AIA Middle East A309

Session: Fire Safety

Engineering 1310. Qatar

Susan Lamont Feb 18, 2013

Credit(s) earned on completion of

this course will be reported to AIA

CES for AIA members.

Certificates of Completion for both

AIA members and non-AIA

members are available upon

request.

This course is registered with AIA

CES for continuing professional

education. As such, it does not

include content that may be

deemed or construed to be an

approval or endorsement by the

AIA of any material of construction

or any method or manner of

handling, using, distributing, or

dealing in any material or product. _______________________________________

____

Questions related to specific materials, methods,

and services will be addressed at the conclusion

of this presentation.

SAMPLE OPTIONAL SLIDE

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Reproduction, distribution, display and use of the presentation without written

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© Arup 2012

Copyright Materials

- Fire strategy reports and why we need them

- Design specifications and how they relate to the fire strategy

- Specifications to British or American standards and fire tests

- Approval of material submittals – fire tests of materials and

confusing terminology/fire resistance/retardant/non-

combustible/limited combustible

- Importance of having a fire safety engineer throughout the design

and construction process

- Example of getting it right and what happens when it goes wrong

SAMPLE SLIDE

Course

Description

Learning

Objectives

At the end of the this course, participants will be able to:

SAMPLE SLIDE

1) Participants understand the importance of stakeholder involvement in the

development of Fire Safety Strategies for buildings

2) Participants will gain knowledge about the importance of implementing the Fire

Strategy through design, construction, handover and facilities management

3) Participants will have an understanding of design specifications and how they relate

to fire strategies and what happens when the specification is not checked by a fire

safety professional or misunderstood by the contractor/site team

4) Participants will have an understanding of fire tests as they relate to materials of

construction and design specifications

5) Participants will see real project examples of the course objectives

Fire Safety –- Strategy, Design, Specification, Construction and

Facilities Management

Dr Susan Lamont, Arup Gulf Ltd

18th Feb 2013

Safety Design in Buildings, Qatar

www.arup.com

7

Summary

Fire Strategy to Facilities Management - Design

- Construction

- Handover

- FM Fire Safety Plan

Examples of what can go wrong

Case studies

Conclusions

8

Fire Safe Buildings?

Buildings come in all shapes and sizes but a fire is a fire

All stakeholders should understand the fire strategy

Check compliance with fire strategy during design,

specification, construction, testing & commissioning, handover

Prepare a fire safety plan, train and test with fire drills

Regular maintenance and testing of systems

9

Fire Strategy to Facilities Management

Design

• Fire Strategy

• Approvals Process

Construction

• Installation

• Testing and Commissioning

• Inspections by Fire Department

Handover

• Building Completion Certificates

• Building Management Plan

• Handover to Client

Occupancy

• Facilities Management

• Training , fire drills

• Testing & Maintenance

• Housekeeping

Design Phase

11

Design Phase - Communication

Talk with the client, operator, end users as early as possible

Develop the fire strategy with them

They know how the building will be used and therefore what will work and what won’t

They will enforce the fire strategy if they helped develop it

12

Prescriptive or Performance approach?

Soft or Hard solutions?

13

Design phase - Keep it Simple

Reliability, Maintenance & Testing - “Do lots and lots of fire safety systems make the building

safer?”

- Sprinklers, detection, smoke control – only reliable if tested and maintained (replaced) for the entire 30-50 years of the building life

- Less is often more ……keep it simple - Protect the evacuating occupants, Fire Fighters and the asset as

appropriate

- Cause and effect is simpler

- Testing and commissioning is less

- Maintenance is less

- Also – more sustainable, less space required etc etc

Design Phase – Share Information

Producing a fire strategy report is 5% of the fire engineer's role

Communication and liaison with stake holders and members of the team etc is 95%

15

Design Phase – Share Information

Fire Engineer

Architect + facade

Signage, landscaping

SMEP Team

Client

Authority

and Insurers

FM Team –

End Users

Testing & Commissioning

Agent

Contractor + sub-contractors

Design Phase – Specifications

Materials of construction

British versus US standards

Understanding fire safety definitions

Understanding fire tests

Fire as a result of combustible materials of construction is a problem……..that is still an issue today

Great Fire of London, 1666

The Great Fire started at the bakery of Thomas Farriner on Pudding Lane, shortly after midnight on Sunday, 2 September, and spread rapidly west across the City of London.

