final ppt

Critical Review of Concepts

and Norms for Travel Distance for Life Safety

in Building Fires

Guided by: Prof. (Dr.) V.K. Paul Sanskriti Tiwary II Sem MBEM

SPA New Delhi

Final Review 16th May 2013

Is there a problem?

• In the year 2012 Delhi witnessed over 22,700 fire incidents i.e., over 62 fire incidences a day!

• 9 were medium and 2 were serious in nature

• No. of injured – 2,132 in 2011-12 – 1,979 in 2010-11 – 2,225 in 2008-09

• No. of deaths

– 285 in 2011-12 – 357 in 2010-11

What do we do?

Awareness Building Design /

Egress Design

Fire Resistance & Suppression

Detection & Alarm

Fire Safety

Travel Distance

The distance to be travelled from any point in a building to a protected escape route, external escape route or final exit is the travel distance. (Ref.- NBC 2005)

(Ref.- NFPA Life Safety Code 101 Handbook)

Travel Distance norms in NBC

(Ref.- Author)

Research Questions

When travel distance norms of National Building Code (India) were studied and compared for any changes in the values over the various revisions from time to time. The variation noticed is minor from 1970 through 2005. The table 1 highlights the variations.

• The question arises, should the travel distance norms not be revised as the technology and precision improves over the years?

• Are current norms adequate and updated for the contemporary fire and life safety?

• What factors determine travel distance?

• Travel distance cannot be considered in isolation for safe egress. Do the current Travel distance norms represent comprehensive understanding of all other factors involved?

Conclusions & Recommendations

Establishing a conceptual relational framework between the determinants and TD

Identifying factors (determinants)

affecting TD and being affected by TD

Comparing Travel Distance norms

from various codes and standards

Literature study

Case Study

Books Previous years

seminar / thesis Journals and Research papers

Codes &

standards

Studying cases and judging their

adherence to the determinants for TD

norms

Arriving at weightage (or credits) for the

dependency of Td on the determinants identified

Assigning weightage of importance to

the determinants

Seeking answers - Methodology

After Literature Study …

National Building Code (of India) 2005

NFPA Life Safety Code 101

International Building Code 2009

BS 5588

Comparison

Comparison of travel distances norms in various standards

(Ref.- Author)

... continued

(Ref.- Author)

... continued

(Ref.- Author)

... continued

(Ref.- Author)

... continued

(Ref.- Author)

Converting to Graphs

61

91.4

76.2

106.7

53

98

53

69

99

84

30

45

22.5

33.75

39

0 20 40 60 80 100 120

NBC: Type 1 & 2 (non-sprinkled)

NBC: Type 1 & 2 (sprinkled)



NPFA: New (Non-Sprinkled)

NPFA: New (Sprinkled)

NPFA: Existing (Non-Sprinkled)

NPFA: Existing (Selective Sprinkler System)

NPFA: Existing (Sprinkled)

NPFA: Existing (detection and alarm system enabled building)

IBC: Without exterior egress balcony (non-sprinkled)

IBC: With exterior egress balcony (non-sprinkled)

IBC: Without exterior egress balcony (sprinkled)

IBC: With exterior egress balcony (sprinkled)

BS: (AOV; FD30S at ent; FD20S in corridor)

Travel Distance (in m) Residential Occupancy

IBC 2009

NFPA 101

NBC 2005

BS 5588

(Ref.- Author)

Rearranging into Tornado Graph

106.7

91.4

76.2

61

99

98

84

69

53

45

33.75

30

22.5

39

0 20 40 60 80 100 120





NPFA: Existing (detection and alarm system enabled building)


NPFA: Existing (Selective Sprinkler System)


NPFA: New & Existing (Non-Sprinkled)






Travel Distance (in m) Residential Occupancy

IBC 2009

NFPA 101

NBC 2005

BS 5588

(Ref.- Author)

61

91.4

76.2

106.7

46

61

46

61

30

45

22.5

33.75

0 20 40 60 80 100 120













Travel Distance (in m)

Educational Occupancy

IBC 2009

NFPA 101

NBC 2005

(Ref.- Author)

106.7

91.4

76.2

61

61

61

46

46

45

33.75

30

22.5

0 20 40 60 80 100 120















IBC 2009

NFPA 101

NBC 2005

(Ref.- Author)

