Prof. Kyriakos Papaioannou

ARISTOTLE UNIVERSITY

GREECE

7th Intern. Sprinkler Conference-Copenhagen24-25/6/2008 1

Sprinklers installations have been in use for over 120 years. Value in reducing property losses

Insurance companies give high discounts on premiums (till 60%).

Sprinklers can contribute to life safety in two ways, by controlling a fire and by providing greater time for escape purposes.

Fire Regulations where active fire protection measures are provided allow relaxations one or more of the passive protection measures (trade offs)

Fire resistance of building elements Size of compartments Minimum escape times or travel distances

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FIRE CONTAINMENTFire resistance is the ability of a structural element Fire resistance is the ability of a structural element to withstand the effects of fire for a specified period to withstand the effects of fire for a specified period without the loss of its fire separating or loadbearing without the loss of its fire separating or loadbearing functions or both.functions or both.

Stability Integrity Insulation EN 1991-1-2 Eurocode 1 – Actions on

Structures, Parts 1-2: General Actions – Actions on structures exposed to fire

National Regulations permit specific reductions in fire resistance with sprinklers installation

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Table E.2 — Factors δ n i

δ n i Function of Active Fire Fighting Measures

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Austria- external non-load-bearing facades Reduction from 90 minutes to 30 minutes In industrial buildings reduction.

Germany- corridors in shopping centres Reduction from 90 minutes to 30 minutes

Luxemburg- 90 minutes structural fire resistance in single storey shopping centres unless sprinklers are fitted. the fire resistance between individual shop units 60 minutes unless sprinklers are fitted.

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Spain- When combined with a smoke extraction system, allows a reduction of 30-60 minutes in the structural fire resistance of single storey industrial buildings, depending on their configuration.

Switzerland allows a reduction of 30 minutes in structural fire resistance if sprinklers are fitted.

UK Approved Document B allows a reduction from 90 minutes to 60 minutes in offices and shops higher than 10 storeys if sprinklers are fitted. It also allows a reduction of 30 minutes in the fire resistance for storage buildings if sprinklers are fitted.

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The provision of a fire resisting enclosure or a barrier to keep a fire to a specified size so as to inhibit its spread within a building or to an adjacent building.

Size of compartmentsSize of compartments Austria allows larger fire compartments in

industrial buildings if sprinklers are fitted. The details depend on the number of storeys and the fire resistance in place.

Belgium requires sprinklers in shops with fire compartments larger than 2,000m2.

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Czech Republic Czech Republic requires sprinklers in shops with a fire compartment area larger than 1,000m2 and in exhibition halls with a fire compartment larger than 5,000m2.

France France allows warehouse compartments to be 6,000m2 instead of 3,000m2 if sprinklers are fitted.

GermanyGermany allows shopping centre fire compartments to be increased from 3,000m2 to 10,000m2 if sprinklers are fitted, or to 5,000m2 for multi-storey buildings. Germany allows the same increases as Austria in the fire compartments of industrial buildings if sprinklers are fitted. It also allows the underground fire compartment areas to be increased from 1,000m2 to 3,500m2 for the first underground floor and from 500m2 to 1,750m2 for lower floors. Germany requires sprinklers in places of assembly with fire compartments larger than 3,600m2.

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IcelandIceland requires sprinklers for theatre stages larger requires sprinklers for theatre stages larger than 100mthan 100m22; in single storey shops with fire ; in single storey shops with fire compartments larger than 2,000mcompartments larger than 2,000m22 or larger than or larger than 1,000m1,000m22 for multi-storey shops; in industrial and for multi-storey shops; in industrial and storage buildings with fire compartments larger storage buildings with fire compartments larger than 2,000mthan 2,000m22; and in underground car parks larger ; and in underground car parks larger than 100mthan 100m22..

Ireland Ireland allows all fire compartment area limits to be allows all fire compartment area limits to be doubled if sprinklers are fitted. For example the doubled if sprinklers are fitted. For example the maximum compartment area for a single storey maximum compartment area for a single storey shop doubles from 4,000mshop doubles from 4,000m22 to 8,000m to 8,000m22..