Thatch, timber and strong East winds

Station Night Club Fire

The Station nightclub fire was the fourth deadliest nightclub fire in U.S.

history, killing 100 people. The fire began at 11:07 PM EST, on

Thursday, February 20, 2003, at The Station, Rhode Island

The fire was caused by pyrotechnics, which ignited flammable sound

insulation foam in the walls and ceilings surrounding the stage. A fast-

moving fire engulfed the club in 5½ minutes.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SIetpe_KAJU

Monte Carlo fire, Las Vegas

Combustible cladding materials in strips across the facade

20

Al Tayer Tower, Sharjah, UAE

Fire started at around 2:30am, burned for 5 hours

Press cuttings:

“Sharjah - Contractors to prove exterior

aluminium cladding will not catch fire”

“A hardline approach to the widespread

application of non fire-rated cladding in

the wake of two major tower fires in

recent months. “

“Panels to be fireproof”

“Panels to fire resistant and withstand

high temperatures”

21

Why?

• Confusion over

definitions and fire

testing

• Non combustible

• Limited combustible

• Fire Retardant (wood)

• Fire Resistant

22

Boom time construction – procurement times

23

Boom v bust - price

24

Type I

Large/tall

High fire resistance

Non-combustible

Type V

Small/low rise

No fire resistance

Combustible materials ok

Risk

25

Chapter 7 – Construction type

Chapter 10 – Interior linings e.g. walls, ceilings, floors, drapes etc

Chapter 37 – Exterior Wall Construction

Chapter 38 – Roof assemblies

Chapter 48 – Plastics (permissible in limited areas if they pass certain fire tests)

NFPA 5000

26

Ch. 7 Fire Resistance & Construction Type

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Ch 7. Combustibility of Materials

7.2.3.1 Type I and Type II Construction. Type I (442 or 332)

and Type II (222, 111, or 000) construction shall be those types

in which the fire walls, structural elements, walls, arches,

floors, and roofs are of approved noncombustible or

limited combustible materials.

E.g. Concrete, steel, blockwork etc

Not plastics, untreated timber etc

28

Ch. 7 - Limited Combustible Material

7.1.4.2* Limited-Combustible Material.:

The material, in the form in which it is used, exhibits a potential heat value not exceeding

8141 kJ/kg, when tested to NFPA 259.

7.1.4.2.1 The material shall have a structural base of noncombustible material with a

surfacing not exceeding a thickness of 3.2 mm where the surfacing exhibits a flame

spread index not greater than 50 when tested in accordance with ASTM E 84, Standard

Test Method for Surface Burning Characteristics of Building Materials, or ANSI/UL 723,

Standard for Test for Surface Burning Characteristics of Building Materials.

7.1.4.2.2 The material shall be composed of materials that in the form and thickness used,

neither exhibit a flame spread index greater than 25 nor evidence of continued

progressive combustion when tested in accordance with ASTM E 84 or ANSI/UL 723

and are of such composition that all surfaces that would be exposed by cutting through

the material on any plane would neither exhibit a flame spread index greater than 25 nor

exhibit evidence of continued progressive combustion when tested in accordance with

ASTM E 84 or ANSI/UL 723.

29

Ch. 37 Exterior Wall Construction – Metal Composite Panels on Facades

37.4.4 MCM installed on the exterior of buildings classified

as Type I, Type II, Type III, or Type IV construction shall

comply with each of the following conditions:

(1) MCM that are part of the exterior wall assembly shall be

tested in accordance with NFPA 285, Standard Fire Test

Method for Evaluation of Fire Propagation Characteristics

of Exterior Non-Load-Bearing Wall Assemblies Containing

Combustible Components, using the maximum panel thickness

intended for use and shall meet the conditions of acceptance

specified therein.

