5/7/2018 Seismic Design For Fire Sprinkler Systems - Part 1a: The Seismic Shift

Steven Scandaliato
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Seismic Design For Fire Sprinkler Systems – Part 1a: The Seismic
Shift
January 23rd, 2009
Steven Scandaliato, SET, CFPS

Part 1: Using the Seismic Design Category to determine the need for earthquake bracing.

By now, the majority of jurisdictions across the country is using, or at the very
least has had some exposure to, the International Building Code (IBC). Although
many of its requirements are identical to the codes that those of us in the
engineering disciplines were using prior to
its adoption, a few revisions quietly made their way into mainstream design
requirements and unfortunately have made their presence known in very
expensive ways. One of those silent revisions concerns seismic design for fire
sprinkler systems.

I know many of you in the plumbing and mechanical design disciplines probably
are saying to yourselves, “I have been doing this for years. What’s the big deal?”
Well, if you read on, you will learn that this seismic stuff is a very big deal.

The Seismic Shift

Seismic design for fire sprinkler systems historically has been governed by
building codes that were not very specific regarding the requirements for seismic restraint. In fact, the need for
earthquake bracing has been fairly clear and isolated in large part because, up until the last eight to 10 years, the
majority of fire sprinkler systems was designed using performance specifications rather than installation
specifications. As such, the design criteria were left up to the fire protection contractor.

Almost all performance specifications contain language such as “design and install per NFPA 13;” therefore, fire
sprinkler contractors were using NFPA 13: Standard for the Installation of Fire Sprinkler Systems to determine
what to include in the design of the system. NFPA 13 never was intended to dictate “if” seismic design was
required in a system. It always has been and still is the standard for “how” to install seismic components when
they are required. Normally this requirement comes from the adopted building code by which the project is
governed. The requirement also can come from the local authority having jurisdiction or the client’s insurance
company.

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5/7/2018 Seismic Design For Fire Sprinkler Systems - Part 1a: The Seismic Shift

When contractors design and install per NFPA 13, it typically means consulting the seismic map that many
contractors use as an indicator of the likelihood of a seismic event taking place in the location in which they are
working. Based on this map, contractors decide whether or not to install earthquake bracing. For example,
California is a Zone 4, which is the worst case; if a contractor sees that he is in a Zone 0, 1, or even 2, he most
likely will decide to do nothing about seismic design. The fact that an earthquake never had occurred in the city
and that the AHJ never had required seismic design often confirms the perception that seismic does not need to
be included.

For many of you this may seem crazy; for others it may be perfectly logical. How you feel about the process
most likely depends on where you live and practice. What is so amazing is that the previous building standards,
including the Uniform Building Code and the Building Officials and Code Administrators, never intended for
fire sprinkler systems to be exempt from seismic requirements. They were just vague about the extent to which
the design was to be implemented. Since the specifications were not giving any definite guidance, the inclusion
of seismic design was very isolated.

This is not the case any more. A slow but deliberate metamorphosis has been taking place in the industry, and FS
(Fire Sprinkler) sheets are making their way into construction documents across the country. Engineers are
beginning to take responsibility for aspects of the installation portion of the design, as well as the criteria,
including
seismic, by which the system is to be installed.

Continued at Seismic Design For Fire Sprinkler Systems – Part 1b: IBC Requirements and Exemptions

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Seismic Design For Fire Sprinkler Systems – Part 1b: IBC Requirements and Exemptions

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