12/14/2015

SafetyMattersPerformanceBasedDesignusingComputerFireModels

ThirdQuarter|2010

FEATUREARTICLE

TheEvolutionofaBrand:
WhySchirmer
EngineeringbecameAon
FireProtection
Engineering
FIREPROTECTION

PerformanceBased
DesignUsingComputer
FireModels
CODE

FormalCode
InterpretationBenefits
KeyClient
RISK

Solutionsfora
CombustibleDustHazard
LIFESAFETY

TheLifeSafetyPlanAn
EffectiveandValuable
Tool
SECURITY

TheMissingLink:Howto
Developa
ComprehensiveSecurity
Program
HISTORICALEVENTS

McGillCopperMine

FIREPROTECTION

PerformanceBasedDesignUsingComputerFireModels
ByJosephH.Talbert,PE,ARM,SeniorConsultant,AonFireProtectionEngineering

PerformancebasedDesign(PBD),asdefinedbytheSocietyofFireProtection
Engineers(SFPE),isanengineeringapproachtofireprotectiondesignbased
on(1)establishedfiresafetygoalsandobjectives(2)deterministicand
probabilisticanalysisoffirescenariosand(3)quantitativeassessmentof
designalternativesagainstthefiresafetygoalsandobjectivesusingaccepted
engineeringtools,methodologiesandperformancecriteria.
PBDtechniquesusingfiremodelshavebeeninuseforabout30to40years.
Theearliestmodelsweredevelopedinthe1970s.ModernPBDtechniques
utilizepowerfulcomputerfiremodelsusingcomputationalfluiddynamics(CFD)
softwaretopredictfireeffectsovertime.Anothermodelthatmaybeusedisa
timedexitanalysis(TEA)suchasEXITT,whichpredictstheamountoftime
requiredforoccupantstoexitabuilding.Whenappliedtogether,aTEAandCFD
analysiscancloselypredicttheamounttimeneededforabuildingsoccupants
tosafelyevacuatebeforetheeffectsofafire(smokeandheat)makeanexit
routeuntenable.
Touseoneofthesemodels,thefireprotectionengineerdevelopsafiregrowth
scenariothatisrepresentativeofafirethatcouldlikelyoccurinafacility,based
onthetypeofoccupancy,thefireloadingandthebuildinggeometry.These
modelsthenpredictsuchvariablesastemperaturesatvariouslocationsinthe
building,fireplumes,quantityofhotgases,andtheheightofthesmokelayer
predictedtooccurinthefacilitybeingevaluated.Byusingthisinformation,the
fireprotectionengineercanspecifytheappropriatetypeoffiredetectionand
suppressionsystemstomitigatethepredictedfireeffects.
AonFPEconductedfireprotectionandlifesafetyanalysesoftheGrandCentral

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SafetyMattersPerformanceBasedDesignusingComputerFireModels

SmelterFire
INSIDEAONFPE

AroundTheWorld:
ExpansionintheMiddle
East
MeetTheTeam:
WhytheNameChange?
AnInterviewwithMark
Rochholz,COO
LatestNews:
Learnaboutrecent
happeningsatAonFire
ProtectionEngineering
includingrecent
achievementsand
communityinvolvement
UpcomingEvents:
Findoutaboutupcoming
conferencesandevents
weareplanningtoattend
Careers:
Viewacurrentlistingof
careeropeningsinour
variousoffices
PROJECTSPOTLIGHT