30

Fire Tests

• They are not intended to represent reality

• They are intended to be an industry benchmark and

provide a comparison between the fire performance of

different materials

• You have to specify the correct test for the application as

not all tests are equally severe

• US, BS or EU are permitted in the Gulf

Fire Tests

Fire performance Fire test British Standard Test for Similar Products

(not equivalent)

Fire resistance ASTM E119 BS 476 – Parts 20 to 24

Flame spread ASTM E84 BS 476 Parts 6 and 7

Smoke production ASTM E84 No BS

Potential heat NFPA 259

Fire propagation of

exterior walls

NFPA 285 BS 8414-Part 1 and 2

Non combustible ASTM E136 BS 476- 4:1970 Non-combustibility test for materials or

BS 476-11:1 82 Method for assessing the heat emission from building products

Limited combustible See NFPA 5000 definition BS 476 Parts 11

Fire Tests

33

All products that have been fire tested to achieve a certain fire performance should also be certified to be sure of the quality and consistency of the product

Always ask for the certification as well as evidence of fire testing

Certification

Construction Phase

35

Construction Phase

Fire strategy drawings in addition to the fire strategy report are key

Original design team may have been replaced by local consultants

Fire Engineer is often no longer involved in project

What can happen?

36

Stop it…..

Spot the errors !!

37

Stop it…….

Spot the errors !!

38

Interior Designers vs Sprinklers

39

Specification is misunderstood or not correct

Material has been fire tested but is it the correct test?

Does it meet the fire strategy?

Is the material certified by an independent body

Does the cheaper alternative or the locally available material provide the same performance?

Is BS 476 Part 7 the same as ASTM E84?

Is BS 476 Part 7 or ASTM E84 appropriate?

Materials – interior linings, facades, etc..

Handover

41

Handover

Again fire engineer is often not involved

Engineer of record reviews testing and commissioning by contractor + signs off project

Civil Defence Inspection - - Relatively short time on site

- Has many other buildings to inspect

PRESSURE TO DELIVER ON TIME

Facilities Manager develops fire safety plan

42

Fire Safety Plan

Training

Emergency Management and Staff Structure

Staff Duties

Routine Fire Precautions

Extensions and Alterations

Fire Incident Routine

Emergency Staff Response

Evacuation Scenarios and Zoning

Maintenance and Testing

43

Inspection of Fire Doors (NFPA 80)

Fire doors should be regularly (annually) inspected and the results of the inspections recorded: - Integrity of panel, frame, glazing, intumescent

strip;

- Door tightness;

- Full closure, hatch operation, smoke seal, door closer operation;

- Automatic door release;

- Signs

- Doors propped/wedged open – record breaches

Hinges, catches, closers, latches, and stay rollers are especially subject to wear

Case Study 1 – Mega High Rise with Refuge Floor

45

Building Description

80+ Story Mixed Use Building

Residential and Office

Fire Strategy is Performance Based

Applicable Code NFPA

Refuge Area at L40

Evacuation elevators

46

47

48

Timeline -Fire Strategy to Facilities Management

Design

• Fire Strategy

• Approvals Process

Construction

• Installation

• Testing and Commissioning

• Inspections by Fire Department

Handover

• Building Completion Certificates

• Building Management Plan

• Handover to Client

Occupancy

• Facilities Management

• Training , fire drills

• Testing & Maintenance

• Housekeeping

49

Refuge Area - Headroom

50

Refuge Area – Rooms open to corridor

51

Refuge Area – Corridor with fire load

52

Refuge Areas – Signs blocked

53

Refuge Area – What’s missing

54

Refuge Area – Evacuation Elevators

55

Did the client and facilities management team get a building that matched the fire strategy?

Summary

Case Study 2 – High Rise with Combustible Facade

57

Typical Facades in Gulf

58

Case Study

59

ACP – Combustible Plastic Core

• Does not comply with NFPA 5000

• Would not pass NFPA 285 fire test

• Would probably pass BS 476 -7 or ASTM E84

60

ACP – Limited Combustible Mineral Core

If mineral content is high enough then it will pass NFPA 285

61

Conclusions

Writing a fire strategy report and producing drawings is not enough

The fire engineer should be alongside the design/site team and interacting at each stage on a regular basis

A thorough review of specifications and material submittals by a fire safety professional would seem sensible

For some buildings, it is important that the fire engineer interfaces with all stakeholders through to building completion and beyond

62

Housekeeping - It’s a gas…

External escape stair including ready made

bonfire and gas cylinder ..!

63

Summary

Fire Strategy to Facilities Management - Design

- Construction

- Handover + Fire Safety Plan

- Life of Building

Examples of what can go wrong

Case studies

Conclusions

Questions?

Sample Last Slide

This concludes The American Institute of Architects

Continuing Education Systems Course

Dr Susan Lamont Susan.Lamont@arup.com