A stochastic model for the number of deaths in a fire

A stochastic model for the number of deaths resulting from a fire is put forward. The particular case being considered is that of flaming ignition on a bed in a hospital ward and the crucial importance of the features of the early stages of development becomes apparent. Note: An account of this work was presented at the Fifth International System Safety Conference which was held in Denver, Colorado in 1981. A full version of this paper is due to appear inFire Safety Journal, Vol. 4, No. 3, pp. 169–184.     

Glowing connections

This paper gives the results of a series of experiments and how they shed light on problems of electrical fires. Experimental glowing connections were made by allowing wires to make poor contact with another object in series in a circuit. Note: The information in this paper was presented in the course “Electrical fires” at the University of Wisconsin—Extension, Madison, Wisconsin, April 1982.     

Evaluation of chemical stability

The author discusses a system of 3 simple, time and material saving tests that may be used to give an indication of the explosion potential of chemicals. Note: This paper was presented at the Summer Conference of the National Academy of Science Committee on Hazardous Materials, New London, Conn., July 8–9, 1970; and is a revision of an earlier paper titled “Hazard Evaluation Testing: A System for the Classification of Chemicals,” which was presented at the 64th Annual Meeting of the AIChE, March 16–20, 1969 and was published inLoss Prevention, Vol. 3.     

Sprinkler performance tests—The extended coverage panacea

Performance testing of multiple extended coverage sidewall sprinklers indicates that these sprinklers, installed on spacings that are multiples of specified room areas with ceiling heights up to 9 ft, perform comparably to single sprinkler per room installations under fire conditions. Underwriters Laboratories Inc. Note: Mr. Suchomel and Mr. Castino are Associate Managing Engineer and Managing Engineer of the Laboratories' Fire Protection Department. Mr. Castino presented this paper, under the title “Fire Performance Tests of Sprinklers Under Simulated Field Installation Conditions—The Extended Coverage Panacea,” at the NFPA Fall Meeting on November 12, 1979 in Phoenix, Arizona.     

A logic-tree approach to the St Crispin Hospital fire

Fatality or injury due to fire is an aspect of the working of an entire system. That is, casualty due to fire represents a failure of a system and ultimately, this includes the social system within which we live. As part of such a consideration, many different techniques and models may be used, and one such technique is that of logic-tree analysis. Note: This work was presented at the Sixth International Fire Protection Seminar, Karlsruhe, West Germany, September 21–24, 1982.     

Space separation for prevention of farm fire spread

Space separation between farm buildings can be calculated to prevent spread of fire by radiation. The method is based on the size and intensity of the radiating source and the permissible intensity of radiation on adjacent building surfaces. A table of recommended minimum distances for different sizes and types of buildings is presented. Note: Based on a paper presented by Professor Moysey at the 1964 Annual Meeting, American Society of Agricultural Engineers, Ft. Collins, Colo., June 21–24.     

Control of smoke in high-rise buildings

Based on studies conducted by the Division of Building Research, the authors analyzed the most important factors that determine expectation of life loss from smoke in high-rise buildings. Note: This paper was presented at the National Fire Protection Association’s First European Fire Conference in Geneva, Switzerland, October 15–17, 1973.     

Stability — The key to effective high expansion foam,part II

In Part I, the author reviewed the fundamentals of high expansion foam and examined the findings of tests made to evaluate it. In this, the concluding part of the paper, he discusses the effects of automatic sprinklers on high expansion foam. Walter Kidde & Company, Inc. Note: References 1–8, Tables 1 and 2, and Figures 1 and 2 will be found in Part I of the article published inFire Technology, Vol. 6, No. 1 (Feb. 1970), pp. 39–51.     

Ignition or the flame-initiating process

An understanding of ignition enhances fire prevention efforts. The principles discussed here analyze electrical sources (electrostatic and break sparks), hot surfaces (such as functional sparks, heated surfaces), hot gases and hypergolic ignition. The variations encountered in the ignitibilities of combustible gas mixtures are noted and explained. Note: This article is an extract from Information Circular 8137 issued by the Bureau of Mines entitled “Review of Fire and Explosion Hazards of Flight Combustibles” (1963).     

