Interpretation of Passive Fire Requirements in the UBBL 1984

Ar Chong Lee Siong APAM MIFireE

PAM CPD
3 November 2012

Uniform Building By-Laws 1984 is a

PRESCRIPTIVE BUILDING CODE

Compliance with this code is a requirement by law Sets rules and regulations on the application of the code Provides pre-determined prescriptions

The prescriptions are absolute : no smaller than.. no bigger than.. no shorter than no longer than or no less than and no more than.

CONCEPTS OF FIRE SAFETY

1 2 3 4

EVACUATION PASSIVE CONTAINMENT ACTIVE INTERVENTION ACCESS FOR FIRE FIGHTING AND RESCUE

 EVACUATION
Detection Alarm Exits Travel distance Components Capacity of exits

Accepted assumption in designing for safe evacuation:

Only one fire at one location at a time

exit
Final exit
Alternative exits Storey exit

Horizontal exit
Exit route

Final exit
UBBL 133 interpretations
Final exit refers to the threshold that separates still within the building and out of the building. The liability of the design for evacuation from the building ends at this point.

Alternative exits
UBBL 166
This is the primary concept for safe evacuation. Every floor space shall be provided with at least two exits on the basis that if one exit is inoperable, the other exit can serve the function. This designing for redundancy principle applies to all aspects of evacuation.

Alternative exits
Final exit

Alternative exits

Final exit

Final exit

Horizontal exit
UBBL 171
Exits that lead to an adjacent (horizontal) separated compartment within the same floor

Horizontal exit

Protected staircase to final exits

Protected staircase to final exits

Compartment wall

Horizontal exit

Storey exit
UBBL 167, 174
Exits from a floor which is of a different level from the final exit, or, if on the same level, a distance away from the final exit.

A storey exit is to lead to a final exit.

Exit route
UBBL 133 interpretations UBBL 169 the protected passage from a storey exit that leads to the final exit. Can include spaces that are designated as areas of refuge anywhere between the storey exit and the final exit

 UBBL 165 7th Schedule Dead end

Travel distance

initial travel distance before a point where an alternative path becomes available

Direct distance
Stipulates that travel distance must be measured along the actual path of travel

Open plan
Where an actual path of travel cannot be determined, the direct distance can be measured as a straight line direct to the exit. Permitted travel distance is then reduced to 2/3.

Evacuation : small area

Evacuation : larger area

UBBL 165 (B) Max 15m if room < 6 pax

Final exits

To comply with dead end and travel distance Max distance is 15m within room plus max allowable travel distance From door of room to final exit

Evacuation : multiple areas

Horizontal exits

storey exits

Evacuation : multiple areas

Horizontal exits

Horizontal exits

Diagramme 4.4.5.9. Egress through unenclosed openings (mezzanines)

Permitted Alternative Route

Storey exit

For floors up to 9m from ground floor, mezzanine floors may be permitted to be up to 50% of the area of floor below. For mezzanines above 9m from ground level, a floor area of upto 1/3 of floor area below may be permitted.

Storey exit

components
Exit door Exit discharge Protected corridor Protected staircase Balcony approach Single staircase

Exit door, exit discharge

UBBL 173 UBBL 186 UBBL 193 UBBL 133 - interpretations

Door refers to the physical door installed at an exit, and all its functional components e.g. locksets, latches, hinges and closers discharge refers to the doorway or threshold of an exit

Exit door, exit discharge

Not all fire rated doors are exit doors Not all exit doors need to be fire doors Not all doors need to be exit doors Not all doors can be exit doors

Exit doors must always be able to be opened (without undue effort) at all times Exit discharge must always allow the passage of people at all times Exit in this context means storey exit, horizontal exit or final exit

Final exit

Final exit

Evacuation : separation of routes

Protected corridor, protected staircase

UBBL 133-interpretations UBBL 157, 189, 190, 191 While not expressed, it is inferred from the UBBL that all components that form the Exit Route shall be of protected construction.
Using the same inference, protected shall mean enclosed, separated or isolated

2m B

Protection for External Escape Staircase

By-Law 191 ensures that an external staircase used for escape purposes will remain protected from fire exposure originating from the building. Therefore, a zone of protection is extended from the staircase both upwards and downwards to ensure safe passage during a fire. The following illustrations show the zone where no opening shall be formed or only toilets or other protected area openings or openings with wired glass and kept permanently closed can be allowed to be formed.

B 2m A PLAN

2m

Zone where opening not permitted

section a-a 2m

2m Fixed openings with wired glass allowed Opening more than 9m below can be formed 9m 2m section B-B Openings for toilets can be formed

Single stair
UBBL 194
Special provision for the common shop-house design Usage limited to shop (ground floor only), residential or office.

Uppermost floor level limited to 12m

Domestic or office use

SINGLE STAIRCASE PROVISION

UBBL 194

Height of topmost floor < 12m

Shop or car park

Assumed Room of occupancy < 6

Diagram 4.4.8.1.

Height of topmost floor of building with single

not more 12m 12m max.

12m max.

staircase
Diagram 4.4.8.2. Maximum travel distance

By-Law 194 stipulates when a single staircase may be permitted. Essentially, this is only allowed where the occupancy above ground level is confined to either domestic or office purposes. The ground floor may be used for shops or car parks. (shop offices, shop houses) All elements of structure shall have a FRP of not less than one hour except the enclosure for the staircase at the ground floor where the wall shall have an FRP of not less than two hours, assuming the ground floor will not be used for residential purposes.

