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The design of buildings for fire events is essential to ensure occupant safety. Supplementary to simple prescriptive methods, performance-based fire design can be applied to achieve a greater level of safety and flexibility in design. To make performance-based fire design more accessible, a time-equivalent method can be used to approximate a given natural fire event using a single standard fire with a specific duration. Doing so allows for natural fire events to be linked to the wealth of existing data from the standard fire scenario. The purpose of this paper is to review and assess the application of an existing time-equivalent method in the performance-based design of reinforced concrete (RC) beams.

The assessment is established by computationally developing the moment-curvature response of RC beam sections during fire exposure. The sectional response due to natural fire and time equivalent fire are compared.

It is shown that the examined time equivalent method is able to predict the sectional response with suitable accuracy for performance-based design purposes.

The research is the first to provide a comprehensive evaluation of the moment-curvature diagram of RC beams using time-equivalent standard fire scenarios that model realistic fire scenarios.

The extreme nature of fire makes structural fire engineering unique in that the load actions dictating design are intense and neither geographically nor seasonally bound. Simply, fire can break out anywhere, at any time and for any number of reasons. Despite the apparent need, the fire design of structures still relies on expensive fire tests, complex finite element simulations and outdated procedures with little room for innovation. This paper aims to discuss the aforementioned issues.

This primer highlights the latest state of the art in this area with regard to performance-based design in fire structural engineering. In addition, this short review also presents a series of examples of successful implementation of performance-based fire design of structures from around the world.

A comparison between global efforts clearly shows the advances put forth by European and Oceanian efforts as opposed to the rest of the world. In addition, it can be clearly seen that most performance-based fire designs are related to steel and composite structures.

In one study, this paper presents a concise and global view to performance-based fire design of structures from success stories from around the world.

This paper aims to present the details of a study undertaken to develop an energy-based time equivalent approach to obtain the fire resistance ratings (FRRs) of light gauge steel frame (LSF) walls exposed to realistic design fire curves.

The energy-based time equivalent method was developed based on the performance of a structural member exposed to a realistic design fire curve in comparison to that of the standard fire time – temperature curve. The FRR predicted by the energy-based method for LSF wall configurations exposed to both rapid and prolonged fires were compared with those from fire design rules and finite element analyses (FEA).

The proposed energy method can be used to obtain the FRR of LSF walls in case of prolonged fires and cannot be used for rapid fires as the computed FRRs were higher than the results from FEA and fire design rules due to the influence of thermal bowing and its magnification effects at a high temperature gradient across the studs for rapid fires.

The energy-based time equivalent method was developed based on equal fire severity principles. Three different wall configurations were considered and exposed to both rapid and prolonged fires. The FRR obtained from the energy-based method were compared with fire design rules and FEA results to assess the use of the energy-based method to predict the FRR of LSF walls.

This study aims to analyze and discuss the key design assumptions needed for design of car parks in steel, to highlight the impact that the increased fire loads introduced by modern cars and changes in the fire dynamics have on the design, such as fire spread leading to non-localized fires.

In particular, a reliable fire load density to be used for structural design of car park structures is assessed, based on investigations of the fire loads of modern cars. Based on knowledge of fire load and fire performance of cars, the consequences on the fire safety design of steel structures are presented.

Design recommendation about fire load density and fire protection of common steel profiles are given. Finally, the proposed design is compared with a design practice that has been applied in many instances for car parks constructed with unprotected steel, and recommendations for a reliable design process are provided.

Numerous car park buildings have recently been designed of steel structures without passive or active fire protection. The key assumptions that makes possible such design are local fire scenarios, outdated values of the car fire load and utilization of the ultimate steel strength. This paper identifies the shortcomings of such key assumptions, indicating the need for revisiting the methods and possibly even checking the analyses carried out for some already-built car parks.

This study aims to explore occupants’ perceived importance and satisfaction with high-rise students’ housing facilities’ fire safety considerations (FSCs). The specific objectives are to explore the FSCs for high-rise students’ housing facilities and assess the level of importance and satisfaction with the FSCs provided in high-rise students’ housing facilities in controlling fire outbreaks.

The study uses an exploratory sequential design with an initial qualitative phase followed by a quantitative data collection phase. Twenty FSCs were identified through the qualitative phase via semistructured interviews. Their importance and satisfaction were revealed through survey questionnaires with 168 respondents who stayed in or were involved in the operation of high-rise students’ housing facilities. Data from the qualitative phase were analyzed thematically, and those obtained from the quantitative phase were analyzed descriptively and inferentially.

The study’s findings revealed that all the 20 FSCs identified via the qualitative phase and confirmed through the quantitative phase were perceived to be very important in fighting fires in high-rise students’ housing facilities. However, only 9 out of the 20 FSCs received some satisfaction among the respondents in fighting fires in the facilities.

This study offers insight into a rare study area, especially in sub-Saharan Africa. In addition, it grants insight into the occupants’ perspective regarding which FSCs they consider essential and their level of satisfaction with such FSCs in fighting fires in high-rise students’ housing facilities.

The objectives of this paper are to present an assessment for the consideration of fire safety during the design stages of school facilities in Saudi Arabia; and to present the development of a fire risk assessment survey tool whereby existing school facilities can be evaluated for the purpose of identifying and eliminating fire hazards, and meeting the minimum requirements of current legislation.

