Paragraph 7.4.2.3 – Protection of load bearing structures
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Statutory Documents - IMO Publications and Documents - Circulars - Maritime Safety Committee - MSC.1/Circular.1457 – Unified Interpretations of the 2000 HSC Code, as Amended by Resolutions MSC.175(79) and MSC.222(82) – (24 June 2013) - Annex – Unified Interpretations of the 2000 HSC Code, as Amended by Resolutions MSC.175(79) and MSC.222(82) - Paragraph 7.4.2.3 – Protection of load bearing structures

Paragraph 7.4.2.3 – Protection of load bearing structures

  6 Protection time – the structural fire protection time of main load-bearing structures located within areas of major fire hazard (classified as A) and areas of moderate fire hazard (classified as B), and load bearing structures supporting control stations should, as a minimum, be the same as that required by tables 7.4-1 and 7.4-2 (as applicable), for the divisions enclosing the space where these supports are located. In accordance with paragraph 7.4.1.1, in no case should the structural fire protection time be less than 30 minutes.

  7 Insulation – load-bearing structures made of steel, other than those constituting the divisions dealt with in tables 7.4-1 and 7.4-2 (as applicable), need not be insulated.

  8 Extent of structural fire protection – the structures considered should be all load-carrying structures within areas of major and moderate fire hazard (classified as A or B), as well as all structures (irrespective of where they are located), which are necessary to support control stations.

  9 The vertical extent of structure supporting control stations should be considered all the way down to and including spaces within the hull(s). However, all structures within voids in the hull can be exempted from this consideration based on paragraph 7.4.2.1 (first part) of the Code.

  10 Fire testing – approvals from the standard fire test according to the 2010 FTP Code, annex 1, part 11, for a bulkhead or deck of a given material can be applied for protection of pillars of the same material. The structural fire protection time should be considered to be the same as that achieved in the fire test.

  11 Load case – when load carrying capability calculations are performed for an assumed fire within a space, all insulated or uninsulated steel structures, including pillars, as well as fire insulated aluminium and FRP structures in the space may be included; uninsulated aluminium and FRP structures should not be included. A single fire concept can be applied where a fire is only presumed to originate in one enclosed space and not propagate to another enclosed space.

  Example: Structures within a public space support a wheelhouse and a separate enclosed public space on the wheelhouse deck. Two load calculations should then be made:

  • .1 one presuming a fire below the wheelhouse; utilizing, in the load calculations, uninsulated steel and insulated aluminium and FRP structures within the public space on the wheelhouse deck;

  • .2 another presuming fire within the public spaces on the wheelhouse deck; utilizing, in the load calculations, uninsulated steel and insulated aluminium and FRP structures within the public space below the wheelhouse.


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