Debate Over Fire Testing

The National Concrete Masonry Association's Fire Safety page provides a provocative collection of information related to fire-resistant construction, the relative merits of masonry construction in comparison to more light-weight materials, and the responsibility of design and construction professionals for building safety. For any instructor looking to bring an added dose of currency and relevance to their classroom, this page offers a great opportunity for classroom presentation, student research, and discussion. A few of the most interesting items on this page include:

• Are Architects, Engineers and Code-Writing Officials Friends of the Firefighter?, by Vincent Dunn, Deputy Chief FDNY (ret.), argues that the building industry and design profession have been complicent in a gradual decline in building safety standards. This is a challenging, yet worthwhile article.
• NCMA Fires at Gypsum Wall Assemblies provides a thorough and clear description of the ASTM E 119 fire-resistance test, and challenges whether this test is appropriate for comparing the relative fire-performance of masonry and gypsum wallboard partitions.
• Fire Video (Windows Media Player or Quicktime) is a 6-minute video that includes dramatic footage of both gypsum wallboard and masonry partitions undergoing ASTM E 119 testing.

This image shows a gypsum wallboard partition subjected to hose stream testing as part of an ASTM E 119 fire-resistance test.

The debate surrounding ASTM E 119 seems to focus primarily on the hose stream portion of this test, how and when it is applied, and what it is meant to simulate. For an alternative point of view regarding the role of the hose stream test in E 119, see for example, The Gypsum Association's Fire Resistance Testing topical paper. This paper draws on historical background and comparable international standards (that have dropped hose stream testing) to suggest that the masonry associations may be misrepresenting the importance of the hose stream test in assessing fire resistance.

See also this site's wtc archive for additional articles related to lessons from this event.