Enclosure Fire with Time-Dependent Changes in Ventilation Factor and Geometry—Field Model Parameters Analysis

Abstract

The fire scenarios currently used for structural fire design are based on traditional methods that derive from the extrapolation of existing fire test data. The traditional “furnace” geometry test allows a good circulation of the fire gases and a relatively homogeneous temperature distribution throughout the enclosure. These conditions are different from what is observed in real-situation fires. As a result, the need for a field model for an enclosure fire has increased significantly, and appropriate deterministic models are necessary for fire safety engineering. The effects of different strategies involving the opening of doors and windows with changes in the enclosure’s geometry were observed to gain an insight into the impact of how ventilation and geometry influence changes during the development of a fire. This article presents and discusses the results of the field model compared with similar tests and experiments described in the technical and scientific literature. Generating data using a field model reduces experimental costs and facilitates sensitivity analyses of the parameters of problems.