Design issues for effective compartmentation within buildings

In the case of large warehouse buildings which are required to be compartmentalised by fire walls, such elements are not usually self-supporting but rely on adjacent unprotected structure to provide lateral support to the top of the walls. This paper considers the role of fire walls in such buildings and the potential types of failure including loss of lateral restraint. The lateral restraint of fire walls under fire conditions is rarely considered by the structural engineer but proper consideration of this matter is important to achieve adequate resistance in fire. Equations and design concepts relevant to this matter are presented.