International Building Code 708.1
General. The following wall assemblies shall comply
with this section:
1. Walls separating dwelling units in the same building.
2. Walls separating sleeping units in occupancies in Group
R-1 hotel, R-2 and I-1 occupancies.
3. Walls separating tenant spaces in covered mall buildings
as required by Section 402.7.2.
4. Corridor walls as required by Section 1017.1.
5. Elevator lobby separation as required by Section
707.14.1.
6. Residential aircraft hangars.
International Building Code 708.2
Materials. The walls shall be of materials permitted by
the building type of construction.
International Building Code 708.3
Fire-resistance rating. Fire partitions shall have a
fire-resistance rating of not less than 1 hour.
Exceptions:
1. Corridor walls as permitted by Table 1017.1.
2. Dwelling and sleeping unit separations in buildings of
Type IIB, IIIB and VB construction shall have
fire-resistance ratings of not less than 1/2 hour in buildings
equipped throughout with an automatic sprinkler
system in accordance with Section 903.3.1.1.
International Building Code 708.4
Continuity. Fire partitions shall extend from the top of
the foundation or floor/ceiling assembly below to the underside
of the floor or roof sheathing, slab or deck above or to the
fire-resistance-rated floor/ceiling or roof/ceiling assembly
above, and shall be securely attached thereto. If the partitions
are not continuous to the sheathing, deck or slab, and where
constructed of combustible construction, the space between the
ceiling and the sheathing, deck or slab above shall be
fireblocked or draftstopped in accordance with Sections 717.2
and 717.3 at the partition line. The supporting construction
shall be protected to afford the required fire-resistance rating of
the wall supported, except for tenant and sleeping unit separationwalls
and corridorwalls in buildings of Types IIB, IIIB and
VB construction.
Exceptions:
1. The wall need not be extended into the crawl space
below where the floor above the crawl space has a
minimum 1-hour fire-resistance rating.
2. Where the room-side fire-resistance-rated membrane
of the corridor is carried through to the underside of
the floor or roof sheathing, deck or slab of a fire-resistance-
rated floor or roof above, the ceiling of the corridor
shall be permitted to be protected by the use of
ceiling materials as required for a 1-hour fire-resistance-
rated floor or roof system.
3. Where the corridor ceiling is constructed as required
for the corridor walls, the walls shall be permitted to
terminate at the upper membrane of such ceiling
assembly.
4. The fire partition separating tenant spaces in a mall,
complying with Section 402.7.2, are not required to
extend beyond the underside of a ceiling that is not
part of a fire-resistance-rated assembly. A wall is not
required in attic or ceiling spaces above tenant separation
walls.
5. Fireblocking or draftstopping is not required at the
partition line in Group R-2 buildings that do not
exceed four stories in height, provided the attic space
is subdivided by draftstopping into areas not exceeding
3,000 square feet (279 m2) or above every two
dwelling units, whichever is smaller.
6. Fireblocking or draftstopping is not required at the
partition line in buildings equipped with an automatic
sprinkler system installed throughout in accordance
with Section 903.3.1.1 or 903.3.1.2, provided that
automatic sprinklers are installed in combustible
floor/ceiling and roof/ceiling spaces.
International Building Code 708.5
Exterior walls. Where exterior walls serve as a part of a
required fire-resistance-rated separation, suchwalls shall comply
with the requirements of Section 704 for exteriorwalls, and
the fire-resistance-rated separation requirements shall not
apply.
Exception: Exterior walls required to be fire-resistance
rated in accordance with Section 1014.5.1 for exterior
egress balconies, Section 1020.1.4 for exit enclosures and
Section 1023.6 for exterior exit ramps and stairways.
International Building Code 708.6
Openings. Openings in a fire partition shall be protected
in accordance with Section 715.
International Building Code 708.7
Penetrations. Penetrations of fire partitions shall comply
with Section 712.
[edit]International Building Code 708.8
Joints. Joints made in or between fire partitions shall
comply with Section 713.
International Building Code 708.9
Ducts and air transfer openings. Penetrations in a fire
partition by ducts and air transfer openings shall comply with
Section 716.