NCMA TEK

Provided by:
Cinder & Concrete Block Corporation
National Concrete Masonry Association
an information series from the national authority on concrete masonry technology

FIRE RESISTANCE RATING OF

CONCRETE MASONRY ASSEMBLIES
Keywords: calculated fire resistance rating, columns, control
joints, equivalent thickness, fire resistance ratings, fire walls,
multi-wythe walls, specifications

INTRODUCTION
This TEK conforms to the stated parameters of the
Standard Method for Determining Fire Resistance of Concrete and Masonry Construction Assemblies, ACI 216.1-97/
TMS 0216.1-97 (ref. 1hereinafter referred to as the Standard). Concrete masonry is widely specified for fire walls and
fire separation walls because these elements are:
noncombustible,
provide durable fire resistance, and
are economical to construct.
For the most part, the contents of the Standard are not
new, but rather are a compilation and refinement of the many
documents previously published by the various segments of
the masonry and concrete industry. More importantly, the
Standard is a document that has gone through a formal
consensus process and is written in mandatory language, and
therefore is now incorporated by reference into the national
model codes.
Methods of Determining Fire Resistance Ratings
The fire resistance rating period of concrete masonry
elements can be determined by three methods:

calculation,

through a listing service, or

by testing.
The calculation method is the most practical and most
commonly used method of determining the fire resistance
rating of concrete masonry. It is based on extensive research
which established a relationship between physical properties
of materials and the fire resistance rating. The calculation
method is utilized in the Standard which determines fire
resistance ratings based on the equivalent thickness of concrete masonry units and aggregate types used in their manufacture.
An alternative to the calculation method is provided by
private commercial listing services. The listing service
approach allows the designer to select a fire rated assembly
which has been previously classified and listed in a published

TEK 7-1A
Fire Resistance (2003)

directory of listed fire rated assemblies. The listing service

also monitors materials and production to verify that the
concrete masonry units are and remain in compliance with
appropriate standards. A premium is usually charged for
units of this type. The system also is somewhat inflexible in
that little variation from the original tested wall assembly is
allowed including unit size, shape, mix design, ingredients,
and even the plant of manufacture.
The third option, testing of representative elements of the
construction in accordance with standard fire test methods is
generally not practical due to the expense of the test and time
required to build, cure, and test representative specimens.
CALCULATED FIRE RESISTANCE METHOD
Scope
This TEK covers methods for determining the fire resistance rating of concrete masonry assemblies, including walls,
columns, lintels, beams, and concrete masonry fire protection
for steel columns. It also includes assemblies composed of
concrete masonry and other components including plaster
and drywall finishes, and multi-wythe masonry components
including clay or shale masonry units.
Background
The calculated fire resistance method is based on extensive research and results of previous testing of concrete
masonry walls. Fire testing of wall assemblies is conducted
in accordance with the Standard Test Methods for Fire Tests
of Building Construction and Materials, ASTM E 119 (ref. 7)
which measures four performance criteria.
ASTM E 119 Performance Criteria:

resistance to the transmission of heat through the

wall assembly,

resistance to the passage of hot gases through the

wall sufficient to ignite cotton waste,

load carrying capacity of loadbearing walls, and

resistance to the impact, erosion, and cooling effects

of a hose stream on the assembly after exposure to
the standard fire.
The fire resistance rating of concrete masonry is typically
governed by the heat transmission criteria. This type of
failure mode is certainly preferable to a structural collapse
endpoint characteristic of many other building materials
from the standpoint of life safety (particularly for fire fighters)

TEK 7-1A 2003 National Concrete Masonry Association (replaces TEK 7-1 and 7-3)

Table 1Fire Resistance Rating Period of Concrete Masonry Assemblies (ref. 1)

Aggregate type in the
concrete masonry unit 2
Calcareous or siliceous gravel
Limestone, cinders or slag
Expanded clay, shale or slate
Expanded slag or pumice

Minimum
4 hours
6.2 (157)
5.9 (150)
5.1 (130)
4.7 (119)

required equivalent thickness for fire

3 hours
2 hours
1.5 hours
5.3 (135) 4.2 (107) 3.6 (91)
5.0 (127) 4.0 (102) 3.4 (86)
4.4 (112) 3.6 (91)
3.3 (84)
4.0 (102) 3.2 (81)
2.7 (69)

resistance rating, in. (mm) 1

1 hour
0.75 hours 0.5 hours
2.8 (71) 2.4 (61) 2.0 (51)
2.7 (69) 2.3 (58) 1.9 (48)
2.6 (66) 2.2 (56) 1.8 (46)
2.1 (53) 1.9 (48) 1.5 (38)

