TMS RESPONDS

Answers to questions regarding masonry design, construction, evaluation and repair

A publication of The Masonry Society to advance the knowledge of masonry

The Masonry Society

Volume 3, No. 1

FIRE RATINGS FOR MASONRY

3.1-1 We would like to specify UL rated block for a critical
school project we are working on, but the producers in
our area indicate they are not available. Why? Are there
other ratings or criteria I can use to ensure the fire safety
of the firewalls?
Response by Jeffrey H. Greenwald, P.E., Director of Research
and Development at the National Concrete Masonry
Association
Underwriters Laboratories (UL) publishes a directory of firerated assemblies and these include ratings for masonry wall
assemblies. These wall assemblies are tested at UL Labs to
determine the hourly fire rating and the assemblies are loaded
using standard fire loading. The procedures for the fire testing used are found in UL Standard 2631. Part of the UL requirements for fire rated masonry assemblies is that the masonry
units are manufactured to another UL Standard, UL 6182. This
standard requires a UL representative to inspect the manufacturing facilities and this inspection comes at a premium that is
passed onto the consumers of masonry units.
An alternative to UL fire rated assemblies exists, based on
ASTM manufacturing requirements, ASTM fire testing, and
an approved ANSI standard referenced by all the model building codes. The method is based on the ASTM E 1193 fire.
ASTM E 119 is equivalent to the UL fire testing, UL 263, in
all aspects and stated in the UL directory.
The fire rating procedure is found in the Standard Method of
Determining Fire Resistance of Concrete and Masonry Assemblies (ACI 216.1-97/TMS 0216.1-97)4. This standard has
been developed using the ANSI process and it is based on a
calculation method that uses equivalent thickness for determining the hourly fire resistance rating. Equivalent thickness
is defined as the solid thickness that would be obtained if the
same amount of concrete or clay were cast as a solid block or
brick.

January 2003

Standard Method of
Determining Fire Resistance of Concrete and
Masonry Assemblies
(ACI 216.1-97/TMS
0216-97) 4 contains
equivelent thickness
tables for masonry to
help determine the fire
ratings of masonry assemblies, fire rated control and expansion joint
details, and information on fire ratings for
masonry columns and
lintels.
shown that for concrete masonry wall assemblies, the fire resistance rating is dependent on the aggregate composition of
the concrete masonry unit (CMU) and the CMUs equivalent
thickness. Through a testing program using different aggregate-type CMUs, a database exists of observed fire resistance
ratings as a function of aggregate types. From this database,
conservative equivalent thicknesses were chosen and are used
as minimum requirements. For clay masonry the fire rating is
based on the material type of the clay masonry unit.
(continued on Page 2)

In this Issue, TMS members

respond to questions on:
Fire Ratings for Masonry (pages 1 and 2)
Fire Resistance Rating of Existing Composite Masonry
Wall (page 3)

The equivalent thickness (ET) calculation procedure has its

basis in the conduction of over 300 ASTM E 119 fire tests on
masonry wall assemblies and from this test the fire resistance
rating of a particular wall assembly is determined. It has been

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TMS Responds

January 2003

The equivalent thickness calculation procedure described

above sets the minimum equivalent thickness required for a
specified fire resistance rating period. In order to meet this
requirement, the suppliers of the concrete masonry units produce units to conform to ASTM C 90, Standard Specification
for Loadbearing Concrete Masonry Units5 and tested to ASTM
C 140, Standard Test Methods of Sampling and testing Concrete Masonry Units6. For clay masonry, ASTM C 2167 and
ASTM C 678 are the manufacturing standards and testing standard, respectively. For example, Section 9.8 of ASTM C 140
details the calculation method for the determining equivalent
thickness. Concrete masonry producers verify that their CMUs
comply with ASTM C 90 on approximately a biannual basis.
ASTM C 140 testing is done at that time and the results are
part of the compliance documentation the producers have on
file. In addition, specifiers may request ASTM C 140 testing
for a particular lot of CMUs.
Finally, it is appropriate to point out the similarities and differences between UL fire rated concrete masonry wall assemblies
and wall assemblies fire rated by the equivalent thickness procedure. As mentioned above, both use the ASTM E119 fire
test (UL designates its fire test standard as UL 263, but as
stated in the UL directory this is equivalent to E 119). Second,
UL 618, Standard for Concrete Masonry Units, recognizes
equivalent thickness to specify fire resistance rating for con-

crete masonry units. Conversely, the equivalent thickness

procedure described above includes fire ratings for CMU manufactured with normal weight aggregates, i.e. sand and gravel,
while UL only rates a normal weight unit to be 4 hours or more
and does not recognize that normal weight CMU can have
lower fire ratings based on its equivalent thickness.

The Hose Stream Test is an important part of the testing

required by ASTM E 119 to determine the integrity of fire
walls after exposure to severe fire loadings.

