FIRE-RESISTANT WALL ASSEMBLY

Abstract

A multi-component fire-resistant (FR) assembly for use in various forms of construction. The FR assembly attains 30 minutes, 1-hour, 2-hour, or 3-hour fire resistance from either side (in accordance with ASTM E119 criteria), and does not require any added FR panels or sheathing. The FR assembly comprises an interior layer, a plurality of supporting studs, an exterior layer, a weather-resistant barrier (WRB) layer, and, in some embodiments, an outer layer. The placement of the studs creates a cavity or cavities between the interior layer and the exterior layer, which may be filled with an insulating or similar material.

Claims

1. A fire-resistant wall assembly, comprising: an interior panel with an inner face and an outer face; an exterior panel with an inner face and an outer face; a plurality of studs located between the interior panel and exterior panel, and affixed to the outer face of the interior panel and the inner face of the exterior panel; and an outer panel disposed on an exterior face of the wall assembly.

2. The wall assembly of claim 1, wherein the outer panel comprises exterior cladding or siding.

3. The wall assembly of claim 1, wherein the outer panel comprises mineral board, mineral wool board, mineral fiber board, or mineral bonded wood wool board.

4. The wall assembly of claim 1, further comprising a WRB layer affixed to the outer face of the exterior panel.

5. The wall assembly of claim 4, wherein the WRB layer comprises a polymer-based sheet.

6. The wall assembly of claim 4, wherein the WRB layer comprises a resin-impregnated paper overlay.

7. The wall assembly of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of cavities between the plurality of studs.

8. The wall assembly of claim 7, wherein one or more of the plurality of cavities contain insulation material.

9. The wall assembly of claim 1, further comprising an insulation layer disposed between the exterior panel and the outer panel.

10. The wall assembly of claim 9, wherein the insulation layer comprises mineral board, mineral wool board, mineral fiber board, or mineral bonded wood wool board.

11. The wall assembly of claim 1, wherein the interior panel comprises gypsum board.

12. The wall assembly of claim 1, wherein the exterior panel comprises an OSB panel.

13. The wall assembly of claim 1, wherein the interior panel comprises an engineered-wood panel.

14. The wall assembly of claim 13, wherein the interior panel comprises an OSB panel.

15. A fire-resistant wall assembly, comprising: an interior panel with an inner face and an outer face; an exterior panel with an inner face and an outer face; a plurality of studs located between the interior panel and exterior panel, and affixed to the outer face of the interior panel and the inner face of the exterior panel; wherein the exterior panel comprises mineral board, mineral wool board, mineral fiber board, or mineral bonded wood wool board.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0021] FIG. 1 shows a perspective cutaway view of a fire-resistant assembly in accordance with the present invention.

[0022] FIGS. 2-10 shows side cutaway views of various embodiments of a fire-resistant assembly.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION

[0023] In various exemplary embodiments, the present invention comprises a multicomponent fire-resistant (FR) assembly 2 for use in various forms of construction. The FR assembly attains 30 minutes, 1-hour, 2-hour, or 3-hour fire resistance from either side (in accordance with applicable ASTM E119 criteria, as updated from time to time), and does not require any added FR panels or sheathing.

[0024] As seen in FIG. 1, the FR assembly 2 comprises an interior layer 10, a plurality of supporting studs 20, an exterior layer 30, a weather-resistant barrier (WRB) layer 40, and, in some embodiments, an outer layer 50. In the embodiment shown, the placement of the studs 20 creates a cavity 22 between the interior layer and the exterior layer. The cavity typically may be filled with an insulating or similar material 24.

[0025] The interior layer and exterior layer typically are fastened to the studs by nails, screws, or similar fastening means. The WRB layer 40 typically is fastened to the exterior layer 30 by nails, screws, staples, tape, adhesive, lamination, bonding, or similar fastening means. Outer layer(s) 50 typically are fastened to the interior layer by nails, screws, or the other attachment means described above. In several embodiments, the fasteners extend through the exterior layer 30 into the studs.

[0026] The interior layer 10 is disposed on the inside of the assembly facing the interior of the building or structure. It may comprise gypsum (e.g., ⅝″ type X gypsum), stucco, plaster, wood, wood composite, engineered wood, or similar material, or combinations thereof. In some embodiments, the interior layer 10 also may comprise a structural panel, such as, but not limited to, e.g., an engineered-wood panel, an oriented strand-board (OSB) panel, or a CDX plywood panel, in conjunction with these materials. FIG. 10 shows an assembly where the interior layer 10 and the exterior layer 20 both comprise the same material, e.g., a wood panel or structural wood-composite panel.

[0027] The studs 20 may comprise wood or metal studs. The cavity-filling material 24 may comprise, but is not limited to, batt insulation (e.g., fiberglass, mineral wool or mineral wool products), foam, close-cell or open-cell foam, cellulose, or blown-in insulation. Mineral wool (also referred to as mineral fiber, mineral cotton, mineral fiber, alkaline earth silicate wool, alumino silicate wool, polycrystalline woo, kaowool, man-made mineral fiber, and man-made vitreous fiber) is any fibrous material formed by spinning or drawing molten material or rock or stone material, including, but not limited to, slag and ceramics. Mineral wool products for purposes of this application include, but are not limited to, mineral wool rolls, mineral wool sheets, mineral board, mineral wool board, mineral fiber board, mineral bonded wood wool board, ceramic fiber board, resin-bonded panels, stone wool, glass wool, and slag wool. In some embodiments, the cavity 22 may be left unfilled (i.e., no insulation), as seen FIGS. 3-6. Each configuration in a figure showing a configuration with the cavity filled can be constructed as an alternative configuration with the cavity left unfilled, and vice versa.