61

91.4

76.2

106.7

46

76

30

45

30

45

9

45

18

45

0 20 40 60 80 100 120






NPFA: New & Existing (Sprinkled)





BS: Malls (escape in one direction)

BS: Malls (escape in more directions)

BS: Shops (escape in one direction)

BS: Shops (escape in more directions)

Travel Distance (in m) Mercantile Occupancy

IBC 2009

NFPA 101

NBC 2005

BS 5588

(Ref.- Author)

91.4

76.2

61

76

46

45

45

30

30

45

45

18

9

0 20 40 60 80 100



NPFA: New & Existing (Sprinkled)





BS: Shops (escape in more directions)

BS: Malls (escape in more directions)



BS: Shops (escape in one direction)

BS: Malls (escape in one direction)

Travel Distance (in m) Mercantile Occupancy

IBC 2009

NFPA 101

NBC 2005

BS 5588

(Ref.- Author)

76.2

106.7

30

45

22.5

33.75

0 20 40 60 80 100 120





IBC: Without exterior egress balcony (Sprinkled)

IBC: With exterior egress balcony (Sprinkled)

Institutional Occupancy

IBC 2009

NBC 2005

(Ref.- Author)

106.7

76.2

45

33.75

30

22.5

0 20 40 60 80 100 120

IBC: With exterior egress balcony (Sprinkled)

IBC: Without exterior egress balcony (Sprinkled)






IBC 2009 NBC 2005

(Ref.- Author)

61

91.4

91.4

121.9

61

91

61

91

30

45

30

45

45

60

25

45

12

25

0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140













BS: Low Hazard Escape in one direction

BS: Low Hazard Escape in more directions

BS: Normal Hazard Escape in one direction

BS: Normal Hazard Escape in more directions

BS: High Hazard Escape in one direction

BS: High Hazard Escape in more directions


Business Occupancy

IBC 2009

NFPA 101

NBC 2005

BS 5588

(Ref.- Author)

121.9

91.4

91.4

61

60

91

91

61

61

45

45

30

30

45

45

25

25

12

0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140









BS: Low Hazard Escape in more directions



BS: Low Hazard Escape in one direction

BS: Normal Hazard Escape in more directions



BS: High Hazard Escape in more directions

BS: Normal Hazard Escape in one direction

BS: High Hazard Escape in one direction


Business Occupancy

IBC 2009

NFPA 101

NBC 2005

BS 5588

(Ref.- Author)

Accounting for Variation

91.4

53

61

30

22.5

16 15

15.3

15

15.2

15

11.25

39

0 20 40 60 80 100 120

IBC: With exterior egress balcony

NPFA

IBC: Without exterior egress balcony

NBC: Type 1 & 2


NBC: Type 3 & 4


Residential Occupancy

Without Sprinkler

Selective Sprinkler System

detection and alarm systemenabled

With Sprinkler

with AOV; FD30S at ent;FD20S in corridor

(Ref.- Author)


91.4

61

46

30

22.5

15.3

15.2

15

15

11.25

0 20 40 60 80 100 120



NPFA

NBC: Type 1 & 2

NBC: Type 3 & 4



Without Sprinkler

With Sprinkler

(Ref.- Author)


91.4

61

46

30

15.3

15.2

30

15

18

9

27

36

0 20 40 60 80 100 120



NPFA: New & Existing

NBC: All types

BS: Shops

BS: Malls


Mercantile Occupancy

Without Sprinkler

With Sprinkler

Escape in one direction only

Escape in more than onedirection

(Ref.- Author)


30

22.5

15

11.25

76.2 30.5

0 20 40 60 80 100 120

IBC

NBC: Type 1 & 2

NBC: Type 3 & 4



Without Sprinkler

With Sprinkler

Without exterior egress balcony

With exterior egress balcony

(Ref.- Author)


91.4

61

61

30

30

30.5

30

30.4

15

15

45

25

12

15

20

13

0 20 40 60 80 100 120


NPFA: New & Old


BS: Low Hazard

NBC: Type 3 & 4

NBC: Type 1 & 2

BS: Normal Hazard

BS: High Hazard


Business Occupancy

Without Sprinkler

With Sprinkler

Escape in one direction

Escape in more than onedirection

(Ref.- Author)

Listing Determinants

(Ref.- Author)

Listing Determinants continued

(Ref.- Author)

Evaluating the Codes for due importance to the determinants

0 : Not imp 3 : Less imp 5 : Imp 7 : More Imp

(Ref.- Author)