1. Fire resistance rating between the hourly fire resistance rating periods listed may be determined by linear interpolation based on the
equivalent thickness value of the concrete masonry assembly.
2. Minimum required equivalent thickness corresponding to the hourly fire resistance rating for units made with a combination of aggregates
shall be determined by linear interpolation based on the percent by volume of each aggregate used in the manufacture.

and salvageability.
Fire testing of concrete masonry columns evaluates the
ability of the column to carry design loads under standard fire
test conditions. Fire testing of a concrete masonry protected
steel column assembly evaluates the structural integrity of the
steel column under fire test conditions by measuring the
temperature rise of the steel.
Fire testing of concrete masonry beams and lintels evaluates the ability of the member to sustain design loads under
standard fire test conditions. This is accomplished by insuring that the temperature rise of the tensile reinforcing does
not exceed 1100 oF (593 oC) during the rating period.
Equivalent Thickness
Extensive testing has established a relationship between
the fire resistance and the equivalent solid thickness for
concrete masonry walls as shown in Table 1. Equivalent
thickness is essentially the solid thickness that would be
obtained if the same amount of masonry contained in a hollow
unit were recast without core holes. The equivalent thickness
of a hollow unit is equal to the percentage solid times the
actual thickness of the unit. See Figure 1. The percentage
solid is determined in accordance with Standard Methods of
Sampling and Testing Concrete Masonry Units, ASTM C
140 (ref. 2).
The equivalent thickness of a 100% solid unit or a solid
grouted unit is equal to the actual thickness. For partially
grouted walls where the unfilled cells are left empty, the
equivalent thickness for fire resistance rating purposes is

If this hollow
unit is 53% solid,

4.0
n.
4
/8 i )
7 5 mm (103 m in.
4
m)
9
(1

equal to that of an ungrouted unit.

Loadbearing units conforming to ASTM C 90 (ref. 6)
that are commonly available include 100% solid units, 75%
solid units, and hollow units meeting minimum required face
shell and web dimensions. Typical equivalent thickness
values for these units are listed in Table 2.
Filling Cells with Loose Fill Material
If the cells of hollow unit masonry are filled with
approved materials, the equivalent thickness of the assembly
can be considered the same as the actual thickness. The list
of approved materials includes: sand, pea gravel, crushed
stone, or slag that meets ASTM C 33 (ref. 3) requirements;
pumice, scoria, expanded shale, expanded clay, expanded
slate, expanded slag, expanded flyash, or cinders that comply
with ASTM C 331 (ref. 4) or C 332 (ref. 5), or perlite or
vermiculite meeting the requirements of ASTM C 549 and C
516 (refs. 9 and 8), respectively.
Wall Assemblies
The fire resistance rating is determined in accordance
with Table 1 utilizing the appropriate aggregate type of the
masonry unit and the equivalent thickness. Units manufactured with a combination of aggregate types are addressed by
footnote (2) which may be expressed by the following equation:
Table 2Equivalent Thickness of Concrete
Masonry Units, in. (mm)
Nominal
width, in.
(mm)

the equivalent
thickness is
4.04 inches
(103 mm)

Equivalent Thickness = 0.53 x 7 5 8 in. = 4.04

(Equivalent Thickness = 0.53 x 194 mm = 103 mm)
Figure 1Equivalent Thickness Calculation

4
6
8
10
12

(102)
(152)
(203)
(254)
(305)

Based on
typical
hollow units 1
2.7 (69)
3.1 (79)
4.0(102)
5.0(127)
5.7(145)

[73.8]
[55.0]
[53.0]
[51.7]
[48.7]

Based on
percent solid
(75%)
(100%)
2.7 (69)
4.2 (107)
5.7 (145)
7.2 (183)
8.7 (221)

3.6
5.6
7.6
9.6
11.6

1. Values in brackets [ ] are percent solid values based

on typical two core concrete masonry units.

