Fire Risk Assessment for Light Industrial Buildings - FIERASystem

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NRC, in partnership with the Canadian Department of National Defence (DND), is developing a new computer model to evaluate fire-protection systems for light industrial buildings, with the primary focus on warehouses and aircraft hangars.

Figure 1. Typical Industrial Building

FIERAsystem (Fire Evaluation and Risk Assessment system), is based on a framework that allows designers to establish objectives, select possible fire scenarios, and evaluate the impact of each scenario on life safety and property protection. The framework leads the user through a series of steps in setting up the problem, including defining building and occupant characteristics, and specifying fire safety objectives and appropriate performance criteria for fire and smoke spread, occupant safety, property protection, and continuity of operations. Potential fire scenarios are then selected from a list, along with active and passive fire protection options to be evaluated.

Figure 2. Options Menu

Once the above information has been entered, the program simulates the effects of each of the selected fire scenarios using a series of individual submodels. Each submodel contains equations that describe the fire, and the effects of the fire on the building and its occupants and contents. This provides information on fire and smoke spread with time, the time of activation of the fire detection and suppression systems, occupant response and evacuation, as well as the performance of building members to fire attack. Submodels can be run separately in order to calculate specific quantities, or as part of a complete FIERAsystem hazard analysis, as each submodel has its own user interface and is designed as a stand-alone piece of software. Calculations can also be performed using a combination of some of the FIERAsystem models and information from datafiles. These datafiles can include results from other computer fire models or fire test data. This flexibility allows FIERAsystem to be used by designers for many different types of buildings, since modifications can be made to individual submodels, without having to change the rest of the system model.

The overall result for each fire scenario is the expected number of deaths and the expected losses. The results for the selected scenarios can then be used in one of three ways: to determine whether the chosen fire safety objectives are satisfied; to perform a hazard analysis for each fire scenario; or to do a complete risk assessment. If the user is not satisfied with the results for a particular design, they can then make changes to the design, and then re-run the models. The program can also be used to evaluate individual components of a design, such as the activation time of heat detectors or sprinklers, the time to flashover and the time of failure of construction elements.

Figure 3. Interface for FIERAsystem Hazard Analysis

Figure 4. Interface for FIERAsystem Risk Analysis

FIERAsystem will assist engineers and building officials in evaluating building fire-protection systems in a clear and concise manner, and in determining whether a selected design satisfies the established objectives for the building. Such models will also facilitate the introduction and use of objective-based codes, such as the upcoming version of the National Building Code of Canada, which is currently being developed.

Figure 5. Results from FIERAsystem Hazard Analysis

Further planned development of FIERAsystem will allow it to be used in the design of other buildings, such as industrial plants, arenas and shopping malls. This development work will increase the number of fire scenarios the program can simulate and improve its ability to model the unique aspects of different buildings. Results of other research projects conducted by the Fire Research Program - for example, in the areas of active fire protection, human factors and fire-resistant construction will continue to be incorporated into the program.

FIERAsystem was developed in partnership with the Department of National Defence (DND). The intention is to release the FIERAsystem software through the NRC web site. The software will be released to qualified users, such as fire consultants and regulatory officials, first for Beta testing and then for general application. French translation of the software graphical user interface and the user's manuals will accompany the final release.

Publications

FIERAsystem: a fire risk assessment tool to evaluate fire safety in industrial buildings and large spaces
Bénichou, N. Kashef, A. Reid, I. Hadjisophocleous, G.V. Torvi, D.A. Morinville, G.
Journal of Fire Protection Engineering, 15 (3)
pp. 145-172. 2005-08-01
[Full citation / Référence complète]

FIERAsystem Radiation to Adjacent Buildings Model (RABM): Theory Report
Torvi, D.A. Kashef, A. Bénichou, N. Hadjisophocleous, G.V.
Research Report, NRC Institute for Research in Construction, 189
pp. 11. 2005-03-01
[Full citation / Référence complète]

How to use fire risk assessment tools to evaluate performance-based designs
Bénichou, N. Kashef, A.
CIB 2004, World Building Congress (Toronto, Ontario, 2004-05-02)
pp. 1-11. 2004-05-01
[Full citation / Référence complète]

