A new approach to specifying fire resistance periods

A Task Group under the auspices of the British Standards Institution was formed to develop a new approach for specifying fire resistance requirements for building design for inclusion in the new DD 9999 'Code of practice for fire safety design, construction and the use of buildings'.

The task group which was made up of researchers and fire safety engineering practitioners, developed a set of fire resistance periods for each occupancy group and taking into account, the effectiveness of sprinklers in reducing fire severity where active fire protection measures may be employed. A single table of fire resistance periods are presented in a prescriptive format, which is underpinned by sound fire engineering principles coupled with a risk and consequence analysis based around a time equivalent approach.

This paper provides a brief background into the analysis that was carried out and how this has lead to the present recommendations that will be incorporated in DD 9999 when it is published during the latter part of 2004.

Dr B. R. Kirby, BSc, PhD, CEng, FIFire
Corus Fire Engineering

G. M. Newman, BSc(Eng), CEng, MIStructE, MIFireE
The Steel Construction Institute

N. Butterworth, BEng, MPhil, CEng, MIFireE
Buro Happold (FEDRA)

J. Pagan, MA(Cantab), CEng, MIFireE
Warrington Fire Research Centre

Dr C. English, BSc, PhD
WSP