UG_20090206_Merci

Fundamental design approaches for
improvement of the fire safety in car parks

01/01/2009 – 31/12/2010
Prof. Bart Merci

Universiteit Gent - UGent
Vakgroep Mechanica van Stroming, Warmte en Verbranding
www.FloHeaCom.UGent.be

SBO-project (IWT)

• Project financed by IWT-Vlaanderen
• SBO = ‘Strategisch Basisonderzoek’
• Fundamental research -> valorisation (10-year term policy)
• Societal valorisation
• Total budget: ca. 1.5MEur
• 2-year project
• 2010: ask for prolongation


Research partners

• Ghent University – UGent:
– Dept. of Flow, Heat and Combustion Mechanics:
• Prof. dr. ir. Bart Merci (co-ordinator)
• Prof. dr. ir. Paul Vandevelde
– Dept. of Structural Engineering:
• Prof. dr. ir. Luc Taerwe
– Sub-contracting: WFRGENT NV:
• dr. ir. Bart Sette
• KULeuven:
– Applied Mechanics and Energy Conversion:
• Prof. dr. ir. Eric Van den Bulck
• Dr. ir. Filip Van den Schoor
• Prof. dr. ir. Filip Verplaetsen


Research partners

• von Karman Institute:
– Environmental and Applied Fluid Dynamics Department:
• Prof. dr. ir. Jeroen van Beeck
• Royal Military Academy:
– Civil Engineering and Materials:
• Prof. dr. ir. John Vantomme


Researchers

• Ghent University – UGent: 3 researchers
• KULeuven: 1 researcher
• Von Karman Institute: 1 researcher
• Royal Military Academy: 1 researcher


Scientific-technological objectives

• Major objectives:
– fundamental research as basis for the development of reliable fire
safety design calculation methods and safety guidelines for new
car parks and the assessment and improvement of existing car
parks;
– the onset of a global fire and explosion risk analysis.
• The study focuses on the following aspects in car parks:
– smoke control in case of fire;
– explosion risk;
– structural aspects (structural integrity and reliability assessment).



• Smoke control objectives:
– to develop large scale CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics)
simulation approaches of the fire safety system;
– to characterise sprinkler sprays;
– to gather experimental and simulation data for the derivation of
simplified calculation methods for the design of smoke extraction
systems, without sprinklers, for closed and semi-closed car parks.



• Explosion risk objectives:
– to carry out an approximate quantitative risk analysis (QRA) of the
explosion risk in closed and semi-closed car parks due to the
presence of vehicles fuelled with LPG and hydrogen;
– to gather experimental and simulation data for the derivation of
simplified calculation methods for the design of gas detection and
ventilation systems, for closed and semi-closed car parks.



• Structural aspects objectives:
– to develop advanced mechanical models for the structural
behaviour of structural members in the context of car park
structures taking into account non-linear behaviour due to indirect
actions in the accidental situations of fire and explosion;
– to develop a particular analysis of the punching shear problem in
case of fire and explosions.


Scientific-technological work packages

• Smoke control work packages:
– WP1: Determination of design parameters, scenarios and
objectives:
• identification and quantification of the most critical
parameters and scenarios for the safe design of car
parks with respect to smoke control, structural reliability
and explosion risk;
• definition of the design objectives to minimise the fire
and explosion risk in car parks and to maximise
structural reliability.



– WP2: Smoke and heat control:
• to acquire experimental data during field experiments
and wind tunnel tests that will be used to validate and
adapt the physical modelling in the CFD simulations;
• to provide data, in the form of analytical relationships
between a limited set of parameters, obtained from
experiments and a number of CFD simulations;
• to characterize the effect of sprinklers.



– WP3: Reliable design calculation methods (no sprinklers):
• Preparations for the development of reliable, simplified
and quick calculation methods, including their limits of
applicability.
– WP4: Dissemination:
• Implementation of findings in standardization
committees;
• The development of a web site;
• The organization of workshops;
• Inclusion of findings in course material;
• Journal publications (Fireforum).



