Fire Modelling

AFEC have the ability to apply Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) models to the prediction of the fire generated environment with the use of Fire Dynamic Simulator.

Computational Fluid Dynamics

Exposure to smoke is the primary hazard for occupants exposed to fire. AFEC have the capabilities to model the smoke from a fire and recommend methods for its control and allowing tenable conditions for evacuees.
We have developed a comprehensive suite of in- house smoke control software, using recognised models of heat release and entrainment. With these models we can provide information on items such as smoke temperature, visibility, toxicity and volumetric production rate.
In some situations, it may be required to utilise more advanced methods of analysis. AFEC have to ability to apply Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) models to the prediction of the fire generated environment. This allows the designer to build up a detailed history of temperatures, heat flux, visibility etc.

Evacuation Modeling

It is vital that the designer attains a reasonable estimate of the time for building occupants to respond and react to an alarm cue.
AFEC have developed in house models which automate accepted hand calculations for evacuation estimates.
We also have the capability to employ complex industry standard software which allows characteristics to be assigned to a buildings population to provide a reasonable cross section of the population with regards to mobility, commitment, social affiliations and position.
These results may be presented in a format that provides immediate information on items such as bottlenecks, pinch points, floor clearing times, building clearing times etc. The ability to examine these features at an early stage in the project allows significant flexibity in the design.

Structural Fire Modeling

The fire resistance rating of a structural element is determined in a test laboratory by subjecting a loaded structural element to a fire environment controlled to a standard time temperature-heating regime.Observations of actual building fires and results of the real-scale fire tests show that the fire performance of real buildings is much better than can be expected from the single element tests.
Performance based approach to structural fire resistance allows a reduction of fire protection to structural members which can result in significant savings.
Using the ‘Time Equivalent Method’ it is possible to justify the reduction in the fire protection to structural elements by analysing the severity of the possible fire in a specific building against the severity of the standard test fire.
An alternative approach is to simulate the behaviour of the structural assembly as a whole as this allows to take into account the enhancement effects that exist due to the interaction between the structural elements (e.g. between the slab and the beams).