(91)
(142)
(193)
(244)
(295)

Tr = (T1 x V1) + (T2 x V2)

Where:
T r = required equivalent thickness for a specific fire
resistance rating of an assembly constructed of
units with combined aggregates, in. (mm)
T1, T2 = required equivalent thickness for a specific fire
resistance rating of a wall constructed of units with
aggregate types 1 and 2, respectively, in. (mm)
V1, V2= fractional volume of aggregate types 1 and 2, respectively, used in the manufacture of the unit
Blended aggregate example:
The required equivalent thickness of an assembly
constructed of units made with expanded shale (80% by
volume), and calcareous sand (20% by volume), to meet a
3 hour fire resistance rating is:
T1 for expanded shale (3 hour rating) = 4.4 in. (112 mm)
T2 for calcareous sand (3 hour rating) = 5.3 in. (135 mm)
Tr = (4.4 x 0.80) + (5.3 x 0.20) = 4.58 in. (116 mm)

Multi-Wythe Wall Assemblies

The fire resistance rating of multi-wythe walls (Figure 2) is
based on the fire resistance of each wythe and the air space
between each wythe in accordance with the following Equation.
R = (R10.59 + R20.59 +...+Rn0.59 + A1 + A2 +... An)1.7

For multi-wythe walls of clay brick and concrete masonry, use the values of Table 3 for the brick wythe in the
above equation.
Table 3Fire Resistance of Brick or Tile
of Clay or Shale (ref.1)
Material type

> 75% solid

Hollow units 2
Hollow units 3

Minimum required equivalent thickness 1 for

fire resistance rating, in. (mm)
4 hours

3 hours

2 hours

l hour

6.0 (152)
5.0 (127)
6.6 (168)

4.9 (124)
4.3 (109)
5.5 (140)

3.8 (97)
3.4 (86)
4.4 (112)

2.7 (69)
2.3 (58)
3.0 (76)

1. See section entitled "Equivalent Thickness" for calculation.

2. Unfilled hollow units.
3. Grouted or filled per section entitled "Filling Cells with
Loose Fill Material".

Reinforced Concrete Masonry Columns

The fire resistance rating of reinforced concrete masonry
columns is based on the least plan dimension of the column
as indicated in Table 4. The minimum required cover over the
vertical reinforcement is 2 in. (51 mm).

Table 4Reinforced Concrete Masonry Columns

(ref. 1)
Minimum column dimensions, in. (mm),
for fire resistance rating of:

Where:
R1, R2,...Rn = fire resistance rating of wythe 1, 2,...n,
respectively (hours).
A1, A2,...An = 0.30; factor for each air space, 1, 2,...n,
respectively, having a width of 1/2 to 31/2 in. (13 to 89 mm)
between wythes. Note: It does not matter which side is
exposed to the fire.

Wythe (R 2 )

Air space factor (A1 )

for widths 12 in.
(13 mm) or greater

Wythe (R 2 )
R 1 = Fire resistance rating of wythe 1
R 2 = Fire resistance rating of wythe 2
A 1 = Air space factor = 0.3
Figure 2Fire Resistance of Multi-Wythe
Masonry Wall (ref. 1)

1 hour

2 hours

3 hours

4 hours

8 (203)

10 (254)

12 (305)

14 (356)

Concrete Masonry Lintels

The fire resistance rating of concrete masonry lintels is
determined based upon the nominal thickness of the lintel
and the minimum cover of longitudinal reinforcement in
accordance with Table 5. Cover requirements in excess of 1
in. (38 mm) protect the reinforcement from strength degradation due to excessive temperature during the fire exposure
period. Cover requirements may be provided by masonry
units, grout, or mortar.
Table 5Reinforced Concrete Masonry Lintels
Minimum Longitudinal Reinforcing Cover,
in. (mm) (ref. 1)
Nominal
lintel width,
Fire resistance rating
in., (mm)
1 hour
2 hours 3 hours 4 hours
6 (152)
11/2 (38) 2 (51)
8 (203)
11/2 (38) 11/2 (38) 13/4 (44) 3 (76)
10 (254) or more 11/2 (38) 11/2 (38) 11/2 (38) 13/4 (44)

Control Joints
Figure 3 shows control joint details in fire rated wall
assemblies in which openings are not permitted or where
openings are required to be protected. Maximum joint width
is in. (13 mm).

Sealant and backer

Preformed gasket

Steel Columns Protected by Concrete Masonry

The fire resistance rating of steel columns protected by
concrete masonry as illustrated in Figure 4 is determined by
the following equation:
R = 0.401(Ast /p s)0.7 + {0.285(Tea1.6/k 0.2) x
[1.0 + (42.7{(Ast/DTea)/(0.25p + Tea)}0.8 )]}(English units)
R = 7.13(Ast /p s)0.7 + {0.0027(Tea1.6/k 0.2) x
[1.0 + (2.49x107{(Ast/DTea)/(0.25p + Tea)}0.8 )]}(SI units)
Where:
R =
Ast =
D =
ps =
k =

Fire resistance rating of the column assembly, hr.

