The Malveira fire test: Full-scale demonstration of fire modes in open-plan compartments

Hidalgo, Juan P.; Goode, Tristan; Gupta, Vinny; Cowlard, Adam; Abecassis-Empis, Cecilia; MacLean, Justine; Bartlett, Alastair I.; Maluk, Cristián; Montalvá, J. M.; Osorio, Andrés F.; Torero, José L.

doi:10.1016/j.firesaf.2019.102827

Cited by 54 publications

(59 citation statements)

References 21 publications

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“…Experiments in large enclosures showed that the fire dynamics are defined by the velocity of a propagating flame front (𝑉 " ), and the velocity of a propagating burnout front (𝑉 $% ) [5]. Based on the relationship between the flame front and burnout front (𝑉 " /𝑉 $% ), three fire spread modes were identified [6]:…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mechanisms of flame spread and burnout in large enclosure fires

Gupta

Osorio

Torero

et al. 2021

Proceedings of the Combustion Institute

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Knowledge of the first principles defining fire behaviour in large enclosures remains limited despite their common use in modern tall buildings. The evolution of a fire in large enclosures can be defined by the relationship between the flame front and burnout velocities (𝑉 " /𝑉 $% ). The mechanisms governing flame spread and burnout are investigated using four full-scale enclosure fire experiments with high porosity wood cribs with similar enclosure geometries. Flame and burnout fronts position and velocity are estimated using video data. Velocities are affected by the heat feedback from the enclosure and smoke layer to the fuel. The spread velocity shows two regimes, a critical heat flux below which there is no spread (𝑞̇( ,*+,-.. ) and a heat flux that defines the onset of very rapid flame spread (𝑞̇+ (,*+,-.. ). A phenomenological model is developed to help identify the underlying mechanisms controlling the transition between the different spread modes. Both the model and data show that 𝑞̇( ,*+,-.. is controlled by the fuel's surface temperature ahead of the flame front, and that 𝑞̇( ,*+,-.. reduces as the surface temperature approximates steady state. The magnitude of 𝑞̇+ (,*+,-.. is constant and is mainly delivered by the flame heat flux. The dependence of the burnout front velocity to the external radiation is found to be weak. NomenclatureA area b stick thickness C crib burning constant hT total heat transfer coefficient Lv latent heat of vaporisation 𝑚 . mass per unit length 𝑚̇0 .. burning rate per unit area 𝑚̇1 .. free burning rate per unit area 𝑚̇+ .. radiation enhanced burning rate per unit area 𝑞2 ..

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mechanisms of flame spread and burnout in large enclosure fires

Gupta

Osorio

Torero

et al. 2021

Proceedings of the Combustion Institute

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“…These modes are differentiated by their characteristic relationship between the spread velocity of the fire front and the spread velocity of the burnout front. These fire spread modes were experimentally demonstrated in the Malveira Fire Test [8], producing different levels of characteristic thermal behaviour for each mode. It was postulated that each fire spread mode and the transitions between the modes are determined by the spatial distribution of energy in the compartment.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ventilation effects on the thermal characteristics of fire spread modes in open-plan compartment fires

Gupta

Hidalgo

Cowlard³

et al. 2021

Fire Safety Journal

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Our understanding of fire behaviour and heating conditions for load-bearing structural elements was developed from an immense body of research in small under-ventilated compartment fires. Within the context of contemporary architecture, large open-plan compartments are commonplace, yet understanding of the first principles that define fire behaviour in such enclosures remains limited. Past experiments have revealed that fires in open-plan compartments exhibit three distinct fire spread modes: a fully-developed fire, a growing fire, and a travelling fire. This paper studies the thermal characteristics arising from these fire spread modes and the effects of the ventilation imposed. An experimental analysis of the energy distribution and spatial heating is conducted on a series of large-scale compartment fire tests, with the fire spread mode and ventilation conditions systematically varied. Each fire spread mode is shown to induce significant and characteristic spatial heat distributions. Moreover, the analysis of the ventilation modes shows equivalent thermal loads imposed on the structure in cases where the opening areas are large, and plume flows are dominant despite lower gas temperatures and irradiation. Thus, fires in open-plan compartments pose unique and possibly more severe thermal loading to structural systems, a characteristic not captured by current design fire methodologies.

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“…Travelling fires have been observed in several structural failures especially from 2000: the World Trade Center Towers [3] in New York City in 2001, the Windsor Tower [4] in Madrid in 2005, and the Faculty of TU Delft Architecture building [5] in Netherlands in 2008. The recent years have seen growing interest in investigating travelling fires which underlined the inadequacy of uniform heating in large compartments [6][7][8][9][10][11]. Further research effort is still…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Experimental and Numerical Investigations on Steel Columns Compartment Subjected to Travelling Fires

Nadjai¹,

Alam

Charlier

et al. 2021

ce papers

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In the frame of the European RFCS TRAFIR project, three large compartment fire tests involving steel structure were conducted by Ulster University, aiming at understanding in which conditions a travelling fire develops, as well as how it behaves and impacts the surrounding structure. During the experimental programme, the path and geometry of the travelling fire was studied and temperatures, heat fluxes and spread rates were measured. Influence of the travelling fire on the structural elements was also monitored during the travelling fire tests. This paper provides details related to the influence of travelling fires on structural steel columns. The experimental data is presented in terms of the gas temperatures recorded in the test compartment near the column, as well as the temperatures recorded in the steel column at different levels. The scope of the experimental work is extended using CFD simulations with FDS software, which demonstrate with good agreement with measurements in the steel column exposed to travelling fires.

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The Malveira fire test: Full-scale demonstration of fire modes in open-plan compartments

Cited by 54 publications

References 21 publications

Mechanisms of flame spread and burnout in large enclosure fires

Mechanisms of flame spread and burnout in large enclosure fires

Ventilation effects on the thermal characteristics of fire spread modes in open-plan compartment fires

Experimental and Numerical Investigations on Steel Columns Compartment Subjected to Travelling Fires

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