Fire and Life Safety Simulations

In a fire calamity in any enclosed space, maximum casualties happen due to suffocation from smoke. Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) is used for simulating the propagation of smoke, initiated by a fire source. These simulations can provide critical information for building engineers to ensure fire safety by visualizing visibility and temperature at any time instance and at any location.

Fire & Smoke Simulations

Our experts help you by designing or by revalidating the design with proper safety of occupants and compliance with the Govt. regulations. Our “Fire and Life Safety Simulations” offering helps architects & engineers to simulate fire and smoke propagation to design smoke management systems for buildings, subways and other facilities.

Atrium Ventilation: When a fire breaks out, a large amount of smoke is generated at high temperatures leading to poor visibility and difficulty in evacuation. Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) helps in studying the effect of parameters like fire intensity, materials catching fire, height of ceiling etc.
Tunnel Ventilation: Fire safety design is important for all types of tunnel geometries and ventilation systems like transverse, longitudinal and hybrid. Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) shall be used for straight tunnels larger than half a kilometer, it becomes even more critical for a curved tunnel where the airflow behavior is complicated.
Basement Ventilation: In a building, basement is most prone to casualties in case of an accidental fire. Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) helps in designing smoke ventilation.

Fire Evacuation Modeling

The primary goal of fire safety design is to ensure safe occupant evacuation during a fire. While prescriptive regulations may suffice for small buildings, they often fall short for large, complex structures like shopping centers, atriums, airports, and hospitals.

Evacuation modeling predicts the time required for all occupants to exit the fire zone, considering variables such as occupant numbers, health conditions, fire size, alarm systems, social interactions, and visibility within smoke-filled environments. Jensen Hughes employs advanced evacuation modeling programs to understand and address building performance challenges during fires.

Sparrow RMS has extensive experience in fire safety services and Evacuation modeling of buildings and other structures.

ASET / RSET Analysis

ASET (Available Safe Egress Time)

It is the amount of time available for safe evacuation of occupants from an occupied enclosure in case of a fire. It is calculated by simulating a fire scenario (fire & smoke simulation) and evaluating the time available to the occupants for safely evacuating the fire affected premises before the conditions become untenable in terms of temperature, visibility and carbon monoxide.

Sample tenability criteria for determining ASET might be:

Visibility must remain above 10 m
The temperature must remain below 60° C.
CO concentration must be less than 125 ppm for any exposure period of up to 30 minutes.

RSET (Required Safe Egress Time)

The Required Safe Egress Time (RSET) can be defined as the time from the ignition of fire until the time the last occupant reaches a place of safety. RSET is a function of four time-based values, which consists of detection time, Alarm time, Pre movement time & Travel time. The RSET has been determined through Tools like the Fire Dynamics Simulator (FDS) and its evacuation module (FDS+Evac) are commonly used for such analyses. In the context of an ASET/RSET analysis, An Evacuation analysis is acceptable if the ASET is greater than the RSET, after applying an appropriate safety factor. In simple words, the ASET should be greater than or equal to 1.5 times the RSET.

Performance Based Design

Performance-based design achieves fire safety through scientific calculations and engineering principles, determining a building’s response to fire rather than relying solely on prescriptive codes. A design is acceptable if calculations demonstrate compliance with established performance criteria, typically ensuring occupant safety from smoke and heat and preventing structural collapse.

This approach has gained mainstream acceptance, with codes like the Life Safety Code incorporating performance-based options. The International Code Council has also published the International Performance Code, a performance-based building code. Firms utilize Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) modeling to simulate fluid flow and heat transfer, providing insights into fire behavior under various conditions.

We at Sparrow RMS provide critical simulation support engineers doing performance-based safety design.

Process – Sequence

Data Collection

We begin by gathering relevant data about the building's layout, occupancy, ventilation systems, exit locations, and potential fire scenarios.

Modellings Techniques

Our experts utilize advanced smoke and evacuation modelling software to simulate the movement of smoke and the behavior of occupants during emergencies.

Smoke Propagation Prediction

Using input data, we predict how smoke will spread throughout the building, considering factors such as ventilation, fire source, and building geometry.

Evacuation Scenario Analysis

By simulating various evacuation scenarios, we analyze occupant behavior, identify potential bottlenecks, and optimize evacuation routes.

Recommendations

Based on our analysis, we provide recommendations for improving building design, enhancing evacuation plans, and implementing smoke management strategies.

Benefits

Effective Evacuation: Smoke Evacuation Modelling Optimized evacuation plans ensure the safe and timely egress of building occupants.
Smoke Management: Understanding smoke movement aids in designing efficient smoke control systems.
Risk Reduction: Identifying potential bottlenecks and hazards minimizes the risks during emergencies.
Compliance: Smoke Evacuation Modelling services help you meet regulatory requirements for building safety and evacuation procedures.

Standards & Regulation

Our Smoke Evacuation Modelling services adhere to internationally recognized standards and regulations to ensure the highest level of safety and compliance:

Indian Standards (IS)/ National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) codes and standards

American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) standards for ventilation

International Building Code (IBC) guidelines for building egress and occupant safety

Local fire safety regulations and building codes