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AS 3959-2009
[Available Superseded]Construction of buildings in bushfire-prone areas
This 2009 edition of AS 3959 has been published by Standards Australia as Australian Standard. It sets out requirements for the construction of buildings in bushfire-prone areas in order to improve their performance when they are subjected to burning debris, radiant heat or flame contact generated from a bushfire. Also includes methodologies for assessing categories of bushfire attack in respect of a site situated in an area that has been designated by a relevant authority as bushfire-prone.
Published: 10/03/2009
Pages: 113
Table of contents
Cited references
Content history
Table of contents
Header
About this publication
Preface
Foreword
1 Scope and general
1.1 Scope
1.2 Objective
1.2.1 Objective of this Standard
1.2.2 Objective of this Edition
1.3 Application
1.4 Normative references
1.5 Definitions
1.6 Process of determining construction requirements
1.7 Bushfire Attack Level (BAL)
2 Determining the Bushfire Attack Level (BAL)
2.1 General
2.2 Simplified procedure (Method 1)
2.2.1 General
2.2.2 Step 1—Relevant Fire Danger Index (FDI)
2.2.3 Step 2—Vegetation classification
2.2.3.1 General
2.2.3.2 Exclusions—Low threat vegetation and non-vegetated areas
2.2.4 Step 3—Distance of the site from classified vegetation
2.2.5 Step 4—Effective slope of land under the classified vegetation
2.2.6 Step 5—Determination of Bushfire Attack Level (BAL)
2.2.7 Step 6—Determination of the appropriate construction requirements
3 Construction general
3.1 General
3.2 Construction requirements for specific structures
3.2.1 Attached structures
3.2.2 Garages and carports below the subject building
3.2.3 Adjacent structures
3.3 External mouldings
3.4 Higher levels of construction
3.5 Reduction in construction requirements due to shielding
3.6 Vents, weepholes and gaps
3.7 Bushfire shutters
3.8 Testing to AS 1530.8
3.9 Glazing
3.10 Sarking
3.11 Timber log walls
4 Construction for Bushfire Attack Level Low (BAL—LOW)
5 Construction for Bushfire Attack Level 12.5 (BAL—12.5)
5.1 General
5.2 Subfloor supports
5.3 Floors
5.3.1 Concrete slabs on ground
5.3.2 Elevated floors
5.4 External walls
5.4.1 Walls
5.4.2 Joints
5.4.3 Vents and weepholes
5.5 External glazed elements and assemblies and external doors
5.5.1 Bushfire shutters
5.5.1A Screens for windows and doors
5.5.2 Windows
5.5.3 Doors—Side-hung external doors (including French doors, panel fold and bi‑fold doors)
5.5.4 Doors—Sliding doors
5.5.5 Doors—Vehicle access doors (garage doors)
5.6 Roofs (including veranda and attached carport roofs, penetrations, eaves, fascias, gables, gutters and downpipes)
5.6.1 General
5.6.2 Tiled roofs
5.6.3 Sheet roofs
5.6.4 Veranda, carport and awning roofs
5.6.5 Roof penetrations
5.6.6 Eaves linings, fascias and gables
5.6.7 Gutters and downpipes
5.7 Verandas, decks, steps, ramps and landings
5.7.1 General
5.7.2 Enclosed subfloor spaces of verandas, decks, steps, ramps and landings
5.7.2.1 Materials to enclose a subfloor space
5.7.2.2 Supports
5.7.2.3 Framing
5.7.2.4 Decking, stair treads and the trafficable surfaces of ramps and landings
5.7.3 Unenclosed subfloor spaces of verandas, decks, steps, ramps and landings
5.7.3.1 Supports
5.7.3.2 Framing
5.7.3.3 Decking, stair treads and the trafficable surfaces of ramps and landings
5.7.4 Balustrades, handrails or other barriers
5.8 Water and gas supply pipes
6 Construction for Bushfire Attack Level 19 (BAL—19)
6.1 General
6.2 Subfloor supports
6.3 Floors
6.3.1 Concrete slabs on the ground
6.3.2 Elevated floors
6.4 External walls
6.4.1 Walls
6.4.2 Joints
