FireDOC Search

Author
Cooper, L. Y.
Title
Estimating Safe Available Egress Time From Fires. Final Report.
Coporate
National Bureau of Standards, Gaithersburg, MD
Sponsor
Department of Labor, Washington, DC
Report
NBSIR 80-2172, February 1981, 72 p.
Distribution
Available from National Technical Information Service
Keywords
combustion products | compartment fires | egress | fire detection | fire growth | hazard analysis | mathematical models | smoke movement
Abstract
A general technique for estimating the time available for safe egress from a fire is presented. By introducing a qualitative and quantitative model of hazard development, the details of the technique are formulated for the room of fire origin problem. The inputs to the model are the area and ceiling height of the room, data from free burn tests of characteristic fuel assemblies likely to the found therein, the anticipated model of fire detection, and a criterion for the onset of untenability. The output is an estimate of the length of time between detection of a fire and the onset of untenable conditions. Results of applying the estimation technique are presented and discussed.