[0028] The exterior layer 30 may comprise a wood or structural wood-composite panel, such as an OSB panel or CDX plywood panel. It also may comprise a metal panel or sheet, or other form of panel.

[0029] The WRB layer 40 may comprise a polymeric sheeting or “housewrap” material, or may be integrated with the exterior layer 30, such as a resin-impregnated kraft paper overlay that is bonded to the exterior layer by heat and pressure by a primary pressing process during formation, or through a second pressing process. Alternative forms of the WRB layer include, but are not limited to, a liquid or fluid-applied WRB, a closed-cell foam, or a polymer film.

[0030] The outer layer 50 may comprise a form of cladding, siding (e.g., lap, panel, shake, or the like), stucco, brick, masonry, stone, metal, vinyl, wood, engineered wood, fiber cement, or the like. This typically is the outermost layer on a structure.

[0031] In several embodiments, however, the exterior layer 30 and/or the outer layer 50 may also comprise some form of insulation material, such as, but not limited to, foam-board, mineral wool, mineral board, or various mineral wool products. As described above, mineral wool products for purposes of this application include, but are not limited to, mineral wool rolls, mineral wool sheets, mineral board, mineral wool board, mineral fiber board, mineral bonded wood wool board, ceramic fiber board, resin-bonded panels, stone wool, glass wool, and slag wool.

[0032] In a further embodiment, one or more insulation layer(s) 110 may be added between the exterior layer and the WRB layer (see FIG. 4), between the exterior layer and the outer layer (see FIGS. 6 and 8), and/or between the WRB layer and the outer layer (see FIGS. 5 and 7). The insulation layer may comprise some form of insulation material, such as, but not limited to, foam-board, mineral wool, mineral board, or various mineral wool products. In some embodiments, the insulation layer 110 may be the outermost layer of the assembly, as shown in FIG. 9. As described above, mineral wool products for purposes of this application include, but are not limited to, mineral wool rolls, mineral wool sheets, mineral board, mineral wool board, mineral fiber board, mineral bonded wood wool board, ceramic fiber board, resin-bonded panels, stone wool, glass wool, and slag wool.

[0033] FIGS. 1 and 2 show one exemplary embodiment of an FR assembly 2. The interior layer 10 is a ⅝″ thick interior type X gypsum panel, secured to the studs using 8d drywall nails spaced 8 in. on center on the perimeter of the panel, and across the middle face (i.e., “in the field”) of the panel. The studs 20 are 2×6″ wood studs, vertically spaced at 16 inches. The top plate is constructed from two wood studs installed horizontally at the top of the assembly, and the bottom plate is a single wood stud. The cavities 22 are filled with mineral wool or mineral wool products insulation 24 (e.g., nominal 5.5 inch thick, nominal 2.8 lb/cu. ft. density, unfaced mineral wool insulation friction fit between the studs). The exterior layer 30 is a 7/16″ thick OSB or plywood structural panel (in the embodiment show, nominal 48 inches width and 12 inches tall), with an integrated WRB (weather-resistant barrier) layer 40, such as, but not limited to, a resin-impregnated paper overlay pre-attached to a face of the exterior layer panel(s) during a manufacturing process. The exterior layer and integrated WRB layer are secured to the studs with 6d nails spaced 6 in. on center on the perimeter, and spaced 12 in. on center across the middle face of the panel, with ½ inch at joint edges. The outer layer is a minimum ⅜ in. thick wood-based exterior panel siding 50 (such as, but not limited to, LP SmartSide Lap, Shake or Panel siding).

[0034] FIG. 3 shows the alternative configuration of FIG. 2, with the cavities 22 left unfilled.

[0035] The FR assembly in several embodiments is unique in that it only requires the exterior siding 30, WRB layer 40, and exterior layer 50 to achieve the appropriate FR rating. It does not require any additional exterior gypsum, FR panels, non-combustible materials, or FR coatings.

[0036] In other embodiments, the FR assembly is unique in that it requires only an exterior insulation layer 110 over the WRB layer 40 and exterior panel 30 to achieve the appropriate FR rating.

[0037] The FR assembly as described herein thus provides a building-code-approved product that provides structural performance and fire resistance characteristics for use in wall, floor and roof applications that require a fire resistance performance, such as residential, single- or multi-family, light framed mid-rise and commercial construction.

[0038] Thus, it should be understood that the embodiments and examples described herein have been chosen and described in order to best illustrate the principles of the invention and its practical applications to thereby enable one of ordinary skill in the art to best utilize the invention in various embodiments and with various modifications as are suited for particular uses contemplated. Even though specific embodiments of this invention have been described, they are not to be taken as exhaustive. There are several variations that will be apparent to those skilled in the art.