6.4.3 Vents and weepholes
6.5 External glazed elements and assemblies and external doors
6.5.1 Bushfire shutters
6.5.1A Screens for windows and doors
6.5.2 Windows
6.5.3 Doors—Side-hung external doors (including French doors, panel fold and bi-fold doors)
6.5.4 Doors—Sliding doors
6.5.5 Doors—Vehicle access doors (garage doors)
6.6 Roofs (including veranda and attached carport roofs, penetrations, eaves, fascias, gables, gutters and downpipes)
6.6.1 General
6.6.2 Tiled roofs
6.6.3 Sheet roofs
6.6.4 Veranda, carport and awning roofs
6.6.5 Roof penetrations
6.6.6 Eaves linings, fascias and gables
6.6.7 Gutters and downpipes
6.7 Verandas, decks, steps, ramps and landings
6.7.1 General
6.7.2 Enclosed subfloor spaces of verandas, decks, steps, ramps and landings
6.7.2.1 Materials to enclose a subfloor space
6.7.2.2 Supports
6.7.2.3 Framing
6.7.2.4 Decking, stair treads and the trafficable surfaces of ramps and landings
6.7.3 Unenclosed subfloor spaces of verandas, decks, steps, ramps and landings
6.7.3.1 Supports
6.7.3.2 Framing
6.7.3.3 Decking, stair treads and the trafficable surfaces of ramps and landings
6.7.4 Balustrades, handrails or other barriers
6.8 Water and gas supply pipes
7 Construction for Bushfire Attack Level 29 (BAL—29)
7.1 General
7.2 Subfloor supports
7.3 Floors
7.3.1 Concrete slabs on ground
7.3.2 Elevated floors
7.3.2.1 Enclosed subfloor space
7.3.2.2 Unenclosed subfloor space
7.4 External walls
7.4.1 Walls
7.4.2 Joints
7.4.3 Vents and weepholes
7.5 External glazed elements and assemblies and external doors
7.5.1 Bushfire shutters
7.5.1A Screens for windows and doors
7.5.2 Windows
7.5.3 Doors—Side-hung external doors (including French doors, panel fold and bi‑fold doors)
7.5.4 Doors—Sliding doors
7.5.5 Doors—Vehicle access doors (garage doors)
7.6 Roofs (including veranda and attached carport roofs, penetrations, eaves, fascias, gables, gutters and downpipes)
7.6.1 General
7.6.2 Tiled roofs
7.6.3 Sheet roofs
7.6.4 Veranda, carport and awning roofs
7.6.5 Roof penetrations
7.6.6 Eaves linings, fascias and gables
7.6.7 Gutters and downpipes
7.7 Verandas, decks, steps, ramps and landings
7.7.1 General
7.7.2 Enclosed subfloor spaces of verandas, decks, steps, ramps and landings
7.7.2.1 Materials to enclose a subfloor space
7.7.2.2 Supports
7.7.2.3 Framing
7.7.2.4 Decking, stair treads and the trafficable surfaces of ramps and landings
7.7.3 Unenclosed subfloor spaces of verandas, decks, steps, ramps and landings
7.7.3.1 Supports
7.7.3.2 Framing
7.7.3.3 Decking, stair treads and the trafficable surfaces of ramps and landings
7.7.4 Balustrades, handrails or other barriers
7.8 Water and gas supply pipes
8 Construction for Bushfire Attack Level 40 (BAL—40)
8.1 General
8.2 Subfloor supports
8.3 Floors
8.3.1 Concrete slabs on ground
8.3.2 Elevated floors
8.3.2.1 Enclosed subfloor spaces
8.3.2.2 Unenclosed subfloor spaces
8.4 External walls
8.4.1 Walls
8.4.2 Joints
8.4.3 Vents and weepholes
8.5 External glazed elements and assemblies and external doors
8.5.1 Bushfire shutters
8.5.1A Screens for windows and doors
8.5.2 Windows
8.5.3 Doors—Side-hung external doors (including French doors, panel fold and bi‑fold doors)
8.5.4 Doors—Sliding doors
8.5.5 Doors—Vehicle access doors (garage doors)
8.6 Roofs (including veranda and attached carport roofs, penetrations, eaves, fascias, gables, gutters and downpipes)
8.6.1 General
8.6.2 Tiled roofs
8.6.3 Sheet roofs
8.6.4 Veranda, carport and awning roofs
8.6.5 Roof penetrations
8.6.6 Eaves linings, fascias and gables
8.6.7 Gutters and downpipes
8.7 Verandas, decks, steps, ramps and landings
8.7.1 General
8.7.2 Enclosed subfloor spaces of verandas, decks, steps, ramps and landings
