assemblies to pull away from walls and fall inward.
Define "truss"
A wooden or metal structural unit made up of one or more triangles in a flat plane.
What's a load-bearing wall?
A wall that is used for structural support
What's a partition wall?
An interior non-load bearing wall that separates a space into rooms.
Generally speaking, what is the most common building material used in North America?
Wood
What two factors determine the reaction of wood to fire?
1) Surface area/Mass ratio (smaller dimensions light up more easily)

2) Moisture content
What is "green wood?"
Wood with high moisture content.
Does water have a negative effect on solid wood's structural integrity?
No
Why are composite building materials, OSB, and glued-together panels potentially dangerous for firefighters?
1) They can let off extremely toxic fumes

2) They may be more combustible than wood

3) They may rapidly lose structural integrity when exposed to fire
What's a "cantilever wall?"
A wall that extends beyond the structure that supports it.
Define "veneer wall"
A wall that has a surface layer of an attractive material laid over a base of common material. Thin veneer = high surface area to mass ratio = highly combustible.
Does fire significantly damage masonry?
Not structurally, no.
What is a negative side-effect of using water to extinguish a fire involving masonry walls?
Rapid cooling of bricks and mortar can result in cracks and some loss of structural integrity.
Where will you find cast iron construction?
Used as a veneer wall on early 20th century buildings.
What is the danger of fighting fire around cast iron veneer walls?
The fasteners can fail, bringing the walls down on top of firefighters.
What is the primary material used for structural support in the construction of large modern buildings?
Steel
At or around what temperature does steel construction fail?
Around 1000ºF, because at this point steel either significantly elongates, or if it's fixed at both ends it will buckle in the middle and come apart.
What must firefighters assess regarding steel members used in a structure subjected to a fire?
1) Type of steel members

2) How long the steel members have been exposed to heat
What effect does water have on structural steel members?
It cools them, helping maintain strength and avoiding collapse
What effect does spalling have on reinforced concrete?
It lowers the strength of the concrete. So look for cracks, and listen for pops.
What can one assume about areas where gypsum has failed under fire?
One can assume that the structural members behind it are significantly weakened by fire and possibly close to failure
What effect will a cold water spray have on heated glass?
It may shatter the glass
Why might fiberglass ignite?
It may ignite because the materials used to bind it together may be combustible and difficult to extinguish.
What NFPA standard describes the different types of building construction?
NFPA220
What are the five types of building construction?
Type 1 (fire-resistive)
Type 2 (noncombustible)
Type 3 (ordinary)
Type 4 (heavy timber)
Type 5 (wood frame)
What type of construction is most resistive to fire?
Type 1 construction (fire-resistive)
What are some pros and cons of Type 1 construction, from a firefighter's point of view?
Pros:

Resists flame impingement

Confines fire well

Little collapse potential

Impervious to water damage

Cons:

Difficult to breach for access or escape

Difficult to ventilate

Massive debris following collapse

Structure retains heat
Describe type 1 construction
Reinforced concrete

Protected by either blown-in insulation or by sprinklers
Describe type 2 construction
Type 2 construction (non combustible construction) resembles type 1 construction but lacks:

Sprinklers or insulation to protect structure from hear

Noncombustible roof
All-metal buildings fall into what construction category?
Type 2 (noncombustible)
What type of construction is "ordinary construction?"
Type 3 construction
Describe type 3 (ordinary) construction
1) Exterior walls and structure must be noncombustible or limited-combustible materials such as concrete or clay tile

2) Interior structural members are completely or partially made of wood

3) Wood members are of smaller dimension than what you would find in type 4 (heavy timber) construction
What are the pros and cons of ordinary (type III) construction?
Pros:

Resists spread of fire from the outside

Relatively easy to vertically ventilate

Cons:

Interior structure susceptible to fire involvement

Fire spread potential through concealed spaces

Susceptible to water damage
What is the big danger in type III (ordinary) construction?
Fire spreading through concealed spaces
Describe type IV construction
Type IV construction (heavy-timber) involves:

1) Exterior and interior walls built of noncombustible or limited-combustible materials

2) Interior structural members are large-dimension wood with no concealed spaces

Type IV construction was common in old factories, mills, and warehouses
What are the pros and cons of type IV construction?
Type IV (heavy timber construction)

Pros:

Resists collapse

Stable

Easily to ventilate

Easy to breach

Manageable debris

Cons:

Susceptible to fire spread from outside

Potential to spread flame to surrounding structures

Susceptible to rapid interior flame spread

Susceptible to water damage
Describe type V construction
Type V (wood frame) construction:

1) All structural elements made partially or entirely of wood

2) Wood members of smaller measurements than heavy timber construction

3) Unlimited burn potential

4) This is how most homes are built
What is "situational awareness?"
Awareness of immediate surroundings
What signs must you read when examining existing construction?
1) Age

2) Materials

3) Roof type

4) Renovations

5) Dead loads (heavy objects on roof)
What are the two primary types of dangerous conditions posed by a building?
1) Conditions that contribute to the spread and intensity of the fire

2) Conditions that make the building susceptible to collapse
What is "heavy fire loading?"
Presence of large amounts of combustibles
What is "fire load?"
the potential for combustion based on contents and construction of a structure
What is the "collapse zone"?
The area extending horizontally from the base of the wall to 1.5 times the height of the wall.
What are the eleven easiest-to-spot signs of building collapse potential?
1) Cracks or separations in walls, floors, ceilings, roofs

2) Evidence of existing instability such as the presence of tie rods and stars

3) Loose bricks, etc.

4) Deteriorated mortar

5) Leaning walls

6) Distorted structural members

7) Fires beneath floors that support heavy loads (machinery, etc)

8) Prolonged fire exposure (to structure, especially trusses)

9) Unusual creaks and cracks

10) Structural members pulling away from walls

11) Excessive weight of building contents
Unprotected lightweight wood and steel trussing can fail after how many minutes of fire?
5 to 10
Why are arched and trussed roofs dangerous?
Because if one member fails, it can create a chain reaction that quickly collapses the whole roof.
What are some additional threats to a firefighter posed by under-construction buildings?
1) Incomplete sprinkler systems

2) Incomplete insulation

3) Explosive or combustible contractor equipment (pallets, gas tanks)