Compartmentation breaches

BuOrd man Hewlett and Anderson (1962), p. 168, cite a visit by Deke Parsons to the Navy Yard as the origin of this contact. Abelson remembers no such visit. The official AEC historians apparently found the Parsons version in JRO s memorandum to LRG. Groves was concerned after the war to discredit a Szilard recounting of this story similar to Abelson s version. Abelson remembers quite clearly that he initiated the contact asked if he deliberately breached compartmentalization, he answers, I sure as hell did Telephone interview, Oct. 16, 1984. 

Breach fire compartmentation walls, ceiling and floors and service risers >- Create voids between floors and service risers... 

Compartmentation is vital for the safety of the building and its occupants. However, a building, whioh has compartment walls and floors with no openings, has very limited use. There are always occasions when a compartmentation wall or floor must be breached in order for occupants to move around and the building to befitted with services. It is when these necessary breaches are made in compartmentation that it is absolutely vital that the compartmentation maintains its integrity against fire spread. 

In many cases services and the holes in compartments are stopped with cement mortar or other noncombustible material. However, proprietary fire stopping and sealing systems are now widely available and are often used to seal the area around a breach in the compartmentation. These proprietary systems, such as intumescent pillows, offer a relatively inexpensive and flexible method to control fire spread. Other common fire stopping materials include ... 

Control of building works Establish and manage a system whereby any work conducted by in-house staff or contractors does not > Negate the means of escape during the course of the building works > Result in breaches of the fire compartmentation At all relevant times... 

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