Undergraduate Course: Fire Investigation and Failure Analysis 5 (CIVE11046)
Course Outline
| School | School of Engineering |
College | College of Science and Engineering |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 11 (Year 5 Undergraduate) |
Availability | Available to all students |
| SCQF Credits | 10 |
ECTS Credits | 5 |
| Summary | This is a multidisciplinary course featuring application of previous knowledge and development of new knowledge in an exciting and challenging context. Beyond traditional engineering design, this will test the students in their ability to identify failure of systems, reconstruct scenarios and critically review potential weaknesses in design. This will use Fire Investigation as a focal point of Failure Analysis more generally. Furthermore it will expose students to subjects such as the law and insurance that they will not have dealt with previously but which are important for the practising engineer.
This course is appropriate for Chemical and Mechanical engineering students with an interest in investigation of failures and fires. |
| Course description |
1. Introduction to course/outcomes/etc. and introduction to fire investigation
2. Introduction to failure analysis and fault tree analysis
3. The legal system and insurance framework
4. Common building constructions and case study
5. Determining origin and case Study
6. Electrical sources of fire
7. Explosions
8. Evidence and the law (Guest lecture)
9. Analytical methods and fire modelling
10. Fire fighting systems/methods (Guest lecture)
11. Case study/Revision (Guest lecture)
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Information for Visiting Students
| Pre-requisites | Heat transfer, fluid mechanics, combustion/fire |
| High Demand Course? |
Yes |
Course Delivery Information
| Not being delivered |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Develop fundamental knowledge required to investigate fire and explosions: heat transfer, fluid mechanics material response to fire conditions, construction techniques.
- Understand the legislative framework and philosophy of the courts: evidence, insurance, interpretation.
- Understand the application of fire science and fire engineering to evaluate the behaviour of materials in fire. Solve inverse problems to reconstruct fire scenarios.
- Develop an understanding of quantitative tools and their application.
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Reading List
Drysdale, D., An Introduction to Fire Dynamics, 3rd Edition, 2011
DeHaan and Icove, Kirk's Fire Investigation, 7th Edition, 2006
SFPE Handbook of Fire Protection Engineering, 4th edition, NFPA, 2016
Lees, F., Lees' Loss Prevention in the Process Industries, 3rd Edition, 2004
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Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
A Use a combination of general and specialist engineering knowledge and understanding to optimise the application of existing and emerging technology.
B Apply appropriate theoretical and practical methods to the analysis and solution of engineering problems.
B3 Manage implementation of design solutions, and evaluate their effectiveness.
C4 Bring about continuous improvement through quality management.
D1 Communicate in English with others at all levels.
E1 Comply with relevant codes of conduct.
E3 Undertake engineering activities in a way that contributes to sustainable development. |
| Keywords | Fire,forensics,investigation,failure |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Dr Rory Hadden
Tel: (0131 6)50 5944
Email: |
Course secretary | Miss Margaret Robertson
Tel: (0131 6)50 5565
Email: |
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