Performance Based Design

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Prescriptive solutions often encounter limitations, particularly in complex scenarios such as high or steeply sloped roofs over storage racks. For instance, NFPA 13 does not offer guidance on installing sprinklers over storage areas with roofs exceeding a 2:12 pitch, common in regions prone to heavy snowfall. In such cases, Performance-Based Designs provide an alternative approach by offering equivalent protection through standards like those established by FM Global. The SFPE Handbook provides supplementary documentation to support fire protection analyses in these situations.

A Performance-Based Design approach involves utilizing FM published guidelines derived from extensive full-scale tests tailored to similar hazards. This method ensures that suitable fire protection measures can be implemented, specifically tailored to the unique characteristics of the hazard at hand.