LuxemburgLuxemburg allows the maximum fire compartment allows the maximum fire compartment area in a building higher than 8m and below 22m to area in a building higher than 8m and below 22m to be doubled from 1,600mbe doubled from 1,600m22 to 3,200m to 3,200m22. It also . It also doubles the compartment limit from 800mdoubles the compartment limit from 800m22 to to 1,600m1,600m22 in single storey offices and from 400m in single storey offices and from 400m22 to to 800m800m22 in multi-storey offices. It requires sprinklers in multi-storey offices. It requires sprinklers in shopping centres larger than 3,000min shopping centres larger than 3,000m22..

The Netherlands The Netherlands requires an equivalent solution to requires an equivalent solution to dividing a building into fire compartments of dividing a building into fire compartments of 1,000m1,000m22. The usual solution is to fit sprinklers.. The usual solution is to fit sprinklers.

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NorwayNorway requires sprinklers in hotels and requires sprinklers in hotels and apartment buildings with multi-storey open apartment buildings with multi-storey open connections if the total area is greater than connections if the total area is greater than 800m800m22. Norway also requires sprinklers in . Norway also requires sprinklers in single-storey shops, warehouses and single-storey shops, warehouses and industrial buildings larger than 1,800mindustrial buildings larger than 1,800m22 or or larger than a total of 800mlarger than a total of 800m22 divided divided between several floors.between several floors.

The Slovak Republic The Slovak Republic requires sprinklers in requires sprinklers in single-storey shops larger than 2,000msingle-storey shops larger than 2,000m22 or or multi-storey shops with a fire compartment multi-storey shops with a fire compartment larger than 1,000mlarger than 1,000m22. It also requires . It also requires sprinklers in exhibition halls with a fire sprinklers in exhibition halls with a fire compartment larger than 5,000mcompartment larger than 5,000m22..

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In In Switzerland Switzerland sprinklers are often sprinklers are often required if a fire compartment exceeds required if a fire compartment exceeds 2,400m2,400m22, although the limit is 1,200m, although the limit is 1,200m22 for shops. Sprinklers are also required for shops. Sprinklers are also required in car parks if the fire compartment is in car parks if the fire compartment is larger than 4,000mlarger than 4,000m22 or if a multi-storey or if a multi-storey underground compartment is larger underground compartment is larger than 2,000mthan 2,000m22..

In In the UK the UK sprinklers must be installed in sprinklers must be installed in single-storey shops larger than 2,000msingle-storey shops larger than 2,000m22. . Sprinklers also raise the maximum Sprinklers also raise the maximum compartment area in multi-storey places compartment area in multi-storey places of assembly from 2,000mof assembly from 2,000m22 to 4,000m to 4,000m22..

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Germany allows travel distances in shopping centres to be increased from 25m to 60m in sales areas and from 35m to 70m in walkways.

Luxemburg allows travel distances in underground car parks to increase from 30m to 40m with sprinklers.

In Spain escape routes in shopping centres may be 25% longer if sprinklers are fitted.

In the UK travel distances may be increased if sprinklers are fitted. A new standard will allow increases of up to 50%.

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Fire Regulations (P.D 71/1988)High risk buildings or areas of buildings must be fitted

by sprinklers systems.(Article 1 Note 1.2.3)

1.1. Residential buildings Residential buildings TTravel distances could be increased if a sprinklers system is fitted (&5-2.1.3)

2.2. Education buildings Education buildings Compartment size increase factor 3,0 (with sprinklers) (&7-3.2)

3.3. OfficesOffices Fire resistance of loadbearing elements decrease factor 0,5 (with sprinklers) (&8-3.1)Compartment area increase factor 1,5 (&8-3.2)Buildings higher than 20m and more than 400 persons population must have a sprinklers system (&8-4.4)

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4. Shops4. Shops Load bearing elements FR factor 0,5-0,6 (&9-3.1)

Size of compartment increase factor 1,5-4,0 (&9-3.2)

Installation of sprinklers in:Installation of sprinklers in: Buildings with floor area larger than 1.000 mBuildings with floor area larger than 1.000 m22

