Thermal performance trials on the habitability of private bushfire shelters: part 1

Taylor, Nigel A.S.; Haberley, Benjamin J; Hoyle, David J. R.

doi:10.1007/s00484-014-0911-8

Cited by 3 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 23 publications

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“…In real life, however, 'several minutes' is not long enough. An interesting finding was that the survival of a single occupant in a reflective tent is limited by rises in mean body temperature, whilst multiple occupants can survive slightly higher intensities, with the limiting factor being an excessive rise in air temperature (Taylor et al, 2015). The reflective quality of the fabric could, therefore, be useful for producing safe refugee shelters in hot climates.…”

Section: It-based Simulation For Optimising and Predicting Thermal Pementioning

confidence: 99%

The potential for computational IT tools in disaster relief and shelter design

Kuchai

Shepherd

Calabria-Holley

et al. 2020

Int J Humanitarian Action

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The expanding use of IT has brought an increase in productivity to the world of business, industry and commerce. However, this is not mirrored by an equivalent growth in the use of IT by aid agencies in post-disaster situations. We report a pioneering two-stage study which tested the appetite for the increased use of computational IT tools in this sector, assessed their level of usefulness and whether they can be practically implemented. Thirty aid workers across nineteen countries were surveyed on their use of IT and computational tools in shelter design and provision. The key finding was that none of the participants used any building simulation tools or software packages in any of the design stages of shelter construction. Using this result, two example tools were created-one assessing daylighting and the other environmental impact. A second survey involving 48 aid workers was then carried out to record their experience of using the new tools and 97% of the participants identified a need for such shelter design tools. The majority felt that the new tools were useful and that they would like to use similar tools in their work, most of them preferring tools in the form of web applications. It is concluded that humanitarian workers in the shelter sector are very willing to adopt IT-based computational tools in their work and would appreciate doing so, but only if they have access to suitably simple tools which are quick to use and easy to learn.

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Section: It-based Simulation For Optimising and Predicting Thermal Pementioning

confidence: 99%

The potential for computational IT tools in disaster relief and shelter design

Kuchai

Shepherd

Calabria-Holley

et al. 2020

Int J Humanitarian Action

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

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Thermal performance trials on the habitability of private bushfire shelters: part 2

Taylor

Haberley

2014

Int J Biometeorol

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In the preceding communication, an investigation was described in which the thermal specifications for the design of private bushfire shelters were evaluated. Since those trials were undertaken with the thermal characteristics of the air clamped, survival uncertainty persisted if the internal ambient conditions were progressively changing, as would occur within an air-tight shelter. Therefore, two further investigations were performed. In the first, changes in the physical properties of air within an air-tight shelter simulator (1.2 m(3)), initially equilibrated to 43.7 °C and 42.3 % relative humidity, were studied when pre-heated, well-hydrated males were sealed inside (N = 16; 60 min; experimental series 2). Air temperature and humidity moved sigmoidally to 40.5 °C (standard deviation (SD), 0.5) and 90.1 % (SD, 2.1). Oxygen and carbon dioxide fractional concentrations changed reciprocally, with respective terminal averages of 16.7 % (SD, 0.8) and 3.94 % (SD, 0.72). Deep-body temperature rose beyond the tenth minute to a terminal mean of 39.3 °C (SD, 0.2). In the third experimental series, these air temperature and humidity changes were reproduced in trials commencing at two different thermal states (40 °C and 70 % relative humidity; 45 °C and 50 % relative humidity). Sixteen pre-heated and slightly dehydrated men and women were investigated. In neither condition did the auditory canal temperature of any individual change by more than 2 °C or exceed 40 °C. It may be concluded, within the limits of these experiments, that the recommended thermal and dimensional specifications for bushfire shelters can provide tenable conditions for healthy, young adults.

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Heat Transfer Analysis of Full-Scale Safe Rooms Exposed to Bushfire Conditions

Hendawitharana,

Ariyanayagam,

Mahendran

2023

Fire Technol

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Sheltering in place is identified as an accepted behaviour during disasters while safe rooms are purpose-built buildings used for sheltering or storage of valuables under these circumstances. However, ensuring the integrity of safe rooms in bushfires is complex and challenging due to many factors. This study aims to advance the understanding of the bushfire fire heat transfer in steel framed bushfire safe rooms using a numerical modelling approach. Both small-scale models of individual external walls and full-scale models of safe rooms were developed and validated using the results of an experimental study of a full-scale safe room. Then the study was extended to address the identified challenges in the design of safe rooms influenced by the factors such as, the fire exposed area, internal compartment arrangement, location of the safe room in the bushfire-prone areas, and the external environmental temperatures during summer on the tenability requirements. The results of this study provide considerable details of the performance of above-ground bushfire safe rooms detached from the associated dwelling under realistic fire conditions. They showed that the integrity of the doors is very important and that having multiple internal compartments is favourable for the bushfire performance of safe rooms. This study shows that safe rooms can be constructed using available building materials to satisfy the bushfire heat transfer requirements and provides conditions for their usage. Furthermore, the modelling methods emphasise their applicability to evaluate safe rooms and modular buildings in bushfire and building fire related scenarios.

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Thermal performance trials on the habitability of private bushfire shelters: part 1

Cited by 3 publications

References 23 publications

The potential for computational IT tools in disaster relief and shelter design

The potential for computational IT tools in disaster relief and shelter design

Thermal performance trials on the habitability of private bushfire shelters: part 2

Heat Transfer Analysis of Full-Scale Safe Rooms Exposed to Bushfire Conditions

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