Postgraduate Course: Current Methods in Fire Safety Engineering (PGEE10003)
Course Outline
| School | School of Engineering |
College | College of Science and Engineering |
| Course type | Standard |
Availability | Not available to visiting students |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 10 (Year 4 Undergraduate) |
Credits | 10 |
| Home subject area | Postgrad (School of Engineering) |
Other subject area | None |
| Course website |
None |
Taught in Gaelic? | No |
| Course description | 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&ª, rather than &«performance-based&ª, 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. |
Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites |
|
Co-requisites | |
| Prohibited Combinations | |
Other requirements | None |
| Additional Costs | None |
Course Delivery Information
|
| Delivery period: 2012/13 Semester 1, Not available to visiting students (SS1)
|
WebCT enabled: Yes |
Quota: None |
| Location |
Activity |
Description |
Weeks |
Monday |
Tuesday |
Wednesday |
Thursday |
Friday |
| King's Buildings | Lecture | | 1-11 | | | 11:10 - 13:00 | | |
| First Class |
First class information not currently available |
| Exam Information |
| Exam Diet |
Paper Name |
Hours:Minutes |
|
|
| Main Exam Diet S1 (December) | Current Methods in Fire Safety Engineering | 1:30 | | |
Summary of Intended Learning Outcomes
&· Demonstrate an understanding of the general principles of &«Codes and standards&ª and the requirements and responsibilities in their use.
&· Demonstrate an understanding of the concept of &«Flammability&ª 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&ª, including system classifications and requirements, and detector technologies, such as smoke and heat detection, etc.
&· Demonstrate an understanding of the principles of &«Smoke management&ª $ú 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&ª, 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&ª 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&ª, 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.
|
Assessment Information
| The assessment will be made on the basis of: Intermittent Assessment 20% and Degree Examination 80% |
Special Arrangements
| None |
Additional Information
| Academic description |
Not entered |
| Syllabus |
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 $ùFlammability&© 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 $ùFire 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 $ùSmoke 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 $ùFire 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 $ùFire 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 $ùEgress&©
- 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.
|
| Transferable skills |
Not entered |
| Reading list |
Not entered |
| Study Abroad |
Not entered |
| Study Pattern |
Not entered |
| Keywords | Not entered |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Dr Stephen Welch
Tel: (0131 6)50 5734
Email: |
Course secretary | Mrs Laura Smith
Tel: (0131 6)50 5690
Email: |
|
© Copyright 2012 The University of Edinburgh - 6 March 2012 6:22 am
|
University Homepage