Evaluating the Codes for due importance to the determinants

0 : Not imp 3 : Less imp 5 : Imp 7 : More Imp

(Ref.- Author)

Establishing Quantitative Relationship

5 X 5 Usage Egress

design

Architectural

and technical

specifications

Fire detection /

protection

system

Fire/smoke

endurance of

the building

N! Percentage

Usage 1 0.50 0.33 0.25 0.5 0.081359 8.135935

Egress design 2 1 0.50 0.50 1.5 0.166888 16.68878

Architectural and

technical

specifications

3 2 1 0.8 1.6 0.266394 26.6394

Fire

detection/protectio

n system

4 2 1.25 1 3 0.347259 34.72588

Fire/smoke

endurance of the

building

2 0.67 0.63 0.33 1 0.1381 13.81

Total 12 6.17 3.71 2.88 7.6 1 100

(Ref.- Author)

Usage

4 X 4 Density of

Occupancy

Readiness of

people to

evacuate

Physical fitness of

occupants Activity N! Percentage

Density of

Occupancy 1 2 0.5 0.5 0.224431818 22.44318182

Readiness of

people to

evacuate

0.5 1 2 2 0.301136364 30.11363636

Physical

fitness of

occupants

2 0.5 1 2 0.275568182 27.55681818

Activity 2 0.5 0.5 1 0.198863636 19.88636364

Total 5.5 4 4 5.5 1 100

(Ref.- Author)

Egress design

5 X 5 No. of routes

of escape

Presence of

atrium

Exterior

egress

balcony

Refuge or

protected

hallway

Stability and

future use of

internal

layout

N! Percentage

No. of routes

of escape 1 4 0.50 6 2 0.328758682 32.87586822

Presence of

atrium 0.25 1 0.70 0.60 1.5 0.124607035 12.46070347

Exterior egress

balcony 2 1.43 1 2.5 4 0.328272081 32.82720813

Refuge or

protected

hallway

0.17 1.67 0.4 1 2 0.131587455 13.15874546

Stability and

future use of

internal layout

0.5 0.67 0.25 0.5 1 0.086774747 8.677474716

Total 3.9167 8.762 2.85 10.6 10.5 1 100

(Ref.- Author)

Architectural and technical specifications

5 X 5 Workmanship

Materials

used for

finishes

Surroundings

of the building

Height of

building

Internal

layout of the

building

N! Percentage

Workmanship 1 3 5 2 3 0.389727701 38.97277012

Materials used

for finishes 0.33 1 5 4 2 0.273651715 27.36517152

Surroundings

of the building 0.2 0.2 1 2 3 0.14138512 14.13851205

Height of

building 0.5 0.25 0.5 1 1.2 0.10467363 10.46736303

Internal layout

of the building 0.33 0.5 0.33 0.83 1 0.090561833 9.056183278

Total 2.37 4.95 11.83 9.83 10.2 1 100

(Ref.- Author)

Fire detection/protection system

3 X 3

Fully

automatically

sprinkled system

Smoke

evacuation

system

Detection and

alarm system N! Percentage

Fully

automatically

sprinkled

system

1 1.2 1.6 0.405209405 40.52094049

Smoke

evacuation

system

0.833333333 1 1.5 0.35122464 35.12246396

Detection and

alarm system 0.625 0.666666667 1 0.243565956 24.35659556

Total 2.458333333 2.866666667 4.1 1 100

(Ref.- Author)

Fire/smoke endurance of the building

5 X 5

Fire rating of

doors and

walls

Door in

corridor

Smoke

barrier/smoke tight

construction

Nature of material

stored in the

building

Heat

ventilation

system

N! Percentage

Fire rating of

doors and

walls

1 2 3.00 2.5 4 0.40064 40.064

Door in

corridor 0.5 1 2.00 0.50 0.83 0.15702 15.702

Smoke

barrier/smoke

tight

construction

0.33 0.5 1 0.8 1 0.1187 11.87

Nature of

material stored

in the building

0.4 2 1.25 1 0.83 0.1773 17.73

Heat

ventilation

system

0.25 1.2 1 1.2 1 0.146284504 14.62845045

Total 2.483 6.7 8.25 6 7.67 1 100

(Ref.- Author)

Quantitative Evaluation of the norms

(Ref.- Author)

Quantitative Evaluation of the norms

(Ref.- Author)

Speed of Egress

The Fire SERT research group at University of Ulster, North Ireland, has developed a substantial body of data on the egress capabilities of people with disabilities who go out and about in the community.

