SpringerBriefs in Fire – serie

Towards Estimating Entrainment Fraction for Dust Layers closely examines the factors that can affect the assessment of a dust hazard, and outlines a new strawman method designed to help practitioners estimate the fraction of the dust accumulations that can become airborne. This book also aims to provide aid in the removal of aerodynamic disturbances of dust particles or agglomerates from layers or piles of cohesive and non-cohesive dusts.Towards Estimating Entrainment Fraction for Dust Layers is designed for practitioners as a reference guide for improving dust hazard assessment. Researchers working in a related field will also find the book valuable.

Lithium-Ion Batteries Hazard and Use Assessment examines the usage of lithium-ion batteries and cells within consumer, industrial and transportation products, and analyzes the potential hazards associated with their prolonged use.

Antifreeze Solutions in Home Fire Sprinkler Systems examines the usage of antifreeze solutions in residential sprinklers, and analyzes their effectiveness in controlling a fire condition and aiding in containment.

The Study of Movement Speeds Down Stairs closely examines forty-three unique case studies on movement patterns down stairwells. These studies include observations made during evacuation drills, others made during normal usage, interviews with people after fire evacuations, recommendations made from compiled studies, and detailed results from laboratory studies. The methodology used in each study for calculating density and movement speed, when known, are also presented, and this book identifies an additional seventeen variables linked to altering movement speeds.The Study of Movement Speeds Down Stairs is intended for researchers as a reference guide for evaluating pedestrian evacuation dynamics down stairwells. Practitioners working in a related field may also find this book invaluable.

Fire protection system designers initially employed these VID systems for use in large facilities, outdoor locations and tunnels.

Quantitative Evaluation of Fire and EMS Mobilization Times presents comprehensive empirical data on fire emergency and EMS call processing and turnout times, and aims to improve the operational benchmarks of NFPA peer consensus standards through a close examination of real-world data. The book also identifies and analyzes the elements that can influence EMS mobilization response times. Quantitative Evaluation of Fire and EMS Mobilization Times is intended for practitioners as a tool for analyzing fire emergency response times and developing methods for improving them. Researchers working in a related field will also find the book valuable.

Natural fires can be considered as scale-dependant, non-linear processes of mass, momentum and heat transport, resulting from a turbulent reactive and radiative fluid medium flowing over a complex medium, the vegetal fuel. In natural outdoor conditions, the experimental study of natural fires at real scale needs the development of an original metrology, one able to capture the large range of time and length scales involved in its dynamic nature and also able to resist the thermal, mechanical and chemical aggression of flames on devices. Robust, accurate and poorly intrusive tools must be carefully set-up and used for gaining very fluctuating data over long periods. These signals also need the development of original post-processing tools that take into account the non-steady nature of their stochastic components. Metrology for Fire Experiments in Outdoor Conditions closely analyzes these features, and also describes measurements techniques, the thermal insulation of fragile electronic systems, data acquisition, measurement errors and optimal post-processing algorithms. This book is intended for practitioners as a reference guide for optimizing measurements techniques in an outdoor environment. Advanced-level students and researchers will also find the book invaluable.

Fire Flow Water Consumption in Sprinklered and Unsprinklered Buildings offers a detailed analysis for calculating the fire water demand required in buildings with existing and non-existant sprinkler systems. The installation of automatic sprinkler systems can significantly reduce the amount of water needed during a fire, but it requires water for commissioning, inspection, testing, and maintenance (CITM). This book provides an estimate of fire water used under both fire conditions, including CITM, to allow communities to develop fire water fees for both sprinklered and unsprinklered buildings that are proportional to the anticipated fire water usage.The types of buildings analyzed include residential (family dwellings as well as those up to four stories in height), business, assembly, institutional, mercantile, and storage facilities. Water volume was studied using guidelines from the International Code Council, the National Fire Protection Association, and the Insurance Services Office. Fire Flow Water Consumption in Sprinklered and Unsprinklered Buildings is intended for practitioners as a tool for analyzing water consumption in fire situations and for providing them with key information on the best types of water systems in a variety of buildings. Researchers working in building planning and safety will also find the book valuable.