8.7.2.1 Materials to enclose a subfloor space
8.7.2.2 Supports
8.7.2.3 Framing
8.7.2.4 Decking, stair treads and the trafficable surfaces of ramps and landings
8.7.3 Unenclosed subfloor spaces of verandas, decks, steps, ramps and landings
8.7.3.1 Supports
8.7.3.2 Framing
8.7.3.3 Decking, stair treads and the trafficable surfaces of ramps and landings
8.7.4 Balustrades, handrails or other barriers
8.8 Water and gas supply pipes
9 Construction for Bushfire Attack Level FZ (BAL—FZ)
9.1 General
9.2 Subfloor supports
9.3 Floors
9.3.1 Concrete slabs on ground
9.3.2 Elevated floors
9.3.2.1 Enclosed subfloor spaces
9.3.2.2 Unenclosed subfloor spaces
9.4 External walls
9.4.1 Walls
9.4.2 Joints
9.4.3 Vents and weepholes
9.5 External glazed elements and assemblies and external doors
9.5.1 Bushfire shutters
9.5.1A Screens for windows and doors
9.5.2 Windows
9.5.3 Doors—Side-hung external doors (including French doors, panel fold and bi‑fold doors)
9.5.4 Doors—Sliding doors
9.5.5 Doors—Vehicle access doors (garage doors)
9.6 Roofs (including veranda and attached carport roofs, penetrations, eaves, fascias, gables, gutters and downpipes)
9.6.1 General
9.6.2 Veranda, carport and awning roofs
9.6.3 Roof penetrations
9.6.4 Eaves linings, fascias and gables
9.6.5 Gutters and downpipes
9.7 Verandas, decks, steps, ramps and landings
9.7.1 General
9.7.2 Enclosed subfloor spaces of verandas, decks, steps, ramps and landings
9.7.2.1 Materials to enclose a subfloor space
9.7.2.2 Supports
9.7.2.3 Framing
9.7.2.4 Decking, stair treads and the trafficable surfaces of ramps and landings
9.7.3 Unenclosed subfloor spaces of verandas, decks, steps, ramps and landings
9.7.3.1 Supports
9.7.3.2 Framing
9.7.3.3 Decking, stair treads and the trafficable surfaces of ramps and landings
9.7.4 Balustrades, handrails or other barriers
9.8 Water and gas supply pipes
Appendix A
A1 General
A2 Worked example
Appendix B
B1 General
B2 Step 1—relevant FDI or wind speed
B3 Step 2—vegetation classification
B4 Step 3—effective slope under the classified vegetation
B5 Step 4—slope between site and classified vegetation
B6 Step 5—distance of the site from classified vegetation
B7 Step 6—flame length
B8 Step 7—flame width
B9 Step 8—elevation of receiver
B10 Step 9—radiant heat flux
B10.1 General
B10.2 Flame emissive power
B10.3 View factor
B10.4 Atmospheric transmissivity
B11 Step 10—determine the bushfire attack level
Appendix C
Appendix D
Appendix E
E1 General construction
E2 Windows and doors
Appendix F
F1 General
F2 Testing
F3 Accelerated weathering
F4 Bushfire-resisting species
Appendix G
G1 General
G2 1999 and 2009 editions of AS 3959
G3 Radiant heat thresholds of pain and ignition
G4 Bushfire Attack Levels (BALs) explained
Appendix H
Appendix I
I1 Scope
I2 Tiled roofs
I3 Sheet roof
Amendment control sheet
AS 3959—2009
Amendment No. 1 (2009)
Correction
Amendment No. 2 (2011)
Revised text
Amendment No. 3 (2011)
Revised text
Bibliography
Cited references in this standard
[Current]
Hot-dipped zinc-coated, aluminium/zinc-coated or aluminium/zinc/magnesium-coated steel sheet — 76 mm pitch corrugated
[Current]
Methods for fire tests on building materials, components and structures, Part 8.2: Tests on elements of construction for buildings exposed to simulated bushfire attack - Large flaming sources
[Current]
Methods for fire tests on building materials, components and structures, Part 8.1: Tests on elements of construction for buildings exposed to simulated bushfire attack - Radiant heat and small flaming sources
Content history
[Current]
[Available Superseded]
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