The paper classifies the factors that make school facilities a high‐risk type of buildings to fire; reviews causes of fires in schools and identifies potential high‐risk areas to fires in school facilities; and reviews design and operation factors controlling fire severity.

Investigating the consideration for fire safety in the design phase of public school facilities in Saudi Arabia indicated that the design office at the Ministry of Education is active in providing the following fire safety requirements: fire detection and notification systems including smoke detectors and fire alarms; fire suppression and extinguishing systems including automatic sprinkler systems, standpipe and hose system and portable fire extinguishers; and means of egress and evacuation systems including exit doors, emergency lighting and directional signs. The fire risk assessment survey tool developed in this paper consists of 61 items to assess fire protection equipment, exitways/stairs, interior decorations/interior finish integrity, fire hydrants and lanes, electrical wiring, laboratories, and maintenance measures.

The paper provides practical value to design professionals of school projects and school staff and facilities managers responsible for the day‐to‐day operation of school facilities.

This paper aims to present a reliability analysis of the slab panel method (SPM) for the design of composite steel floors in severe fires. Rather than seeking to accurately define failure levels, this paper highlights areas of uncertainty in design and their effect on design results, whilst providing approximate reliability levels.

A Monte Carlo simulation has been conducted using the SPM design procedure to produce probability density functions of floor capacity for various floor layouts. Statistical input variables were obtained from the literature. Different configurations, geometries and fire severities are included to demonstrate how predicted floor capacities are influenced.

From the research presented, it is clear that the predicted reliability of SPM systems varies relative to a large number of criteria, but especially parameters related to fire loading. Predicted capacities are shown to be conservative compared to results of furnace and large-scale natural fire tests, which exhibit higher fire resistance. Due to distinct fire hazard categories with associated input values, there are step discontinuities in capacity graphs.

Limited research has been done to date on the reliability of structures in fire as discussed in this paper. It is important to verify the reliability levels of systems to ensure that partial and global factors of safety are adequate. Monte Carlo simulations are shown to be effective for calculating the average floor capacities and associated standard deviations. The presentation of probability density functions for composite floors in severe fires is novel.

Traditionally, buildings are designed in accordance with prescriptive building and fire codes. Rapid urbanization causes an increase in urban population and commercial activities, and an increase in demand for large and complex buildings. Buildings that have been constructed in accordance with the old prescriptive requirements may not have the same fire safety level as the standard enforced today, even if all fire safety items are maintained at the original design standard. It is the usual practice that any upgrading or alteration works to be carried out in an existing building are required to comply with the requirements currently enforced. The demand for using a performance‐based approach for designing large complex buildings as well as alteration works in existing or historical buildings is increasing. The paper aims to discuss the issues involved

This paper presents a brief comparison of the use of performance‐based fire safety design in three locations and presents the use of a system dynamics model to examine how the technological investment will affect the use of performance‐based fire safety design.

The model predicts that increased investment by the Hong Kong authorities would see a rise in the number of building projects using a performance‐based approach within a few years.

The research in this paper provides guidance to the building control regime in Hong Kong on how to achieve an increase in the use of a fire‐engineered approach to enhance fire safety design in buildings.

This paper explores the quality and flow of facade product information and the capabilities for avoiding the risk of facade fires early in the design process.

A qualitative case study using the process tracing method is conducted in two stages. First, a thematic analysis of reports and literature identified two categories for the problems that caused fast fire spread across the Grenfell Tower facade. This enabled classifying the identified problems into four stages of a facade life cycle: product design and manufacturing, procurement, facade design and construction. Second, the capabilities for avoiding the problems were explored by conducting in-depth interviews with 18 experts in nine countries, analyzing design processes and designers' expertise and examining the usability of three digital interfaces in providing required information for designing fire-safe facades.

The results show fundamental flaws in the quality of facade product information and usability of digital interfaces concerning fire safety. These flaws, fragmented design processes and overreliance on other specialists increase the risk of design defects that cause fast fire spread across facades.

The findings have implications for standardization of building product information, digitalization in industrialized construction and facade design management.

This research adds to the body of knowledge on sustainability in the built environment. It is the first study to highlight the fundamental problem of facade product information, which requires urgent attention in the rapid transition toward digital and industrialized construction.

House fire risk would be minimised if fire safety principles were incorporated at the design stage. This issue is rarely addressed in the literature. The purpose of this study is to propose a multi-criteria decision-making framework to evaluate fire risk of detached house designs in the United Arab Emirates and countries of similar cultural background.

The framework was developed based on function areas where (detached) house fires start, expert opinion and recommendations derived from the published literature on residential fire safety. This framework was applied to a sample of ten public detached house designs to check the applicability of the framework and to determine how safe these designs are from a fire safety perspective.

The proposed framework is proven to be an effective preliminary fire risk evaluation tool of detached house designs, and more research is needed in this area.

The proposed framework is an encouraging first step in incorporating fire risk minimisation at the design stage of detached houses based on determining the preferred location of function areas but requires further development and validation, especially in other design settings.

The proposed framework is an initial endeavour in helping designers of detached houses to minimise fire risk and its potential effects on residents.

This research proposes a way to minimise fire risk at the design stage of detached houses.