Deaths due to toxic fumes produced during a building fire account for over 50 per cent of all fire deaths. This has given rise to the need for more detailed studies of smoke movement, particularly in health buildings. The development of computer techniques has provided methods to model various smoke control systems and test their effectiveness for any given fire condition. This paper describes the validation of the computer program developed by Oscar Faber and Partners for predicting the spread of smoke through buildings. The predicted smoke spread is discussed in relation to the known smoke spread following a fire in a large hospital complex.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
1. Chandler, S. E., Some trends in hospital fire statistics, BRE CP 67/78 (1978).
2.
2. Shannon, J. M. A., The computer analysis of the movement and control of smoke in buildings with mechanical and natural ventilation, CIB Symposium, Fire Research Station (Nov. 1975).
3.
3. Irving, S. J., The computer simulation of smoke movement during building fires, Fire Prevention Science and Technology No. 22, 3–8 (Dec. 1979).
4.
4. The Assessment of Wind Loads, BRE Digest119 (1970).
5.
5. BS5925 Code of Practice, Design of buildings: ventilation principles and designing for natural ventilation (1980).
6.
6. Torrance, V. B., Wind profiles over a suburban site and wind effects on a half full-scale model building, Build. Sci., 2, 1–12 (1972).
7.
7. Davenport, A. G., The relationship of wind structure to wind loadings, NPL Symposium No. 16, Wind effects on buildings and structures, 17, June 1963, HMSO (1965).
8.
8. CIBS Guide Section A9, Estimation of plant capacity (1979).
9.
9. BS5588 Part 4, Smoke control in protected escape routes using pressurisation (1978).
10.
10. Ames, S. A. and Fardell, P. J., A study of the flammability of bulk solids and their smoke production in fires in a small compartment, BRE CP3/80 (1980).
11.
11. Wood, P. G., The behaviour of people in fires, Fire Research Note No. 953, FRS (1972).
