Jonathan Ochshorn
Room 121-B, Rand Hall
Department of Architecture
Cornell University 		contact: questions and comments
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ARCH 262: Building Technology, Materials & Methods
Assign #6: Fire protection/ building code exercise
assigned: Nov. 23, 1998
due: Nov. 30, 1998
The year is 2002. You are a young intern at the Los Angeles office of KFP Architects. The design partner you've been working with hands you a sketch of a proposed 10-story office building and says: "You're a Cornell graduate...Can this scheme be built using Type II FR construction?" After a moment of pure panic, you dig deep into your memory and recall the correct procedure from Building Technology. "Just one question," you reply, wiping the sweat nonchalantly from your brow: "What floor-to-floor height should I assume?" "Twelve feet, just like all the other towers we've designed," she responds. "And use the 1997 edition of the Uniform Building Code."


Site Plan

Method:

  1. Find occupancy classification, Table 3-A _______
  2. What is basic 1-story allowable floor area? Table 5-B _______
  3. What is multi-story allowable floor area? _______
  4. What is allowable increase for yards and public ways? Note that increase permitted (sq. ft) = (allow. area)(min. width - 20)(allowed fractional increase per ft.). _______
  5. Add allow. area + increase permitted to get new allowable area: _______
  6. What is allowable area if sprinklers are used? _______
  7. How much total square footage (floor area) is proposed? _______
  8. Is proposed floor area acceptable, with and without sprinklers? _______
  9. Are proposed height and number of stories permitted? Table 5-B. (Note that allowable height is shown at the top of the table) _______
  10. What fire-rating is required on structural frame? Table 6-A _______
  11. What fire-rating is required on floor-ceilings? Table 6-A _______

last updated: 20 Nov. 1998
Copyright 1998 J. Ochshorn. All rights reserved. Republishing material on this web site, whether in print or on another web site, in whole or in part, is not permitted without advance permission of the author.