Table 1 - Fire resistance rating of concrete masonry assemblies based on Standard Method
for Determining Fire Resistance of Concrete and Masonry Construction Assemblies
(ANSI/ACI 216.1-97/TMS 0216-97), which is commonly referred to as the Equivalent
Thickness Table.
Aggregate type

Minimum required equivalent thickness for

fire resistance rating, in. (mm)A,B
1 hr

11/2 hr

2 hr

3 hr

4 hr

Calcareous or siliceous gravel (other

than limestone)

2.8
(71)

3.6
(91)

4.2
(107)

5.3
(135)

6.2
(157)

Limestone, cinders
or air-cooled slag

2.7
(69)

3.4
(86)

4.0
(102)

5.0
(127)

5.9
(150)

Expanded clay,
expanded shale or
expanded slate

2.6
(66)

3.3
(84)

3.6
(91)

4.4
(112)

5.1
(130)

Expanded slag or
pumace

2.1
(53)

2.7
(69)

3.2
(81)

4.0
(102)

4.7
(119)

A. Fire resistance ratings between the hourly fire resistance rating periods listed shall be
determined by linear interpolation based on the equivalent thickness value of the concrete masonry assembly.
B. Minimum required equivalent thickness corresponding to the fire resistance ratings 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.

TMS Responds

January 2003

FIRE RESISTANCE RATING OF EXITISTING

COMPOSITE MASONRY WALL

This analysis assumes that the units in the wall meet one of the
appropriate ASTM Standards in ACI 216.1/TMS 0216. These
9
5
are ASTM C 34 for hollow clay tile and ASTM C 90 for the
concrete masonry units. Conservative assumptions of the wall
materials with respect fire resistance will be made to provide
least wall condition. The fire resistance rating of the wall
components are determined as shown below.

3.1-2 Is there a simple way to determine the fire resistance

rating of an existing composite masonry wall? We want to
rennovate the building, and this masonry wall needs to meet a
2 hour fire resistance rating. The wall is constructed from 4
in. (102 mm) 6TCSU hollow unglazed tile, a mortared collar
joint, and a 4 in. (102 mm) concrete masonry unit.

4 in. (102 mm) 6TCSU Hollow Unglazed Tile

According to Elgin-Butler, the manufacturer of the existing
material, a standard 4 inch 6TCSU hollow tile is 38% solid.
Thus, its equivalent thickness is 0.38 times 3.75 in. (95 mm) in
through-wall dimension, or 1.43 in. (36 mm). (Note that a 4 in.
(102 mm) 6TCSU hollow glazed tile is defined by industry standards as follows. The 4 in. (102 mm) dimension is the through
the wall thickness. The 6 indicates the length of the unit is 12
in. (305 mm). The T designates the height of the unit as 5 1/
3 in. (135 mm). The unit has horizontal coring based on the C
designation. The S refers to a standard tile, rather than a
precision tile. A standard designation (S) indicates that one
face of the unit is finished. The U indicates that the unit is
unglazed.)

Response by J. Gregg Borchelt, P.E., Vice President, Engineering and Research at the Brick Industry Association
The fire resistance rating of an existing masonry wall can be
established through a standard referenced by the International
Building Code, ACI 216.1/TMS 0216, Fire Resistance Rating
for Concrete and Masonry Walls 4. This standard uses a
method of determining the fire resistance of composite walls
with a mathematical formula based on the analysis of fire test
reports.
The equation for the fire resistance rating of a composite wall
in ACI 216.1/TMS 0216 is Eq. 2-4:
R = (R10.59 + R20.59 + ... + Rn0.59 )1.7

Interpolating from Table 4.1 of ACI 216.1/TMS 0216 (see Table

2), the fire resistance rating for an equivalent thickness of 1.43
in. (36 mm) is 0.622 hours (by assuming the fire rating equals 0
for an equivalent thickness of 0 in. (0 mm)).
(continued on page 4)

Eq. 2-4

where: R is the fire resistance rating of the wall assembly;

R1, R2, Rn are the fire resistance ratings of the components of the wall.

Table 2 - Fire resistance of clay masonry walls based on Standard

Method for Determining Fire Resistance of Concrete and Masonry
Construction Assemblies (ANSI/ACI 216.1-97/TMS 0216-97)
Material Type

Minimum required equivalent thickness for

fire resitance, in. .(mm) A,B,C

References used in this Issue of TMS Responds

1. UL Standard 263, Standard for Fire Tests of Building Construction and Materials, Underwriters Laboratories, Inc., Northbrook,
IL, 1997.
2. UL Standard 618, Standard for Concrete Masonry Units, Underwriters Laboratories, 1995.

1 hr

2 hr

3 hr

4 hr

Solid brick or
shaleD

2.7
(69)

3.8
(97)

4.9
(124)

6.0
(152)

3. ASTM E 199-00a, Standard Test Methods for Fire Tests of Building Construction and Materials, American Society for Testing
and Materials, West Conshohocken, PA, 2000.

