Façade Fires in High-Rise Buildings: Challenges and Artificial Intelligence Solutions

Abstract

In recent decades, there has been an increased demand for tall buildings to meet the needs of modern urbanization. However, the construction challenges and greater fuel loads involved have resulted in frequent fire incidents, causing significant losses in terms of life and property. This has led engineers and researchers around the world to develop safety measures. Therefore, it is essential to comprehend the physics behind fire and smoke propagation in high-rise buildings and take steps to prevent their future occurrence. This also greatly aids in achieving sustainable development goals (SDGs) of the Paris Agreement, specifically goal 11, i.e., make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable. This chapter presents an overview of characteristics for understanding high-rise building fires with a particular focus on façades. It has been further divided into different sections. First, basic terminology of façades and fire growth curve is discussed followed by design fire scenarios. Next, characteristics and mechanisms of façade fires are explained. Finally, the solution to adopt artificial intelligence (AI)/deep learning technologies for early warning and fire risk assessment is introduced. AI can be used to simulate fire scenarios, helping architects and engineers design efficient fire safety systems.