Capacity of exits
UBBL 7th Schedule UBBL 175, 176, 178 Occupant load
Exit width Application of horizontal exit

Sample calculation

Scenario 1: upper floor assembly area in an institutional building

Stair A Stair B

50m

20m

Lobby C

Sample calculation

Scenario 2: upper floor assembly area in an institutional building

Stair A Stair B

15m

35m

20m

door D

Lobby C

storey exit 250 pax Final exit

400 pax

200 pax

150 pax

Exit route

horizontal exit 300 pax

200 pax

Final exit

Compartmentation
Size limitations of compartments

Fire Resistance Ratings of elements of structure

Compartmentation
To contain the spread of fire from point of origin To limit the potential size of the fire To separate areas of different levels of hazard To separate areas for safe exit, evacuation or refuge To limit threat to the structural integrity of the building To allow sufficient time for safe evacuation, active extinguishment of fire and rescue.

Accepted assumption in designing for safe

evacuation:

Only one fire at one location at a time

Primary objective of compartmentation:

To contain the one fire within the one location at all times

COMPARTMENTS, ELEMENTS OF STRUCTURE AND FRP 138(c) : floor and walls separating purpose group 215(1) : reference to elements of structure, by building, or by compartments 215(2) : reference to height, by building only 138(d) : floor separating basements
Offices

Service apts

137 : floor to floor compartment for buildings > 30m height

138(b) : floor and walls separating flats

Cineplex Shops

Carpark

Max 25mm (/)

FIRE APPLIANCE ACCESS

Refers to an area Access Way specifically allocated for the parking of Bomba appliances during fire fighting and rescue operations.

UBBL 140 Access Way (street, road or open space) is to be provided as a proportion of the perimeter of the building, with reference to the volume of the building.

EXTERNAL ACCESS Access for emergency and rescue vehicles, equipment and personnel Roads Pavements Parking Availability of water : Hydrants Storage tanks Lakes, rivers, ponds And access to fire fighting systems in the premises

AT THE PREMISES Clarity of : Type of building and function Configuration of building Location of fire control panel Location of breaching inlets and pump rooms Access into the building Protected passage Protected stairs Firemens lift Fire fighting lobby

Pressurised Hydrant System

Sprinkler System

Dry Riser system

Wet Riser System

External source of water Hydrants Lakes, Ponds, Pools, rivers Fire Tenders

Fire Fighting Appliance on Access Way

Breaching Inlet

Internal Systems Sprinklers Hose reels Dry/Wet Risers

Vehicles in use by JBPM : Motorcycle Terrain buggy Rapid Fire Rescue Tender Fire Rescue Tender Turntable ladder Hydraulic platform Hazmat

Example of Fire Fighting Access Way

Fire appliance access level and Access Way

Access Way at upper ground level

13,000 m3 (1/6)
Access way at upper ground level

Access road / ramp

8,600m3 (1/6)

36,000m3 (1/4)

Access road / ramp

Access way at appliance access level

Access ramp

Access ramp

Command center Breaching inlet Pump room access

Building volume 7,001 cu m to 28,000 cu m

D

C X Fire appliance access

Isolated site/location with no adjacent property/building.

X => 1/6 (A+B+C+D)

Note: Turning provision required for fire appliances if dead end access exceeds 18 m. Turning provision can be in the form of hammer-head or turning circle

Building volume 7,001 cu m to 28,000 cu m

City/Built up location with adjacent buildings

6m back lane

Pavement

Accessible perimeter of building

Main road used for appliance access if not less than 12m wide

C => 1/6 (A+B+C+D)

Appliance access from main road is sufficient if the building volume does not exceed 28,000 m3. In the event the 6 m back lane is accessible by fire fighting appliances and the building volume exceeds 28,000 m3 but is less than 56,000 m3, then,

A + C => 1/4 (A+B+C+D)

Building volume 56,001 cu m to 84,000 cu m

min. 6m A

D C Fire appliance access

Access road > 18m Access road 12m

B + C => 1/2 (A+B+C+D)

6m back lane accessible to fire appliance

B Pavement Access road 12m

A + C => 1/2 (A+B+C+D)

Building volume 84,001 cu m to 112,000 cu m

D

Fire appliance access minimum 6m width

Access road

12m

A+B +C

3/4 (A+B+C+D)

Building volume 84,001 cu m to 112,000 cu m

D

C Access road 12m

B + C + D => 3/4 (A+B+C+D)

Building volume above 112,000 cu m

Minimum 6m width Fire appliance access D

Access road

12m

The minimum permissible width of a Fire Appliance Access is 6.0m. The minimum turning radius around corners of buildings shall be provided as follows:
L(13m) min. 6m W1
d1

W2
(min 6m)
d2

L(13m)

W = unobstructed width of Appliance Access L = length of largest Fire Appliance (currently 13m) d - cut-back distance is obtained by intersecting the imaginary corner of a building with line A - C

Hydrants should be located:

i) away from obstructions such as street furniture (benches), phone booths, etc. ii) not less than 2,000mm from adjacent buildings and overhangs. iii) between 610mm to 2,400mm from Fire Appliance Access.

iv) away from risks of vehicular damage.

v) not more than 90m apart from each other (in new buildings adjacent to existing developments, a new hydrant within 45m radius of the new

building).

Building

No overhangs over hydrants

Pavement Verandah Hydrant

> 2m

0.6m to 2.4m
Access

Thank You