ABSTRACT
Life safety and property protection are critical functions of all structures, particularly as they relate to fire safety. Further, the functionality of these structures is influenced by their design, construction, and maintenance. Key elements of the design, which have an impact on both the life safety and property protection functions, include the principles of balanced design that incorporate compartmentation to limit the spread of fire, early detection to alert occupants when a fire occurs, and automatic suppression to control a fire until it can be extinguished. Concrete and masonry materials are inherently fire resistant, noncombustible, and durable and maintain structural integrity under fire conditions. These features are used in the design of compartments to contain fire and in the design of structural elements to maintain
on for life safety and property protection throughout the life of the structure, with minimal investment in maintenance or repair. This chapter presents criteria for the design of concrete and masonry elements to ensure both property protection and life safety functions during fire conditions.