Cross-sectional area of the steel column, in.2 (m2)
Density of concrete masonry protection, pcf (kg/m3)
Heated perimeter of steel column, in. (mm)
Thermal conductivity of concrete masonry, Table 6,
Btu/hrftoF (W/mK)
p = Inner perimeter of concrete masonry protection, in. (mm)
Tea = Equivalent thickness of concrete masonry protection, in. (mm)
Note: The 2000 International Building Code (IBC) (ref. 11)
replaces the first term in the above equation with 0.17(W/p s)0.7
English, and (1.22(W /p s)0.7 ) metric where W is the average
weight of the steel column in lb/ft (kg/m). Both forms of the
equations yield identical answers.

2 Hour Fire Resistance Rating

Sealant and backer

Ceramic fiber felt
(alumina-silica fibers)
Vertical reinforcement
each side of joint

For more information on steel columns protected by concrete

masonry see TEK 7-6 (ref. 10).
4 Hour Fire Resistance Rating
Table 6Properties of Concrete Masonry Units
Bond breaker

Density, D
pcf (kg/m3)
80
85
90
95
100
105
110
115
120
125
130
135
140
145
150

(1281)
(1362)
(1442)
(1522)
(1602)
(1682)
(1762)
(1842)
(1922)
(2002)
(2082)
(2162)
(2243)
(2323)
(2403)

Sealant and backer

Thermal conductivity1, k
Btu/hrftoF (W/mK)
0.207
0.228
0.252
0.278
0.308
0.340
0.376
0.416
0.459
0.508
0.561
0.620
0.685
0.758
0.837

(0.358)
(0.394)
(0.436)
(0.481)
(0.533)
(0.588)
(0.650)
(0.720)
(0.749)
(0.879)
(0.971)
(1.073)
(1.186)
(1.312)
(1.449)

1. Thermal conductivity at 70 oF. oC = (oF-32)(5/9)

Grout key

4 Hour Fire Resistance Rating

Mortar (1 2 in.,
(13 mm)
minimum depth)

Sealant and backer

4 Hour Fire Resistance Rating

Figure 3Control Joints for Fire Resistant
Concrete Masonry Assemblies (ref. 1)

tweb

p = 2(w + d) + 2(w - tweb )

s

ps = 4d

0.25p

ps = pd

0.25p
Figure 4Details of Concrete Masonry Column
Protection for Commonly Used Shapes (ref. 1)

Effects of Finish Materials

In many cases drywall, plaster or stucco finishes are added
to concrete masonry walls. While finishes are normally applied
for architectural reasons, they also provide additional fire
resistance value. The Standard (ref. 1) makes provision for
calculating the additional fire resistance provided by these
finishes.

Table 7Multiplying Factor for Finishes on

Non-Fire Exposed Side of Wall (ref. 1)
Type of material used in concrete
masonry units
Type of finish
applied to slab
or wall

Siliceous or
carbonate aggregate
concrete masonry
unit

Expanded shale,
expanded clay,
expanded slag, or
pumice less than 20
percent sand

Portland cementsand plaster 1 or

terrazzo

1.00

0.75

Gypsum-sand
plaster

1.25

1.00

Gypsum-vermiculite or perlite
plaster

1.75

1.25

Gypsum wallboard

3.00

2.25

1. For portland cement-sand plaster 5 /8 in. (16 mm) or less in

thickness, and applied directly to concrete masonry on the non-fireexposed side of the wall, multiplying factor shall be 1.0.

It should be noted that when finishes are used to achieve

the required fire resistance rating, the masonry alone must
provide at least one-half of the total required rating. This is to
assure structural integrity during a fire.
Certain finishes deteriorate more rapidly when exposed to
fire than when on the non-fire side of the wall. Therefore, two
separate tables are required. Table 7 applies to finishes on the
non-fire exposed side of the wall and Table 8 applies to finishes
on the fire exposed side.
For finishes on the non-fire exposed side of the wall, the
finish is converted to equivalent thickness of concrete masonry by multiplying the thickness of the finish by the factor
given in Table 7. This is then added to the base concrete
masonry wall equivalent thickness which is used in Table 1 to
determine the fire resistance rating.
For finishes on the fire exposed side of the wall, a time is
assigned to the finish in Table 8 which is added to the fire
resistance rating determined for the base wall and non-fire side
finish. The times listed in Table 8 are essentially the length of
time the various finishes will remain intact when exposed to fire
(on the fire side of the wall).
When calculating the fire resistance rating of a wall with
finishes, two calculations are performed. The first is assuming
fire on one side of the wall and the second is assuming the fire
on the other side. The fire rating of the wall assembly is then
the lowest of the two. Note that there may be situations where
the wall needs to rated with the fire on only one side.

