FireSERT TRAFIR: Characterization of TRAvelling FIRes in large compartments

Funder: Coal& Steel
Duration: 01 April 2017 – 31 March 2021
Staff Involved: Prof Ali Nadjai

Many studies of fires in large compartments reveals that they do not burn uniformly throughout the whole area. They tend to travel in the enclosure and thus lead to highly non-uniform temperatures and transient heating of the structure, and such moving localised fires are not considered in the Eurocodes.

The main limit in developping travelling fires models is the lack of large scale, realistic test results. This project aims to realize such tests and performing numerical simulations in order to develop an analytical model to define the thermal effect, and design guidance to improve structural safety.

Key objectives for the TRAFIR project

• To perform a real building dimensions and with less control over the dynamics to aim a representation of travelling fire as realistic as possible
• To provide scientific information allowing determining in which condition a travelling fire will develop (compartment size and geometry, ventilation conditions,…). This will be done using numerical simulations
• To perform and determine if there is some shadow factor related to multiple fires travelling along a certain axis, i.e. if the depth of the burning area has an impact on the heat fluxes received by a structural element aligned to the propagation axis.
• To conduct numerical modelling and improve the existing models, especially regarding the temperatures generated, the fire path and the spread
• Design guidance: redaction of a design guide for the application of the new methodology including design examples