The Gypsum Association has released the 21st edition of the Fire Resistance Design Manual. Revised every three years, GA-600 has been referenced by the model building codes as a source of fire resistive designs for more than 40 years.
The 2015 edition contains nearly 100 new systems that supplement existing assemblies for walls and partitions, floor-ceiling systems, area separation walls, and many others. Among these, are 20 new head-of-wall and base-of-wall systems that significantly expand the options for perimeter relief.
A more interactive digital version of the Fire Resistance Design Manual (FRDM) is available with the 2015 edition. More like an e-reader than previous PDF versions, the new digital manual is searchable, easy to navigate, delivered on demand, and allows users to print specific pages for reference, the association says. Customers who purchase the electronic version will receive a complimentary hardcopy.
The FRDM is referenced by the International Building Code, and The National Fire Codes, as well as many state and local jurisdictions in the U.S. and Canada as a source document for fire-resistance and sound-control rated designs that incorporate gypsum board in a variety of building systems.
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