(Experimental) Performance of Water Mist a nd other systems Presented by Dr Eric W. Marchant, Edinburgh Fire Consultant

1. (Experimental) Performance of Water Mist and other systems Presented by Dr Eric W. Marchant, Edinburgh Fire Consultants Limited 21 February 2012 in Stirling

2. Part A

3. FIRE People Building, Vulnerability and Real System Performance

4. Fire safety design + fire safety systems • Attainment of appropriate levels of fire safety • Value assessment of systems + partial failure of systems • ?Acceptable deficiency(ies)

5. Fire Post ignition – slow, medium, fast, ultra fast Result - varies from‘trivial’ to ‘catastrophic’ Acceptability of loss – vulnerability assessment [10 kg]

6. Building - 1 • Range of – • Purpose • Materials • Size • Shape

7. Building - 2 Historic buildings: Height Number of storeys Floor area External and internal fabric Fire places Fixtures + fittings

8. Building - 3 • Fabrics and furnishings • Contents (value, ignitibility, burnability) • External environment • Method of construction • Past alterations • Major and minor perforations in fabric

9. Building - 4 A building is an agent of change Physical barrier/buffer – change of nature of environment could result in a safer or more dangerous environment…

10. Vulnerability Building + fire = damage (damaged minimised through the building) Degree of damage is a function of vulnerability of contents: inanimate – animate – inanimate + animate

11. Vulnerability • People • Age • Physical ability • Physiological capability • Psychological reaction and response

12. CVV Criticality – how important Vulnerability – how sensitive Value – level of threat reduction

13. CVV – 2001

14. People - physical Range of speed: 10 m/s – 1 m/s – 0 m/s Range of patient mobility: 1 : ante – natal woman 33 : assisted ventilation

15. People - physiological Breathing + Seeing + Hearing Immersion in smokes and gases makes living more difficult – induces collapse – leads to death

16. (Experimental) Performance of Water Mist and other systems Presented by Dr Eric W. Marchant, Edinburgh Fire Consultants Limited 21 February 2012 in Stirling

17. Part B

18. People - physiological Breathing + Seeing + Hearing Immersion in smokes and gases makes living more difficult – induces collapse – leads to death

19. People - psychological • Colour change • Hearing distortion • Vision clouded • Prior to ignition – condition of invincibility • Interpretation of danger • Dulled triggers to flee from danger…

20. A vision of water mist

21. Sprinklers - 1 A1: dry pipe system containing 25% wate water A1 A2 A2: range pipe full of rust and silt (galvanised steel pipe) A B

22. Sprinklers – 2height 4 metresfire and sprinkler heads offsetdecrement in performance

23. Sprinklers - 3 Fabric loss minimised by side wall sprinklers

24. Sprinklers -3 H 4m H 8m H12m Differences in specification: differences in system design: differences in performance

25. Partial compliance SECC :

26. Partial compliance

27. Modern methods of construction Structural systems Selection of materials (vulnerable and protective)(steel + surface protection) Constructional systems Brick and block Panel Large panel Prefabrication + MMC

28. Modern methods of construction

29. Very hot fire

30. The morning after

31. Care home/Hospital system • Construction, maintenance and services • Prefabricated building system

32. (Experimental) Performance of Water Mist and other systems Presented by Dr Eric W. Marchant, Edinburgh Fire Consultants Limited 21 February 2012 in Stirling

33. Part C

34. Care home/Hospital system • Construction, maintenance and services • Prefabricated building system

35. Fire in 1974 – 11 die

36. Hospital in Scotland: 1973 - 2004

37. No wood in the roof void?

38. Penetrations to be minimised!

39. Animals and fire safety Displacement or destruction of fauna (wild fire) Enable captive animal to escape (Signage in cow sheds) (halters for horses) Valuable animals: ‘defend – in – place’; easy assisted escape

40. Vulnerability of Objects - 1 • Very small object of great value • ‘Personal space’ of object • Damageability of object • Replaceability of objects (Bodlean library)

41. Vulnerability of Objects - 2 • Protect in place – ensure extinction • Defend – in - place’ – special box • Object is fuel burning damages enclosing/surrounding construction

42. Performance of systems - 2 • Sensitivity and Reliability • Response Time Index (25 – 400) • 5 or 500 or 5000 (et seq) people at risk

43. Vulnerability of Fabric • Constructional systems (and materials) of a building = fabric of the building • New, Mature, Old, Heritage, Ancient • Quality, Unique, Exhibit, Town, Country • Combustible with/without performance

44. Fire Development, Component Failure, Consequence Sequence • Pre-ignition: education: fire incidence • Smoke/gas: control: performance • Fire control: performance • Decay of fire: robust, fire resisting construction and structure : no building, residual collapse • Recovery: accommodation of loss, insurance: no facility, no activity, no business

45. Performance of systems - 1 • Detection (multi function) system • (a) signal to warning system • (b) activate smoke control system • (c) activate a fire control system • (d) signal for the attendance of fire fighters • (e) trigger emergency lighting

46. Expectation of systems

47. Water mist – high pressure • H12+m Main frame computers in an internet node - service protected by water mist system

48. Performance of systems - 2 • Case study: • Church refurbishment • Complex smoke extract system: • 4 + 4 fans installed but • (3 + 1) + (3 + 1) designed • Fans rewired

49. St Pauls + St Georges – 1.1

50. (Experimental) Performance of Water Mist and other systems Presented by Dr Eric W. Marchant, Edinburgh Fire Consultants Limited 21 February 2012 in Stirling