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Canadian Consulting Engineer, 40, May 3, p. 72, 1999-05-01
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Industrial model : the FIERAsystem is a new tool to predict the fire-safety performance of light industrial buildings such as warehouses and hangars
Hadjisophocleous, G. V.
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Industrial model : the FIERAsystem is a new
tool to predict the fire-safety performance of
light industrial buildings such as warehouses
and hangars
Hadjisophocleous, G.V.
A version of this paper is published in / Une version de ce document se trouve dans : Canadian Consulting Engineer, v. 40, no. 3, May 1999, p. 72
www.nrc.ca/irc/ircpubs
MODELLING Industrial design
The FIERAsystem is a new tool to predict the fire-safety performance of light industrial buildings such as warehouses and hangars.
.
By George Hadjisophocleous, Ph.D., P.Eng.
---The National Research Council's Institute for Research in Construction (IRC) has developed a new fire protection model that promises to play an important role in the design of fire protection systems in light industrial buildings.
The model, called FIERAsystem, was developed by researchers in IRC's Fire Risk Management Program in collaboration with partners such as the Department of National Defence. The impetus came from the evolution occurring in Canada and other countries from prescriptive-based building codes to performance- or objective-based codes. This new type of code created the need for new design tools that can demonstrate compliance.
With an emphasis initially on warehouses and aircraft hangars, the FIERAsystem is intended to assist engineers and building officials in evaluating whether a selected building design meets established objectives for life safety and property protection.
FIERAsystem complements the capabilities of FiRECAM, a computer fire-risk cost assessment model developed for apartment and office buildings. In developing FIERAsystem, researchers recognized early that substantial differences existed between those residential types of buildings and light industrial buildings, hence the need for the new model.
While life safety remains a vital concern in light industrial buildings, the protection of property and need to continue operations become extremely important. Many more fire scenarios can occur in industrial buildings because of the available fuel. Occupant response and evacuation may take a less prominent role, while environmental impact and fire spread to adjacent buildings become more important. In addition, because
light industrial buildings are each a unique situation depending on the building
geometry, the processes and materials that they contain, we have to rely much more on
experiments and sophisticated computer models rather than on statistical information to evaluate the reliability and effectiveness of detection and suppression systems.
In the next stage of their work, researchers will expand FIERAsystem's
capabilities by increasing the fire scenarios it can handle, and by improving its ability to model the unique aspects of other industrial plants, arenas and shopping malls.
How FIERAsystem Works
In using the new computer model, designers set fire safety objectives, describe the building, its components and contents, select various fire scenarios, and evaluate each scenario's impact on life safety, property protection and business interruption. They compare the calculations with established objectives to ensure design options are adequate. If necessary they can then make design changes and re-run the models. FIERAsystem models deal with fire growth and spread, smoke movement, structural behaviour in response to fire attack, and occupant response and evacuation. To define the project, FIERAsystem guides the user through a series of six steps.
Initially, the user defines Building Characteristics, such as building compartments and their boundaries; construction type; ventilation openings; compartment contents; fuel types present; and the proximity and exterior surface ignition characteristics of nearby property.
He or she then describes the Occupant Characteristics, which affect people's abilities to receive and interpret fire cues and warnings, and to evacuate. These factors include number of occupants; their ages, locations and physical disabilities; the presence of groups of people; whether occupants are trained in fire extinguishment; and whether occupants are required to try to suppress the fire.
The user then identifies Fire Safety Objectives and Appropriate Performance Criteria. These are based on the building's characteristics and functions, as well as the owner's fire safety expectations. They may deal with one aspect of the fire problem (for example, preventing flashover for a given time) or the whole building system. Covered under the objectives are things such as: fire ignition and development; fire and smoke spread; life safety; firefighting operations; structural stability; property protection; continuity of operations; and environmental protection.
The framework also allows the user to choose from a variety of Potential Fire Scenarios, including: solid fuel fires in a small compartment; liquid pool fires in open or enclosed spaces; storage rack fires; and generic fires represented by t2 Heat Release Rate (HRR) curves.
The owner then selects Fire Protection Options, including passive, automatic and manual systems. The model evaluates the impact of the following systems on fire
development, fire and smoke spread, and occupant response and evacuation: fire resistance ratings of building elements; exit routes; refuge areas; automatic suppression systems; fire detection systems; smoke control and alarm systems; fire hydrants, hoses, extinguishers and pull-bars; and occupant training.
In the final step, the user selects Calculation Options to determine the type of analysis and the submodels required for the evaluation. These submodels can be used independently to evaluate individual design components such as activation time of heat detectors or sprinklers, time to flashover and time of failure of construction elements. Or
they can be used in conjunction with other submodels to perform a complete hazard or risk analysis.
The individual submodels included in FIERAsystem concern ignition potential; fire development; smoke production and movement; fire detection; structural and barrier failure; suppression effectiveness; fire department response and effectiveness; occupant response and effectiveness; life hazard, property loss and economics; water requirements; and radiation to adjacent buildings.
The overall results for each fire scenario are the expected deaths, property losses and number of days that business will be interrupted due to a fire. These results are then compared to established objectives and criteria to determine if the design options are adequate.
Enhancements will continue as FIERAsystem proceeds through testing. Subsequent versions of the program, for example, will likely include additional fire scenarios, further improving its usefulness to building engineers and designers.
<I>For more information on participating in or contributing to the FIERAsystem project, please contact Dr. George Hadjisophocleous at the Institute for Research in Construction. Tel: 613-993-4757; fax: 613-954-0483; e-mail: george.hadjisophocleous@nrc.ca.