Pepperdine University Enhanced Parking and Storage Structure, Malibu
California
Date: 2022, 2024
Fire safety and movement accommodation were critical for this parking structure’s design. The challenge centered on a wall-to-wall expansion joint spanning 8 inches between a 30-inch concrete column and a filled CMU wall, with ±50% movement capability.
Using Emshield WFR2, the team delivered a 2-hour fire rating, backed by an engineering judgment supported with UL 2079 test data and modeled with finite element analysis (FEA). The FEA confirmed backside foam temperatures remained around 50 °C (122 °F) after two hours, well within the safe margin of 150 °C (302 °F).
This expansion joint solution achieves both structural flexibility and uncompromised fire protection for Pepperdine’s athletic facility.