Structural Fire Resistance Experimental Research – Priority Needs of U.S. Industry provides a synthesis of stakeholder input to a prioritized agenda for research at the National Fire Research Laboratory (NFRL) at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) designed to accelerate the implementation of performance-based fire engineering for structures. The NFRL presents a broad range of unanswered questions regarding the performance of real structures in fire conditions, and informs performance-based design methods and standards in this field.The authors conducted a comprehensive literature review of large-scale structural fire testing and compiled research needs from a variety of sources. The book addresses major issues of broad concern in the fire community, such as real fire exposure and structural response, composite floor system performance, enhancing modeling performance, and understanding the embedded safety features in design methods. It concludes with a prioritized set of research recommendations for the NIST facility.The scope of issues addressed and broad range of content make this a valuable book for researchers in all aspects of fire resistance experimentation. It will also be useful for those who work with engineering standards for structures.

Automatic sprinklers systems are the primary fire protection system in warehouse and storage facilities. The effectiveness of this strategy has come into question due to the challenges presented by modern warehouse facilities, including increased storage heights and areas, automated storage retrieval systems (ASRS), limitations on water supplies, and changes in firefighting strategies. The application of fire detection devices used to provide early warning and notification of incipient warehouse fire events is being considered as a component of modern warehouse fire protection.Fire Detection in Warehouse Facilities provides technical information to aid in the development of guidelines and standards for the use of fire detection technologies for modern warehouse fire protection. The authors share their thorough literature review, analyze characteristic fire hazards for modern warehouse facilities, and identify information gaps in the field. The book concludes with recommendations for the development of guidelines and standards for the use of detection technologies in warehouse fire protection design, including a research plan for implementation.This book is intended for practitioners seeking an understanding of the issues surrounding warehouse design and fire protection. The book will also prove valuable for fire hazard researchers and those involved with fire department response, applicable detection systems, and fire growth suppression.

Environmental concerns and advances in architectural technologies have lead to a greater number of green buildings or buildings with green, eco-friendly elements. However, from a practical standpoint, there is no incident reporting system in the world that tracks data on fire incidents in green buildings. Fire safety objectives are not explicitly considered in most green rating schemes, and green design features have been associated with photovoltaic panels and roof materials, lightweight timber frame buildings, and combustible insulation materials. Fire Safety Challenges of Green Buildings is the result of an extensive global literature review that sought to identify issues related to green building elements or features and ways to ensure those issues are tracked for future improvement.The book identifies actual incidents of fires in green buildings or involving green building elements, points out issues with green building elements that would increase fire risk, clarifies reports and studies that address ways to reduce fire risk in green design elements, and compares research studies that explicitly incorporate fire safety into green building design. The authors also pinpoint gaps and specific research needs associated with understanding and addressing fire risk and hazards with green building design. Using their data, the authors developed a set of matrices relating these green attributes and potential fire hazards. With these comprehensive tools, potential mitigation strategies for addressing the relative increase in fire risk or hazard associated with the green building elements and features have been identified. Fire Safety Challenges of Green Buildings is intended for practitioners as a tool for analyzing building safety issues in green architecture and developing methods for tracking data related to green design elements and their potential hazards. Researchers working in a related field will also find the book valuable.

Firefighters and other emergency first responders use a huge variety of highly specialized and critical technologies for personal protection. These technologies, ranging from GPS to environmental sensing to communication devices, often run on different systems with separate power supplies and operating platforms. How these technological components function in a single synergistic system is of critical interest to firefighter end-users seeking efficient tools. Interoperable ESE states that a standardized platform for electronic safety equipment (ESE) is both logical and essential. This book develops an inventory of existing and emerging electronic equipment categorized by key areas of interest to the fire service, documents equipment performance requirements relevant to interoperability, including communications and power requirements, and develops an action plan toward the development of requirements to meet the needs of emergency responders. This book is intended for practitioners as a tool for understanding interoperability concepts and the requirements of the fire service landscape. It offers clear recommendations for the future to help ensure efficiency and safety with fire protection equipment. Researchers working in a related field will also find the book valuable.