• Explosion risk work packages:
objectives:
and explosion risk;



– WP2: Explosions:
– to acquire experimental data during field experiments and
wind tunnel tests that will be used to validate and adapt
the physical modelling in the CFD simulations;
– to provide data, in the form of analytical relationships
between a limited set of parameters, obtained from
experiments and a number of CFD simulations;
– to experimentally study the ignition of stagnant and
flowing flammable mixtures by hot surfaces in order to
determine the probability that an accidental fuel release
will lead to a vapour cloud explosion;
– to approximately quantify the effects of different explosion
scenarios.



applicability.
– WP4: Quantitative risk analysis:
• to carry out an approximate quantitative risk analysis on
the fire and explosion risk in car parks.



committees;



• Structural aspects work packages:
objectives:
and explosion risk;



– WP2: Structural models:
• Parametric analysis of structural members:
– A failure and deformation analysis of individual building
elements (slab and column) will be developed taking into
account the high temperature effects and the combined
effect of a fire with blast and gas pressure. This study will
comprise only analytical and numerical modelling.
– UGent will analyse the consequences of a fire in finite
element (FE) software.
– The RMA will focus on the combination of loads (fire, blast
and gas pressure) and adequate material behaviour laws,
which will be analysed by means of a combination of
hydrocode and finite element approach.



– WP2: Structural models:
• Connections: Study of moment resisting connections between
structural elements and analysis of the punching resistance in
case of fire and for fire in combination with explosions.
– Large scale fire tests on column-slab connections (UGent and
WFRGENT NV): identification of the influence of specific
reinforcement schemes on the failure mode.
– A mechanical model for punching resistance under fire conditions
will be developed based on advanced failure mechanisms and on
the basis of an original test program: three full scale slab-column
connections will be submitted to a fire test at WFRGENT.
– An experimental programme with real scale blast tests on
selected connection configurations will support this. RMA will
develop a practical test configuration.



applicability.
committees;


Valorisation objectives and activities

• Societal valorisation
• Valorisation objectives:
– Development of a fundamental basis for improved simplified design
calculation methods, to be implemented in several standardization
committees;
– Construction of a dedicated web site;
– Set the basis for instructions for safe intervention of fire brigades
and/or emergency services, especially in the presence of gas-
fuelled cars;
– Incorporate findings in course material for education.



• User group:
– Plenary group (1 meeting per year)
– Working group (3 meetings per year)
• Members:
– Agoria (Mevr. D. Du Tré): PG;
– CEN/TC191/SC1/WG9 (Dhr. J.-Cl. Desmedt): PG;
– Assuralia (dhr. Bernard Desmet): PG;
– FOD Binnenlandse Zaken (ir. J. De Saedeleer): WG;
– BrandweerVereniging Vlaanderen (ir. C. Gryspeert): WG;
– Adinex NV (Prof. dr. ir. F. Verplaetsen): WG;
– SECO (ing. J.-Ph. Vériter): WG;
– Vinçotte (ing. B. Vanbever): WG;



• Members (continued):
– BodyCote WarringtonFire (ir. C. Deleu): WG;
– FireTec (ing. K. Van Herpe): WG;
– Brakel Aero (Dhr. K. Demaeght): WG;
– Colt International NV (Dhr. Gérard van Oosteren): WG;
– Somati NV (ing. Caroline Geuens): WG;
– Technum NV (ing. L. Schoonbaert en ing. W. Van de Voorde): WG;
– IFSET NV (ir. X. Deckers): WG;
– VK Engineering (dr. ir. E. Theuns): WG;
– ISIB vzw (ir. E. Van Wesemael): WG;
– Promat NV (Dhr. M. Bonheure): WG;
– WFRGENT NV (dr. ir. B. Sette): WG.


UG_20090206_Merci

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