Hollow brick or tile

of clay of shale,
unfilled

2.3
(58)

3.4
(86)

4.3
(109)

5.0
(127)

4. Standard Method for Determining Fire Resistance of Concrete

and Masonry Assemblies (ANSI/ACI 216.1-97, TMS-0216-97),
Reported by the joint ACI/TMS Committee 216, American Concrete Institute, Farmington Hills, MI and The Masonry Society,
Boulder CO, 1997.

3.0
(76)

4.4
(112)

5.5
(140)

6.6
(168)

5. ASTM C 90-99a, Standard Specification for Loadbearing Concrete Masonry Units, American Society for Testing and Materials,
West Conshohocken, PA, 1999.

Hollow brick or tile

of clay or shale,
grouted or filled with
materials specified in
4.2.3

A. Equaivalant thickness as determined from section 4.2.

B. Calculated fire reistance between the hourly increments listed shall be
determined by linear interpolation.
C. When combustible members are framed into the wall, the thickness of
solid material between the end of each member and the opposite face of
the wall, or between members set in from opposite sides, shall not be less
than 93 percent of the thickness shown.
D. For units which the cross-sectional area of cored brick in any plane parallel to the surface containing the cores shall be at least 75 percent of the
gross cross-sectional area measured in the same plane.

6. ASTM C 140-02a, Standard Test Methods for Sampling and Testing Concrete Masonry Units and Related Units, American Society for Testing and Materials, West Conshohocken, PA, 2002
7. ASTM C 216-00, Standard Specification for Structural Clay Facing Tile, American Society for Testing and Materials, West
Conshohocken, PA, 2000.
8. ASTM C 67-00, Standard Test Methods for Sampling and Testing
Brick and Structural Clay Tile, American Society for Testing and
Materials, West Conshohocken, PA, 2000.
9. ASTM C 34-96, Standard Specification for Structural Clay LoadBearing Wall Tile, American Society for Testing and Materials,
West Conshohocken, PA, 1996.

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January 2003

Mortar Collar Joint

This example neglects the contribution of the mortar joints in
the calculations. This is a conservative measure. If the mortar
joint were included, the fire resistance rating would be higher.
If an air space replaces the mortar collar joint, the fire resistance rating would also be higher.
4 in. (102 mm) Concrete Masonry Unit
The aggregate type used to make the concrete masonry unit
will affect its fire resistance rating. For this analysis, the aggregate that provides the least fire resistance will be used. The
equivalent thickness will be based on a 50% solid 4 in. (102
mm) concrete masonry unit. This is also a conservative measure. Concrete masonry units of 4 in. (102 mm) thickness typically have an equivalent thickness in excess of 60%. From
Table 3.1 in ACI 216/TMS 0216 (see Table 1 on Page 2 of TMS
Responds), a 4 in. (102 mm) concrete masonry unit with an
equivalent thickness of 1.81 in. (46 mm) (based on 50% of 3.625

Disclaimer
This document is intended to provide explanation of typical and not-sotypical questions regarding masonry design, construction, evaluation and
repair. It is intended for masonry design professionals, architects, engineers, inspectors, contractors, manufacturers, building officials, students,
and others interested in masonry. It is not intended to cover every aspect of
the discussed topics, but rather to focus on key issues that should be considered and addressed. This document should not be used as the sole guide
for designing, constructing, evaluating or repairing masonry. It is imperative to refer to relevant building codes, standards and other industry-related documents. As such, TMS assumes no liability for any consequences
that may follow from the use of this document. In addition, the opinions,
ideas and suggestions given herein are those of the respondent, and not
necessarily those of The Masonry Society.

in. (92 mm), which is the specified thickness of a 4 in. (102 mm)
concrete masonry unit), has a fire resistance rating of 0.647.
Wall Fire Resistance Rating
Substituting these values in to Equation 2-4 yields:
R = (R10.59 + R20.59 + ... + Rn0.59)1.7
R = (0.6220.59 + 0.6470.59)1.7
R = (0.756 + 0.774)1.7 = (1.53)1.7
R = 2.06 hours
Based on these conservative calculations in compliance with
ACI 216.1/TMS 0216, Fire Resistance Rating for Concrete
and Masonry Walls, the wall has a fire resistance rating of at
least 2 hours.

This document is produced bimonthly by:

The Masonry Society

3970 Broadway, Suite 201-D
Boulder, CO 80304-1135
Phone: (303) 939-9700
Fax: (303) 541-9215
Website: www.masonrysociety.org
Oversight: TMS Design Practices Committee, William A. Wood, chair
Editors: Edwin T. Huston, Vilas Mujumdar, Phillip J. Samblanet and
William A. Wood
Questions, ideas, suggestions and differing opinions may be sent to TMS
for consideration for inclusion in future issues of TMS Responds.

TMS Responds

January 2003