At what temperature can a Class B bulkhead effectively withstand fire conditions?

A Class B bulkhead is designed to provide a degree of fire protection and is typically constructed to withstand certain temperatures for a specific duration during a fire scenario. The temperature stated in the answer choice of 225C (437F) is within the acceptable range for Class B bulkheads to effectively perform their role in containing fire and smoke, thereby providing a barrier to prevent the spread of flames between different compartments of a vessel.

It's important to recognize that the design and testing standards for bulkheads set by regulatory authorities specify certain temporal temperature limits. A Class B bulkhead must be capable of enduring conditions at or below this identified temperature to maintain its structural integrity and fire-resistive properties throughout a fire event.

While higher temperature ratings might seem beneficial, for Class B Construction, the critical criterion is to maintain the integrity below those limits, and therefore, 225C is the appropriate threshold to ensure effective performance in real-life fire scenarios, balancing both safety and structural capability.