Postgraduate Course: Current Methods in Fire Safety Engineering (PGEE10003)
Course Outline
| School | School of Engineering |
College | College of Science and Engineering |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 10 (Year 4 Undergraduate) |
Availability | Not available to visiting students |
| SCQF Credits | 10 |
ECTS Credits | 5 |
| Summary | This course provides the principles of prescriptive design of structures for fire safety. All different aspects of design are discussed (i.e. flammability, detection & alarm, smoke management, fire suppression, fire resistance, egress, etc.), with particular attention to systems of classification and design applications. Although this module concentrates on "prescriptive", rather than "performance-based", calculations, the emphasis is on intelligent application and use of codes and standards, and references will be made to more advanced methods and opportunities to use performance-based approaches in fire safety engineering. It is intended that the course will enable the student to carry out a prescriptive design in a critical manner with due consideration to any limitations, weaknesses or conservatisms which may be present. |
| Course description |
Lecture 1: Introduction (Codes and standards) (wk1)
Understand principles of codes and standards
- Life Safety Code (NFPA 101)
- Building regulations (Approved Document B)
- British Standards (BS476-20, BS5268-4, BS EN12101-6, BS ISO 14520; BS5839-1, BS12845; BS5950-8, BS8110-2, DD9999, BS7974-6)
- LDSA Fire Safety Guide No 1 Fire Safety in Section 20 buildings
- Structural Eurocodes (EC0-9)
Codes: all (but specifically: NFPA 101, ADB, LDSA Section 20, EC1)
Lecture 2: Flammability Standards (wk2)
Understand concept of 'Flammability' and associated principles of storage, hazard classification
- Standard methods for establishing flammability of different materials.
- Classification and implications related to storage.
- Combustible and flammable liquids
Codes: NFPA 101, NFPA 30, ASTM D56-87, SFPE Handbook Ignition chapter
Lecture 3: Fire Detection and Alarm (wk3)
Understand principles of 'Fire Detection and Alarm'
- System categories, life and property protection
- Alarm and detection zones
- Alarm systems and response
- Detector technologies:
- Heat detectors
- Smoke detection: ionisation, photoelectric and other technologies.
- Other detection technologies, including multi-sensor
Code: BS5839-1
Lecture 4: Smoke Management (wk4)
Understand principles of 'Smoke Management'
- Fundamentals aspects of smoke movement in buildings
- Strategies for smoke control
- active and passive systems; compartmentation requirements and specification of pressurised/depressurised spaces
Codes: BS EN12101-6 [formerly BS5588-4,5,7], ADB
Lectures 5,6: Fire suppression (wks5,6)
Understand principles of 'Fire Suppression'
- Introduction to suppression systems
- Design of sprinkler systems
- Design of gaseous fire suppression systems
- Dry chemical fire suppression
Code: BS EN 12845:2004 [formerly BS5306, Chapter 6 hydraulic calculations]; Bryan ch. 7; BS ISO 14520-2:2006; Ewing et al. Fire Technology Flame extinguishment properties of dry chemicals
Lectures 7,8: Fire Resistance (wks7,8)
Understand current methods to establish 'Fire Resistance'
- Fire resistance requirements
- Compartmentation
- Methods for determining fire resistance of structural elements
- Steel, concrete, timber, etc.
Codes: BS476-20, DD9999, BS5950-8, BS8110-2, BS5268-4
Lecture 9,10: Egress (wks9,10)
Understand the principles of 'Egress'
- Prescriptive calculations for egress: minimum distances, minimum widths, stairways, disabled access and special facilities (the elderly, prisons, etc.).
- Means of escape
- Travel distances
- Escape routes and exit widths
- Human behaviour aspects
- ASET & RSET
- Risk profiles
- Egress models
Code: ADB, DD9999, BS7974:6
Lectures 11: Revision (wk11)
This course has a single tutorial encompassing one or more of the above topics. The submission deadline is the end of week 6.
Practice tutorial issued early in course and feedback provided in lecture.
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Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites |
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Co-requisites | |
| Prohibited Combinations | |
Other requirements | None |
Course Delivery Information
| Not being delivered |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- * Demonstrate an understanding of the general principles of "Codes and standards" and the requirements and responsibilities in their use.
* Demonstrate an understanding of the concept of "Flammability" and the associated principles; knowledge of standard methods for establishing flammability of different materials; classification and implications related to storage.
* Demonstrate an understanding of the principles of "Fire detection and alarm", including system classifications and requirements, and detector technologies, such as smoke and heat detection, etc.
* Demonstrate an understanding of the principles of "Smoke management" - Fundamentals aspects of smoke movement in buildings and strategies for smoke control, including active and passive systems; compartmentation requirements and specification of pressurised/depressurised spaces.
* Demonstrate an understanding of the principles of "Fire suppression", including water suppression systems, aspects of sprinkler system design; principles and design of gaseous fire suppression systems; principles of dry chemical extinguishing systems.
* Demonstrate an understanding of current methods used in "Fire resistance" specifications, including fire resistance requirements and testing, compartmentation requirements, and methods for determining fire resistance of structural elements, including steel, concrete and timber.
* Demonstrate an understanding of the principles of "Egress", including simple egress calculations, encompassing minimum travel distances, minimum escape route and exit widths; human behaviour aspects, and starting place for more detailed approaches, including egress modelling and risk assessment.
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Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
Not entered |
| Keywords | Not entered |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Dr Stephen Welch
Tel: (0131 6)50 5734
Email: S.Welch@ed.ac.uk |
Course secretary | Mr Craig Hovell
Tel: (0131 6)51 7080
Email: c.hovell@ed.ac.uk |
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