Activity Mean speed (in m/s) Range of speed (in m/s)

Horizontal Surface (n=6) 1.25 0.82-1.77

Stairs ascent (n=8) 0.7 0.55-0.82

Stairs decent (n=8) 0.7 0.45-1.10

Evacuation Time

• The total evacuation time contains two major component- pre-movement time and movement time. Pre-movement time involves time taken up by recognition and initial response and movement time is the time needed to travel to a place of safety.

• The available safe egress time (ASET) of the occupants in the event of fire is whole time from fire ignition to the time untenable conditions occur in the evacuation route.

• The Required Safe egress time RSET is the time required for occupants to reach an area of safety. Necessarily, the calculated ASET needs to exceed RSET to ensure the safety of occupants.

The SFPE Handbook of Fire Protection Engineering discusses the evacuation in the event of fire in terms of pre-movement time and movement time.

Egress Time Model

Mean Delay Time of Evacuation Drills and Fire Case Studies

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

Mean Delay Time (in min)

Case Study: TCIL

• Transport Corporation of India ltd, Gurgaon

• G+3 structure

• Gross Floor Area 2153 m sq.

Non-compliance with NBC 2005 Fire Safety Norms

Smoke Venting • Clause 3.4.12.2 of NBC 2005 states that “Natural draft smoke

venting shall utilize roof vents or vents in walls at or near the ceiling level; such vents shall be normally open, or, if closed, shall be designed for automatic opening in case of fire, by release of smoke sensitive devices.” No such or equivalent system is found in the building concerned.

Fire Doors • Clause 4.2.9 of NBC 2005 states that “Fire doors with 2 h fire

resistance shall be provided at appropriate places along the escape route and particularly at the entrance to lift lobby and stair well where a funnel or flue effect may be created, inducing an upward spread of fire to prevent spread of fire and smoke.” Type of door leading to the exit staircase has not been specified.

Internal Staircase • Clause 4.9.2 of NBC 2005 states that “Internal stairs shall be

constructed as a self-contained unit with an external wall of the building constituting at least one of its sides and shall be completely enclosed.” also clause 4.9.3 states “A staircase shall not be arranged round a lift shaft.” These two factors render staircase1 unfit to be considered a fire escape due to: – It is not enclosed; and

– Is around a lift.

• Thus, only staircse2 shall be considered a safe fire escape for all purposes.

Arrangement of Exits • Clause 4.5.1 of NBC 2005 states that “Exits shall be so located that

the travel, distance on the floor shall not exceed the distance given in Table 22.” Since the building under consideration is an office building, the maximum travel distance from any point in the building to the exit staircase should not exceed 30m.

• Though fig. illustrates that the building satisfies the travel distance norms of table 22 of NBC 2005, it needs to be noted that in section 6.2.3 above staircase1 has been discarded from consideration to become a fire escape staircase thus increasing the maximum travel distance to 42 m as shown in fig.

Width of Staircase • Clause 4.9.6 of NBC 2005 says that, minimum width for internal

staircase in office buildings shall be 1.5 m; but the provided staircase has a width of 1.2 m only.

Staircase Tread and Riser • Clause 4.9.7 of NBC 2005 states that “The minimum width of

tread without nosing shall be 300 mm for assembly, hotels, educational, institutional, business and other buildings.” The building doesn’t conform to this norm. The tread of the internal fire staircase is 275 mm only.

• Clause 4.9.8 of NBC 2005 states that “The maximum height of riser shall be 150 mm for all buildings other than residential and the number shall be limited to 15 per flight.” The building doesn’t conform to this norm. The riser of the fire internal staircase is 175 mm only.

Travel Distance • Table 22 of NBC 2005 says that, the maximum travel distance

for business occupancy should be 30m. After discarding staircase 1 as a fire exit, the maximum travel distance for the typical office floor becomes 42m.

Conclusion

• If a building complies by all the fire safety norms recommended by NBC 2005 then it is eligible to follow the travel distance norms as per Table 22 of NBC 2005.

• In case it doesn’t, it shall be obliged to have a lower travel distance than the maximum limit.

• This reduction in the maximum travel distance limit shall be calculated on the lines of the quantitative analysis of the determinants of travel safety.

Documents

final ppt