Evacuation from smoke filled corridors
conference paper
underpinning compartmentation requirements in the Dutch regulations is that people can and will go through 30 m of smoke filled space. The hypothesis leads to the requirement that corridors are divided in compartments with a maximum length of 30 meters. This hypothesis was checked experimentally in a corridor filled with smoke corresponding to a visibility of 25 meters. Twenty able-bodied test subjects (M/F, age 25-72 years old) were asked to walk as long as possible through that corridor. Using three types of smoke the consequences of irritation of the eyes were investigated. From 60 tests the conclusion is: in a corridor filled with smoke resulting in a visibility of 25 meters, able-bodied people can walk without breathing for 20 seconds; the distance covered is at least 30 meters. It is indicated that higher smoke densities can lead to shorter distances. Another item studied was the extent to which staircases can be assumed safe during fire. Using a simple model and assumptions, the smoke spread from a corridor through fire doors to a staircase was calculated. In a first phase with relatively high visibility in the corridor, no problems arise from the smoke, even when people use the fire doors. However, in a later phase with higher smoke density in the corridor, the leakage through fire doors can result in a serious reduction of visibility in the staircases. Some relevant parameters are investigated.
TNO Identifier
329309
Source title
1st International Symposium on Human Behaviour in Fire, Belfast, Northern Ireland, 30 August - 2 September 1998
Collation
10 p.
Pages
639-648
Files
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