- Author
- Pagni, P. J. | Woycheese, J. P.
- Title
- Modular Model for Post-Earthquake Fire Growth.
- Coporate
- California Univ., Berkeley
- Sponsor
- National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD
- Contract
- NIST-GRANT-60NANB3D1438
- Book or Conf
- U.S./Japan Government Cooperative Program on Natural Resources (UJNR). Fire Research and Safety. 14th Joint Panel Meeting. Proceedings. May 28-June 3, 1998, ['Tsukuba, Japan', 'Tokyo, Japan'], 149-156 p., 1998
- Keywords
- fire safety | earthquakes | fire growth | fire models | equations
- Identifiers
- Modular Urban Conflagration Fire Growth Model; modular post earthquake fire growth model; brand dynamics
- Abstract
- This presentation describes a Modular Urban Conflagration Fire Growth Model which incorporates previous developments in urban/wildland and post-earthquake fire modeling. While an overall fire growth model is planned, our emphasis is on burning brands. Initial studies of lofting brands, recognized as a critical component in conflagration spread, have been completed. Currently we are focusing on two problems: 1.) improving the analytical description of brands and 2.) analyzing the brand-wind-plume interaction that determines the brand deposition sites. Wind tunnel experiments which provide six-component resolution of the forces and moments on the burning brand are also underway. The excellent literature by Rothermel, Albini, Tarifa, Scawthorn, Hamada, Finney and others is being fully utilized. Case studies of recent conflagrations provide applications for comparison with the model. The Large Eddy Simulation plume model "ALOFT," developed at USDOC/NIST/BFRL by Baum and McGrattan, will be used to loft and transport the brands. Because of the analog between structural rubble piles and brush/wood piles, similar modeling is expected to apply to both urban/wildland intermix and post-earthquake conflagrations.