In this age of climatic and financial uncertainty, it becomes increasingly important to balance the cost, benefits and risk of wildfire management. In the United States, increased wildland fire activity over the last 15 years has resulted in drastic damage and loss of life. An associated rapid increase in fire management costs has consumed higher portions of budgets of public entities involved in wildfire management, challenging their ability to fulfill other responsibilities. Increased public scrutiny highlights the need to improve wildland fire management for cost effectiveness. This book closely examines the development of basic wildfire suppression cost models for the United States and their application to a wide range of settings from informing incident decision making to programmatic review. The book also explores emerging trends in suppression costs and introduces new spatially explicit cost models to account for characteristics of the burned landscape. Finally, it discusses how emerging risk assessment tools can be better informed by integrating management cost models with wildfire simulation models and values at risk. Economics of Wildfire Management is intended for practitioners as a reference guide. Advanced-level students and researchers will also find the book invaluable.

This SpringerBrief focuses on the use of egress models to assess the optimal strategy for total evacuation in high-rise buildings. It investigates occupant relocation and evacuation strategies involving the exit stairs, elevators, sky bridges and combinations thereof. Chapters review existing information on this topic and describe case study simulations of a multi-component exit strategy. This review provides the architectural design, regulatory and research communities with a thorough understanding of the current and emerging evacuation procedures and possible future options. A model case study simulates seven possible strategies for the total evacuation of two identical twin towers linked with two sky-bridges at different heights. The authors present the layout of the building and the available egress components including both vertical and horizontal egress components, namely stairs, occupant evacuation elevators (OEEs), service elevators, transfer floors and sky-bridges. The evacuation strategies employ a continuous spatial representation evacuation model (Pathfinder) and are cross-validated by a fine network model (STEPS). Assessment of Total Evacuation Systems for Tall Buildings is intended for practitioners as a tool for analyzing evacuation methods and efficient exit strategies. Researchers working in architecture and fire safety will also find the book valuable.

This SpringerBrief summarizes a full-scale, reduced commodity fire testing comparison of cartoned Lithium ion batteries and FM Global standard commodities in a rack storage configuration, as reported by FM Global. Tests evaluate the flammability characteristics of the materials and the effectiveness of ceiling level only sprinkler protection. The testing methods, discussed in depth, are scaled down from standard commodity classification testing due to the inordinate costs of Li-ion batteries. Small format Li-ion battery commodities represent both commercially available battery formats and Li-ion battery containing devices. The selected Li-ion battery types are individual 18650 format cylindrical cells, power tool packs comprised of 18650 format cells and polymer cells. The selected comparison commodities are the FM Global standard Class 2 and Cartoned Unexpanded Plastic (CUP). The results offer insight into the combined effects of different storage heights, ceiling height, protection system design, battery density, state of charge and battery type. Flammability of Cartoned Lithium Ion Batteries is intended for practitioners as a tool for analyzing commodity testing methods and providing data about potential hazards. Researchers working in a related field will also find the book valuable.

This SpringerBrief explores the evacuation characteristics of children and their self-preservation capability during fire situations. An international survey among teachers from day-care centers and experts in child development indicates an age-limit at which pre-school children may be considered capable of evacuating a location without direct intervention by an instructor. The survey examines the ability of children to understand and follow simple instructions, walk on horizontal surfaces without physical support, and walk down stairs. It also studies how fire safety installations and fire drills differ between countries. A literature review and a presentation of the method applied are included. This data can be applied to evacuation procedures, building codes, and fire regulations. Determining Self-Preservation Capability in Pre-School Children is intended for practitioners as a tool for analyzing evacuation safety issues and developing methods removing potential hazards. Researchers working in a related field will also find the book valuable.

This SpringerBrief reviews current home fire sprinkler system costs in one- and two-family dwellings, mobile homes, and multifamily residential buildings up to four stories. It provides individual community data and qualitative data gained through interviews with community officials, builders, and fire sprinkler contractors. The systems are reviewed against a 2008 benchmark study in order to analyze how the increasingly widespread adoption of national sprinkler ordinances impacts system cost. Using 51 homes in 17 communities, the authors discuss the impact of sprinkler ordinances on home fire sprinkler system cost, including extent of coverage, system types, water sources, permit and inspection fees, and statewide requirements. Methods and community comparisons are presented with the analysis. Home Fire Sprinkler Assessment is intended for practitioners working with sprinkler codes and building regulation safety. Researchers working in a related field will also find the book valuable.