FIERAsystem: a fire risk assessment tool to evaluate fire safety in buildings and large spaces
Bénichou, N. Kashef, A. Reid, I. Morinville, G. Bounagui, A.
Third Mediterranean Combustion Symposium (Marrakech, Morocco, 2003-06-08)
pp. 1-7. 2003-06-01
[Full citation / Référence complète]

FIERAsystem Theory Report: Fire Spread Model (FSPM)
Kashef, A. Bénichou, N. Reid, I. Hadjisophocleous, G.V.
Research Report, NRC Institute for Research in Construction, 134
pp. 4. 2003-05-01
[Full citation / Référence complète]

FIERAsystem Downtime Model (DNTM) Theory
Bénichou, N. Kashef, A. Reid, I. Hum, J.K. Hadjisophocleous, G.V.
Research Report, NRC Institute for Research in Construction, 135
pp. 14. 2003-05-01
[Full citation / Référence complète]

FIERAsystem Enclosed Pool Fire Development Model: Theory Report
Kashef, A. Bénichou, N. Torvi, D.A. Raboud, D. Hadjisophocleous, G.V. Reid, I.
Research Report, NRC Institute for Research in Construction, 121
pp. 18. 2002-11-01
[Full citation / Référence complète]

FIERAsystem Theory Report: Economic Model
Bénichou, N. Kashef, A. Yager, B.L. Hum, J.K. Hadjisophocleous, G.V.
Research Report, NRC Institute for Research in Construction, 122
pp. 15. 2002-11-01
[Full citation / Référence complète]

FIERAsystem User's Manual
Bénichou, N. Hum, J.K. Jabashvili, D. Kashef, A. Neale, A. Reid, I.
pp. 265. 2002-12-01
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FIERAsystem Expected Number of Deaths Model (ENDM): Theory Report
Torvi, D.A. Kashef, A. Bénichou, N. Hadijisophocleous, G.V. Raboud, D.W.
Research Report, NRC Institute for Research in Construction, 119
pp. 7. 2002-11-01
[Full citation / Référence complète]

FIERAsystem: A Fire Risk Assessment Model for Light Industrial Building Fire Safety Evaluation
Bénichou, N. Kashef, A. Torvi, D.A. Hadjisophocleous, G.V. Reid, I.
Research Report, NRC Institute for Research in Construction, 120
pp. 28. 2002-11-01
[Full citation / Référence complète]

FIERAsystem Occupant Response (OCRM) and Occupant Evaluation (OEVM) Models Theory Report
Raboud, D.W. Bénichou, N. Kashef, A. Proulx, G. Hadjisophocleous, G.V.
Research Report, NRC Institute for Research in Construction, 100
pp. 20. 2002-05-30
[Full citation / Référence complète]

FIERAsystem Water Requirements Model (WTRM)
Torvi, D.A. Kashef, A. Bénichou, N. Hadjisophocleous, G.V.
Internal Report, Institute for Research in Construction, National Research Council Canada, 851
pp. 23. 2002-05-01
[Full citation / Référence complète]

IRC looking for partners to test new fire risk assessment tool
Bénichou, N.
Construction Innovation, 7 (1)
pp. 4-5. 2002-03-27
[Full citation / Référence complète]

Hazard analysis of a multi-occupancy building using FIERAsystem
Bénichou, N. Hadjisophocleous, G.V. Torvi, D.A. Vollhoffer, S.R. Reid, I.
4th International Conference on Performance-Based Codes & Fire Safety Design Methods (Melbourne, Australia, 2002-03-20)
pp. 310-321. 2002-03-22
[Full citation / Référence complète]

Fire Department Response Model (FDRM) and Fire Department Effectiveness Model (FDEM) Theory Report
Bénichou, N. Kashef, A. Hadjisophocleous, G.V.
Internal Report, Institute for Research in Construction, National Research Council Canada, 842
pp. 14. 2002-03-01
[Full citation / Référence complète]

Related Information

FIERAsystem Download

Institutes:

• NRC Institute for Research in Construction