Simplified Fire Growth Models for Risk-Cost Assessment in Apartment Buildings

Abstract

A simplified compartment fire growth model is described. The model is a one-zone model that runs on PCs with a CPU time shorter than those of other two-zone models. Included in the model are the characteristics of fires under vitiated oxygen conditions and a combustion efficiency that is dependent on the compartment size. The model is shown to compare favourably with the "FIRST" and "FAST"models developed at NIST. The model is also shown to predict more conservative, but realistic, CO and CO2 concentrations than the other two models. The present fire growth model can be used to predict the fire growth characteristics of various fire scenarios for the risk-cost assessment model which is being developed for the evaluation of life risks and protection costs in apartment buildings.