Compartmentation only works if any imperfections in the building or breaches to walls or floors e.g. by services are adequately sealed. Such a process is generically known as fire-stopping and different types are required throughout buildings in a variety of locations including:

Penetration seals

Where services pass through fire separating elements and/or compartment walls or floors

Linear Joint Seals

Between fire resisting elements of building construction e.g. the junction between a wall and a ceiling

Small cavity barriers

At imperfections in the building process e.g. at the junctions of walls/floors with cladding, between separating walls and a roof, over and between leaves of masonry walls etc.

Large cavity barriers

E.g. to subdivide large roof spaces, under floor voids etc.

Open state cavity barriers

Between elements of a building and e.g. rain screen cladding where the cavity barrier is open in the cold state to allow for the free movement of air for ventilation. In a fire situation, the cavity barrier closes preventing the spread of fire.