HolshouserHallatthe
UniversityofNorth
CarolinaatCharlotte

TerminalbuildingsinNewYork.Theuniqueandhistoricnatureofthebuildings
meanttherewerevariousareasofnoncompliance,includingtraveldistance,
exitcapacityandexitenclosures.Evaluationofthemeansofegressincludeda
timedexitanalysisusingtheEXITTcomputermodel.Computerfiregrowth
modelingwasusedtoanalyzetheimpactoffiresinboththeTrainShedandthe
TerminalBuilding.Modelswereusedtoidentifyemergencysmokeventilation
capacitiesrequiredtomaintainsafeegressand,inconjunctionwithtimed
exitinganalyses,demonstratedsafeegressofpassengers.Throughthe
applicationofaperformancebasedapproach,includingriskassessment,timed
egressanalysisandcomputerfiremodelinganalysis,ourfireprotection
engineersdevelopedalternatemethodsofcodecomplianceaffordingbuilding
occupantsaleveloffireandlifesafetyconsistentwiththeintentofthecodes
whilepreservingthehistoricfeaturesofthecomplex.
ThePBDanalysismayallowthedesignertodesignmoreeffectivesmoke
controlsystemsandmayenablethedesignertoallowunprotectedopenings
thatwouldnotnormallybeallowedbyacodebetweenfloorsofbuildings.
108N.StateStreet,Chicago,IL(Block37)isamixedusehighrisestructure
thatincludesafourlevelshoppingpodiumthatanchorsthedevelopmentofthe
highriseofficetowerandhighriseresidentialtower.Theprojectincludesanew
subterraneantrainstationandparkinggaragefacilitythatwillbeblendedintothe
retailpodium.Anumberofcomplexlifesafetyissueswereposedbythe
integrationofthetrainstationintothemixedusestructure.AonFPEledthe
developmentoffireprotectionandlifesafetyconceptsforthedevelopment.
NFPA130,StandardforFixedGuideway&PassengerRailSystems,was
utilizedtodeveloptheegressconceptandsmokeevacuationconceptsforthe
undergroundareas.ExtensiveComputationalFluidDynamics(CFD)modeling
wasperformedtoevaluateanddeveloparchitecturalandmechanicalfeatures
neededforemergencysmokeevacuationofthetrainstation.
Anotheruseoffiremodelsistopredicttheheattransfertostructuralmembers
ofabuilding.Thistypeofanalysiscanresultinreducedfireresistanceratings
forstructuralmembers,whichcanbeasignificantbenefitindesign.
AonFireProtectionEngineering(AonFPE)servedastheprojectfireprotection
consultantfortheUnitedTerminalNo.1facilityatO'HareInternationalAirportin
Chicago,Illinois.Thefacilityconsistsoftwoterminalbuildingsconnectedbyan
undergroundpedestriantunnelandanundergroundautomatedbaggagehandling
complex.Primaryconsiderationsincludedachievingcodecomplianceand
adequateexitingforlargenumbersofpeople,specifyingprotectionsystem
featuresfortheconcourseareasandbaggagehandlingoperations,and
developingsolutionstoallowthesafeuseofanexposedstructuralsteelsystem
desiredbythearchitects.

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SafetyMattersPerformanceBasedDesignusingComputerFireModels

ThestringentChicagoBuildingCodeheightandarealimitationsrequiredthatthe
terminalbuildingsbeof3hourfireresistiveconstruction.Theproposeddesign
calledfortheuseofanarchitecturallyexposedstructuralsteelsystem.To
achievetheuseofthisproposedstructuralsystem,AonFPEpreparedan
extensiveanalysisandreportsubstantiatingtheuseofexposedstructuralsteel
forportionsofthebuilding.ThereportledtochangesintheCityofChicago
BuildingCodewhichallowedtheconstructionoftheUnitedAirlinesterminal,as
wellasotherstructuresplanningtouseexposedstructuralsteelsystemsin
Chicago.
TheoverallbenefitofaPBDapproachisthatitgivesthedesignera
methodologytojustifyabuildingdesignthatdoesnotmeetprescriptivecode
provisions,butthatenhancesthebuildingsfunctionalityandbeautywhilealso
enhancingtheoverallleveloffirelifesafetyprovidedtotheoccupants.
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SafetyMattersPerformanceBasedDesignusingComputerFireModels

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