Presentation Transcript
Engineering Fire Safety for Standards and Codes Development: Engineering Fire Safety for Standards and Codes Development Richard W. Bukowski, P.E., FSFPE
Senior Engineer
NIST Building and Fire Research Laboratory
Gaithersburg, Maryland 20899 USA
US Building Regulatory System: US Building Regulatory System State and local regulation based on model codes (codes become regulations when adopted into law) adapted for local conditions and practices
Model codes developed by non-profit membership groups (NFPA and ICC)
No formal role for the Federal government
Regulations specify what is required under what conditions
Performance codes available but the system is still largely prescriptive
Referenced standards contain technical details of how
Primary Engineering Standards Design, Installation, Operation, Maintenance, Testing: Primary Engineering Standards Design, Installation, Operation, Maintenance, Testing Structural safety (normal and expected conditions of use)
ASCE 7 Design loads (dead, live, wind, snow, seismic, …) {GBJ9}
ACI 318 Concrete {GBJ10} & AISC 7 Steel (response to loads)
ASCE/SFPE 29 Structural response to fire (ASTM E119/ISO 834 equivalence)
Fire Safety (design fire scenarios, understand the consequences in extreme events)
NFPA 70 Electrical safety (prevention)
NFPA 72 Fire Alarm Systems
NFPA 13 Fire Sprinkler Systems
NFPA 90B Smoke Control
Egress design and passive methods are part of the building code {GBJ16}
The primary objectives of US building regulations are to promote the public health, safety, and welfare with structural and fire safety the key technological challenges
Who does the Fire Safety Design?: Who does the Fire Safety Design? Prescriptive design
Specified by licensed design professional, usually architect
Based on prescribed requirements in regulations and referenced standards
It complies by being there Performance design
Design by qualified, licensed professional, usually engineer
Based on agreed performance objectives and engineering analysis
Verified by peer review
Performance Design in the US: Performance Design in the US Long been accepted as an equivalent means to meet the intent of the regulation
Hard to measure/agree on equivalence or intent
Common for unique or constrained projects
Unique Las Vegas hotels (35 story pyramid, 11 story building on top of a 300 m stand, …)
Constrained shopping malls, airports and convention centers (large, open spaces; issues: large fire areas and travel distances)
Very similar in China CCTV Hq
Cultural Ctr CCTV Hotel Beijing Airport
Terminal 3 National Stadium and the Water Cube
Standards of Practice for Fire Safety Engineering: Standards of Practice for Fire Safety Engineering SFPE Handbook of Fire Protection Engineering
SFPE Engineering Guide to Performance-based Fire Protection Analysis and Design of Buildings
Fire Engineering Guidelines
BSI DD240
Australia, New Zealand, Japan
Multinational collaboration (US, Canada, Australia & New Zealand)
ISO TC92 SC4 technical reports and standards
Global Trends in Fire Safety Standards: Global Trends in Fire Safety Standards Strong influence of ISO (TC92) in the development of Fire Safety Engineering Practice
TC92 Framework (N911)
Standards developers who meet the WTO Guidelines for International Standards
ISO, NFPA, UL
Increasing role of Professional Societies
Society of Fire Protection Engineers (US++)
Institute of Fire Engineers (EU++)
Society of Fire Safety (AU)
China Fire Protection Association (CN)
TC92 Framework: TC92 Framework Level 1 assess all aspects of performance
(A) Standard Guides on Goals and Objectives
(B) Test methods to produce data for assessment of whole building performance
(C) Requirements for models and engineering methods of whole building performance
(D) Terminology or Maintenance standards
Level 2 assess specific aspects of performance
Specific performance metrics (combustion, active or passive system performance, tenability, …)
Engineering methods (fire dynamics, structural response to fire, human behavior)
Level 3 Operational standards
Computer models and calculation methods
Test methods (classification)
Closing Thoughts: Closing Thoughts The world is moving toward performance based methods for building regulation
Basis for performance regulations is well established
More work needed in performance standards development
Top level goals and objectives, performance levels, and metrics are common (some cultural variations)
Preservation of historical and cultural resources
Property protection
We can all benefit from cooperation to fill remaining gaps (FORUM, CIB, IRCC)
Example: CIB W14 Structural Fire Resistance Prediction