Fire Safety Simulation
Fire Safety Simulation
Fire Safety Simulation
1. Introduction
2. Scope
The main scope of this simulation report is to supply valid analyses and
support for the evacuation strategy to allow occupants, anywhere
within the structure, to be able to evacuate to a place of safety.
3. Key terms
Accessibility
The accessibility of an item or a product related to a specific risk
concerns the degree of proximity of the user to the item or product,
where the risk can occur. Depending on the particular risk, this
concept may concern a person or only a part of his/her body (e.g.
hand, finger) or even a thing handled by a person, and applies to the
possibility of contact (shocks, hot surfaces etc.) or critical distances
(electrical shocks, radiation, etc.).
Actions
Actions which may affect the compliance of the works with the
essential requirements are brought about by agents acting on the
works or parts of the works. Such agents include mechanical,
chemical, biological, thermal and electro-magnetic agents.
Active fire protection measures
Systems and equipment installed to reduce danger to persons and
property by detecting fire, extinguishing fire, removing smoke and hot
gases, or any combination of these functions.
Alarm
Sudden attention or action for protection of persons or property (ISO
8201, 1987)
Emergency
Imminent risk of serious threat to person or property.
Escape route
Route forming part of the means of escape from any point in a building
to a final exit .
Escape time
Calculated time from the ignition until the time at which all the
occupants of a specified part of a building are able to reach place of
safety.
Evacuation time
In relation to the orderly movement of persons to a place of safety in
case of fire or other emergency this is the interval between the time of
a warning of fire being transmitted to the occupants and the time at
which all of the occupants are able to reach a place of safety.
Fire
A proccess of combustion characterized by emission of heat
accompanied by smoke and/or flames
Fire compartment
An enclosed space in a building that is separated from other parts of
the same building by enclosing construction having a specified period
of fire resistance, within which a fire can be contained (or from which a
fire can be excluded), without spreading to (or from) another part of
the building.
Fire detector
Device which give a signal in response to certain physical and /or
chemical changes accompanying a fire.
Fire door
A door or shutter, which, together with its frame and furniture as
installed in a building, when closed is capable of meeting specified
performance criteria.
Fire exposure
Thermal actions affecting the product.
Fire hazard
The potential to lose a life (or injury) and / or damage a property by
fire.
Fire resistance
The ability of an element of a building construction to fulfil for a stated
period of time the required load bearing function, integrity and / or
thermal insulation specified in the standard fire resistance test.
Fire risk level
A function relating to the probability of fire causing a loss of life (or
injury) and / or damage the property and the degree of harm caused.
Fire scenario
A qualitative description of the course of a fire with time, identifying key
events that characterise the fire and differentiate it from other possible
fires. It typically defines the ignition and fire growth process, the fully
developed stage and the decay stage, together with the building
environment and systems that will impact on the course of the fire.
Hazard analysis
Analysis carried out in order to evaluate the potential for loss of fire or
injury and / or damage to the property.
Ignition
Initiation of combustion.
Movement time
The interval between the time the occupants make the first move and
the time at which all of them are able to reach a place of safety.
Place of safety
A predetermined place in which persons are in no immediate danger
from the effect of fire. Note: The place of safety may be inside or
outside the building depending upon the evacuation strategy
Pre-movement time (Delay time to start)
Perception of the alarm + alarm interpretation + actions
Time interval between the warning of fire being given (by an alarm or
by direct sight of smoke or fire) and the first move being made towards
an exit.
Required safety egress time (RSET)
Calculated time required between ignition to detection and the time
at which the evacuation is completed.
Smoke
A visible suspension of solid and /or liquid particles in gases resulting
from combustion.
Tenability criteria
Maximum exposure to hazards from a fire that can be tolerated
without causing incapacitation.
Travel distance
Actual distance that needs to be travelled by a person from any point
within a building to the nearest exit, having regard to the layout of
walls, partitions and fittings.
Travel time
Time needed once movement as begun, for all of the occupants of a
specified part of a building to move to a place of safety.
Type of occupancy
Subdivision of occupancies as a function of the age, awareness and
mobility of the occupants, the type of fire load, and kind of activity of
occupancy.
Smoke obscuration
Soot contained in smoke also obscures light and hence reduces
visibility. Reduction in visibility is not directly life threatening such as heat
or toxic gas exposure; however, it may reduce the walking speed of
the occupants.
Combustion gases in the smoke may also cause irritation
to the eyes.
These include acid gases (HF, HCl, HBr, SO2, NOx)
and organic irritant
gases (acrolein, formaldehyde, crotonaldehyde). Their effects have a
similar effect to reduced visibility.
Design approaches
No smoke exposure
The first approach is to ensure that the occupants are not directly
exposed to smoke — by keeping the smoke layer above the head
height of the occupants. This height may be assumed to be 2.0m
above the floor level.
Smoke exposure
In the second approach, it is assumed in the design that some of the
occupants may need to move through tenable smoke environments to
evacuate the building.
Radiant heat
Even without direct contact with the hot smoke, skin pain or burns
could still occur when exposed to high levels of radiant heat from
the fire or the smoke.