This SpringerBrief presents information on a wide variety of hazards and the damage potential caused by installation of a photovoltaic (PV) system. The current installation practices for PV systems on roofs create electrical, fire, structural, and weather-related hazards that do not comply to current codes, standards and guidance documents. Potential dangers include structural loading, wind loads, hail, snow, debris accumulation, seismic hazards, firefighting hazards, and electrical hazards. Despite the increased popularity of PV systems after the environmental movement, research shows that the costs of installing PV systems outweigh the benefits. Hazards of PV systems on roofs have caused several incidents in the United States; the most notable in Bakersfield, California, and Mount Holly, North Carolina. Designed for fire engineers and professionals, Best Practices for Commercial Roof-Mounted Photovoltaic System Installation offers recommendations to set up PV systems safely and sustainably.

This SpringerBrief offers careful assessments of the appropriateness and effectiveness of currently available methodologies for fire flow. It explains the water supply requirements for firefighting including rate of flow, the residual pressure required at that flow, and the duration that is necessary to control a major fire in a specific structure. First reviewing existing fire flow calculation methodologies in the U.S. and globally, the authors determine the new information necessary to validate the existing fire flow calculation methodologies. After identifying 19 methods from the U.S., UK, France, Germany, the Netherlands, New England, and Canada, two types of methods are evaluated: those for building planning based on fire and building code requirements, and those for on-scene fire service use. Building planning methods are also examined, including an explanation of the range of building variables that determine fire flow. A survey form for fire departments is provided to help fire departments identify key predictive features based on construction and building parameters. Researchers and professionals in fire engineering will find the recommendations in Evaluation of Fire Flow Methodologies valuable.

This brief develops a data collection plan to assess loss related to electrical surges in homes, and explores the potential impact devices that prevent these surges could have in mitigating these losses. Key topics such as surge sources, surge effects and residential surge protection are clearly defined. Recent fire safety codes proposed a requirement that every dwelling unit be fitted with a surge protection device, as every year there is property damage to electrical and electronic equipment resulting from electrical surges. These proposals have not been implemented due to a lack of reliable data, which this brief seeks to change. The authors evaluate surge phenomena and their sources, surge protection methods, surge protection strategies and industry standards in order to present a data plan that can accurately assess loss related to electrical surges in homes.

This SpringerBrief presents strategies for fire mitigation based on combustible assembly systems of exterior walls. Providing background information on common exterior wall systems, the mechanisms of fire spread, and case studies, it examines the difficulties in controlling a fire with several materials and assembly methods. The brief compiles information on typical fire scenarios which involve the exterior wall, along with further exploration into test methods, approval and regulatory requirements for the various assembly systems. Offering testing approaches for possible mitigation strategies, the brief takes into account that current commercial wall assembly systems are constructed to improve energy performance, reduce water and air infiltration, and allow for aesthetic design flexibility. Exterior Insulation Finish Systems, metal composite claddings, high-pressure laminates, and weather-resistive barrier systems all have components which directly impact the fire hazard. Recommendations for future exterior wall construction are based on identified knowledge gaps.

This SpringerBrief equips readers to develop defensible fire safety designs for a range of concrete structures. It identifies current gaps in the research and provides a more complete understanding of the structural and thermal response of contemporary Post-tensioned (PT) concrete structures to fire. The brief includes chapters on contemporary construction using PT concrete, previous structural fire test research programs, recent research programs, real fire case studies, and current research needs. It explores the progression of PT concrete structures, looking at the sustainability and aesthetic benefits, the ongoing development of stronger concretes, and best practice guidance for improving safety in the event of fire.Designed for practitioners and researchers in fire engineering, this brief is a valuable tool for those studying the impact of fire on concrete, fire safety designs, and building safety optimization. Advanced-level students in civil engineering will also find the content useful.