Total area larger than 2.500 mTotal area larger than 2.500 m22

Basements larger than 250 mBasements larger than 250 m22

High risk areasHigh risk areas

5. Assembly Buildings5. Assembly Buildings

Travel distance from 45 to 60m Travel distance from 45 to 60m (&10-2.1.4)(&10-2.1.4)

Fire resistance factor 0,5Fire resistance factor 0,5 (&10-3.1)(&10-3.1)

Volume of compartment from 7.000mVolume of compartment from 7.000m33 to 10.500m to 10.500m33

(&10-3.2)(&10-3.2)

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6. Industrial Buildings and Warehouses6. Industrial Buildings and Warehouses Fire resistance factor * 0.5, 0.6, 0.7Fire resistance factor * 0.5, 0.6, 0.7 (&11-3.1)(&11-3.1) Compartment size * 2.0, 2.5, 4.0Compartment size * 2.0, 2.5, 4.0 (&11-3.2)(&11-3.2) In many cases automatic extinguishing systems are In many cases automatic extinguishing systems are

obligatory (4.3)obligatory (4.3)

7. Hospitals 7. Hospitals In various high risk areas (warehouses, storage of In various high risk areas (warehouses, storage of

flammable liquids electrical and mechanical rooms, flammable liquids electrical and mechanical rooms, laundries, crematories etc.)laundries, crematories etc.)

In buildings of people with disabilities (handicapped, In buildings of people with disabilities (handicapped, children, elderly etc.) children, elderly etc.)

Sprinklers Systems are obligatory Sprinklers Systems are obligatory (&12- 4.6)(&12- 4.6)

8.Prisons (article 12B)8.Prisons (article 12B)

Fire resistance factor * 0.33Fire resistance factor * 0.33

Compartment size factor * 1.5Compartment size factor * 1.5

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9. Parking areas and Fuel Pump 9. Parking areas and Fuel Pump Stations (Art.13)Stations (Art.13)Fire resistance factor * 0.33Fire resistance factor * 0.33Compartment size * 1,50Compartment size * 1,50

10.Existing Hotels (Article 19)10.Existing Hotels (Article 19)In the risk assessment methodology In the risk assessment methodology for the fire protection of existing for the fire protection of existing hotels, the installation of sprinklers hotels, the installation of sprinklers system in the total area of the Hotel system in the total area of the Hotel gives the maximum grade of 10.0gives the maximum grade of 10.0

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Building Code Building Code Seguridad en caso de incendio S1-(March 2006)Seguridad en caso de incendio S1-(March 2006)

Sprinklers are required in: Sprinklers are required in:  All buildings more than 80 m heightAll buildings more than 80 m height Hotels more than 28 m height or more than 5.000 mHotels more than 28 m height or more than 5.000 m22 floor floor

area.area. In commercial establishments more than 1.500 mIn commercial establishments more than 1.500 m2 2 floor area floor area

and more than 500 MJ/mand more than 500 MJ/m22 of fire load. of fire load.sprinklers (required by regulation or not) increase 25% all sprinklers (required by regulation or not) increase 25% all

limits to travel distances.limits to travel distances. sprinklers not required by regulation can:sprinklers not required by regulation can: increase 100% the limits of surface to fire compartments,

typically 2.500 m2 rise up to 5.000 m2  reduce 39% of the required time of structural fire

resistance, but only when it is determined according to the “equivalent time” option. This option is the same of annex F of Eurocode nº 1 (EN 1991-1-2). This reduction does not apply if you choose the tabulated required time.

 

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Sprinklers are required in:Sprinklers are required in:

1)Apartment buildings or hotels higher than 30m.2) Retail premises with a fire compartment larger than 1,000m2.3) Exhibition halls with a fire compartment larger than 5,000m2.4) Underground automatic car parks if quick and adequate intervention bythe fire service is impossible.5) Second and lower underground floors of multi-storey underground carparks with a capacity of more than 50 vehicles.6) Car parks with a capacity of more than 200 cars that are beneath public assembly buildings such as cinemas and conference centers.7) Stage areas of theatres in some circumstances.8) Storage of flammable liquids under some circumstances.

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