System and Method for Preventing Hose Stream Penetration Through Fire-Rated Wall Assemblies

Abstract

A method prevents hose stream penetration into an interior of an enclosure from firefighting activity in a location adjacent to the enclosure. The method forms a wall structure between the enclosure and the adjacent location. The wall structure is covered with a laminated wall panel having a noncombustible wallboard secured to a metallic sheet. Each wall panel is secured to studs of the wall structure with the metallic sheet against studs of the wall structure. The metallic sheets block water of a hose stream from penetrating into the enclosure. The wall structure may also include laminated wall panels secured to the exterior side of the wall structure. Even if the noncombustible wallboard on one of the exterior laminated panels is weakened or destroyed by a fire or by the hose stream in the location adjacent to the enclosure, the metallic sheet of the exterior laminated wall panel blocks hose penetration.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of preventing hose stream penetration into an interior of an enclosure from firefighting activity in a location adjacent to the enclosure, the method comprising:
 forming a wall structure between the enclosure and the location adjacent to the enclosure, the wall structure having an interior side facing the interior of the enclosure and having an exterior side facing the location adjacent to the enclosure; and   attaching a first plurality of laminated wall panels to the interior side of the wall structure, each laminated wall panel comprising a noncombustible wallboard secured to a metallic sheet, each laminated wall panel attached to the support studs of the wall structure with the noncombustible wallboard facing the interior of the enclosure and with the metallic sheet facing the support studs, the metallic sheets of the laminated wall panels blocking water of a hose stream in the location adjacent to the enclosure from penetrating the interior side of the wall structure and entering the enclosure.   
     
     
         2 . The method as defined in  claim 1 , further comprising attaching a second plurality of the laminated wall panels to the exterior side of the wall structure with the metallic sheets of the laminated wall panels facing the support studs of the wall structure, the metallic sheets of the second plurality of laminated wall panels blocking water of the hose stream in the location adjacent to the enclosure from penetrating the exterior side of the wall structure even if the noncombustible wallboard on one or more of the laminated panels of the second plurality of laminated panels is weakened or destroyed by a fire or by the hose stream in the location adjacent to the enclosure. 
     
     
         3 . The method as defined in  claim 1 , wherein in the enclosure is a room. 
     
     
         4 . The method as defined in  claim 1 , wherein in the enclosure is a passageway that provides egress from a room.