Table 8Time Assigned to Finish Materials on

Fire Exposed Side of Wall (ref. 1)
Finish description

Time, min

Gypsum wallboard
3

/8 in. (10 mm)

/2 in. (13 mm)
/8 in. (16 mm)
3
Two layers of /8 in. (10 mm)
One layer of 3/8 in. (10mm) and one layer
of 1/2 in. (16mm)
Two layers of 1/2 in. (16 mm)
1
5

Type X gypsum wallboard

1
/2 in. (13 mm)
5
/8 in. (16 mm)

10
15
20
25
35
40
25
40

Direct-applied portland cement-sand plaster

See Note 1

Portland cement-sand plaster on metal lath

3
/4 in. (19 mm)
7
/8 in. (22 mm)
1 in. (25 mm)

20
25
30

Gypsum-sand plaster on 3/8 in. (10 mm)

gypsum lath
1
/2 in. (13 mm)
5
/8 in. (16 mm)
3
/4 in. (22 mm)

35
40
50

Gypsum-sand plaster on metal lath

3
/4 in. (19 mm)
7
/8 in. (22 mm)
1 in. (25 mm)

50
60
80

1. For purposes of determining the contribution of portland cementsand plaster to the equivalent thickness of concrete or masonry for
use in Table 1, it shall be permitted to use the actual thickness of
the plaster, or 5 /8 in. (16 mm), whichever is smaller.

Installation of Finishes
Finishes that are assumed to contribute to the total fire
resistance rating of a wall must meet certain minimum installation requirements. Plaster and stucco need only be applied in
accordance with the provisions of the building code. Gypsum
wallboard and gypsum lath may be attached to wood or metal
furring strips spaced a maximum of 24 in. (610 mm) on center or
may be attached directly to the wall with adhesives. Drywall
and furring may be attached in one of two ways:
1). Self-tapping drywall screws spaced a maximum of 12 in.
(305 mm) and penetrating a minimum of 3/8 in. (10 mm) into
resilient steel furring channels running horizontally and
spaced a maximum of 24 in. (610 mm) on center.
2). Lath nails spaced at 12 in. (305 mm) on center maximum, penetrating 3/4 in. (19 mm) into nominal 1 x 2 in.
(25 x 51 mm) wood furring strips which are attached to the
masonry with 2 in. (51 mm) concrete nails spaced a maximum of 16 in. (41 mm) on center.

Gypsum wallboard must be installed with the long dimension parallel to the furring members and all horizontal and vertical
joints must be supported and finished. The only exception is 5/
8 in. (16 mm) Type "X" gypsum wallboard which may be installed
horizontally without being supported at the horizontal joints.
For drywall attached by the adhesive method, a 3/8 in. (10
mm) bead of panel adhesive must be placed around the
perimeter of the wallboard and across the diagonals and then
secured with a masonry nail for each 2 ft 2 (0.19 m2)of panel.
CONCLUSION
The calculated fire resistance procedure is practical, versatile, and economical. It is based on thousands of tests. It is
incorporated by reference into the major model codes of the US
and allows the designer virtually unlimited flexibility to incorporate the excellent fire resistive properties of concrete masonry into the design.

REFERENCES
1.

Standard Method for Determining Fire Resistance of Concrete and Masonry Construction Assemblies, ACI 216.1-97/TMS 0216.1-97.
American Concrete Institute and The Masonry Society, 1997.
2. Standard Methods forSampling and Testing Concrete Masonry Units, ASTM C 140-02a. American Society for Testing and Materials, 2002.
3. Standard Specification for Concrete Aggregates, ASTM C 33-02a. American Society for Testing and Materials, 2002.
4. Standard Specification for Lightweight Aggregates for Concrete Masonry Units, ASTM C 331-02. American Society for Testing and
Materials, 2002.
5. Standard Specification for Lightweight Aggregates for Insulating Concrete, ASTM C 332-99. American Society for Testing and Materials,
1999.
6. Standard Specification for Loadbearing Concrete Masonry Units, ASTM C 90-02. American Society for Testing and Materials, 2002.
7. Standard Test Methods for Fire Tests of Building Construction and Materials, ASTM E 119-00a. American Society for Testing and Materials,
2000.
8. Standard Specification for Vermiculite Loose Fill Thermal Insulation, ASTM C 516-02(1996)e1 . American Society for Testing and Materials,
2002.
9. Standard Specification for Perlite Loose Fill Insulation, ASTM C 549-02. American Society for Testing and Materials, 2002.
10 . Steel Column Fire Protection, TEK 7-6. National Concrete Masonry Association, 2003.
11. 2000 International Building Code, Falls Church, Va. International Code Council, 2000.

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