This brief presents information on occupational injuries from electric shock and arc flash events through a review of literature, electrical incident data, and similar sources. It includes pertinent information such as the nature of the incident, adherence to safety requirements, use of appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE), and extent of injury.Chapters address arc flash and shock hazards, and the need for empirical incident data on the actual hazards that may be experienced when equipment faults or adverse electrical events occur. Certain tasks where the risk of an arc flash or shock hazard may be lower, such as normal operation of properly installed and maintained equipment, may not require the use of any special PPE. Some of this risk reduction is based on anecdotal data, and the brief details why future research challenges will need more empirical incident data on the actual hazards and associated injuries that may be experienced when equipment faults or adverse electrical events occur.Designed for professionals and researchers in fire protection engineering, workplace electrical tasks, or workplace safety, this brief offers a thorough overview of the trends in electrical injuries and the costs related to those injuries.

This brief addresses the contextual definition of resilience, explains the existing resiliency frameworks developed by Federal Agencies, and emphasizes the risk informed approach to applying resiliency concepts to National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) documents.In an effort to assess and further define NFPA’s position in the realm of resiliency, this brief identifies those provisions in NFPA codes and standards that embody the concepts of resiliency. Additionally, the brief develops an NFPA-centric definition of resiliency and compiles available information to serve as a technical reference for the codes and standards, identifying key gaps in knowledge. Key topics range from engineered features and the built environment to emergency response and risk-informed approaches to disaster events. The brief also includes a comprehensive literature review on multiple resiliency frameworks. Written for fireprotection engineers and professionals who handle disaster risk assessment, this brief provides a thorough overview of resiliency concepts and how NFPA procedures strive to meet recommended standards.

Providing a concise overview of lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery energy storage systems (ESSs), this book also presents the full-scale fire testing of 100 kilowatt hour (kWh) Li-ion battery ESSs. It details a full-scale fire testing plan to perform an assessment of Li-ion battery ESS fire hazards, developed after a thorough technical study. It documents the results of the testing plan including external and internal ignition testing, ESS positioning, temperature and heat flux measurements, pressure measurement, weather meters, and data acquisition systems.A comprehensive literature review and gap analysis reveal the current state of research into this vital aspect of energy storage. The authors cover the characteristics and hazards of Li-ion batteries, their anatomy and design, commercial and residential ESSs, historical fire incidents, and ESS codes and regulations.Researchers and professionals working in fire protection engineering, battery systems engineering, or energy storage will find this book a useful example of a fire testing plan. The results of the hazard assessment offer insights for those involved in electrical, fire, and building codes, as well as practitioners in design standards and fire testing.

This book investigates the feasibility of developing a tool that enables fire departments to estimate the value of their services to a community in terms of environmental and financial impact. This book provides a summary of this effort, which resulted in development of a prototype tool for fire department use.The impact of fire on a community is usually measured in terms of the number of fires, human casualties, and property damage. There are, however, more subtle impacts of fire that are not so easily estimated but contribute to the measure of overall performance of the fire service in protecting a community. While environmental and economic impact assessment methodologies exist as separate systems, they generally require a high level of knowledge that is outside the scope of most fire departments. A relatively simple methodology for estimating the environmental and economic impact of fires helps communities understand the degree to which fire department activities can benefit a community’s environmental and economic well-being.The scope and approach for this prototype tool is explained, including risk assessment, cost benefit analysis, life cycle assessment, integration and implementation, and sensitivity and uncertainty analysis. It includes multiple case studies and offers statistical support for future expansion of the tool.Fire service professionals will find this a useful new approach to presenting value in a community, as well as a method for examining their own financial and environmental plans.

This book presents the results of an experiment assessing the impact of spruce wood joints on the creation and development of fire when these joints are applied within a façade. The results confirm that the joint type used has an impact on the selected evaluation criteria and thus also on the potential spread of fire.

This book addresses the performance of a multi-storey timber building subjected to a model fire that represents a real, potentially devastating internal fire.

This book offers a comprehensive approach to the assessment of fire hazards of electrical cables. The first part of the book describes division of cables, main parameters of electrical cables, and fault scenarios of cables leading to fire or occupant injuries.