Engineering method of analyzing the tilting of eccentrically loaded pile groups

An engineering procedure is presented for analysis of the tilts of eccentrically loaded pile groups; this procedure accounts for the length of the piles and the spatial flexibility of the foundations. It is based on results of analysis and codification of a large volume of experimental research on the performance of eccentrically loaded pile foundations under various soil conditions. Translated from Osnovaniya, Fundamenty i Mekhanika Gruntov, No. 2, pp. 12–14, March–April, 2000.     

Post-crash fire testing of titanium fuselages

The problem … maintain fuselage integrity and a survivable cabin environment during a post-crash fire. Its high melting point made titanium an attractive candidate for the large-scale test discussed here. Note: This paper is an adaptation of Report No. FAA-RD-71-3, “Titanium Fuselage Environmental Conditions in Post-Crash Fires,” prepared by the author for the Federal Aviation Administration. The report was also the basis for Mr. Sarkos’ presentation at the 75th Annual Meeting of the National Fire Protection Association in San Francisco on May 18, 1971.     

Einsatz von Bergematerial im Tiefbau

An 38 Einzelstandorten im Ruhrgebiet wurden an D?mmen aus Bergematerial Felduntersuchungen und mit dem dort entnommenen Probenmaterial umfangreiche Laboruntersuchungen durchgeführt und durch geochemische Modellrechnungen erg?nzt. Als Ergebnis sind nach dem derzeitigen Erkenntnisstand folgende Parameter für eine Minimierung der Pyritoxidation in Verkehrsweged?mmen aus Bergematerial ma?gebend: Gesamt-Porenanteil, Wasserdurchl?ssigkeitsbeiwert und ausreichende Pufferkapazit?t des Bergematerials, M?chtigkeit, bodenmechanische Eigenschaften und Art der Bepflanzung der Abdeckung. Im Gegensatz zum Ministerialblatt Nr. 45 ist bei Bergematerial eine Unterscheidung zwischen Waschbergen und Wasch-Flotationsberge-Gemischen unter der im Rahmen dieser Untersuchungen dargestellten Betrachtungsweise nicht mehr notwendig, da nur noch nach dem Elutionsverhalten unterschieden wird. Es ergibt sich somit eine Einteilung in die “neuen” Waschberge I (mit Einsatzm?glichkeiten innerhalb und au?erhalb wasserwirtschaftlich bedeutender Gebiete) und Waschberge II (mit Einsatzm?glichkeiten au?erhalb wasserwirtschaftlich bedeutender Gebiete) in Anlehnung an das Ministerialblatt Nr. 45. Diese unterscheiden sich in ihrem wasserwirtschaftlichen und bodenmechanischen Anforderungen an Dammk?rper und Abdeckung.

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At 38 sites in the Ruhr district field and laboratory investigations were carried out on dams built out of mining debris and supplemented by geochemical model calculations and chemical investigations. As a result, the following factors are considered essential for minimizing pyrit oxidation inside a dam built out of mining debris: bulk porosity, water permeability and sufficient buffer capacity of the mining debris as well as thickness, soil mechanical properties and the kind of vegetation on the cover layer. Contrary to the regulations laid down in the Ministerialblatt No 45, mining debris no longer is classified into washing mining debris and washing flotation mining debris. Instead, classification of mining debris can be done using parameters for leaching behaviour only. Therefore, a new classification is proposed using the classes ‘washing mining debris I’ to be applied inside and outside of areas containing important water resources and ‘washing mining debris II’ to be applied outside of areas containing important water resources. These two types of washing mining debris differ in their chemical leachate behaviour and their mechanical requirements for dam and cover construction.

     

The Ellis parkway and gary dwelling burns

The author reports on two full-scale experimental building fires, the results of which suggest that fire spread through a subdivided structure can be described as a series of predictable flashovers. IIT Research Institute Note: The experimental fires discussed in this paper were mentioned briefly in “Studies of Building Fires with Models,” F. Salzberg and T. E. Waterman,Fire Technology, Vol. 2, No. 3 (August 1966), p. 198.     

Calculation of performance of fire retardant ceiling systems

With equations, Part I describes the thermal behavior of a composite system consisting of a noncombustible ceiling board suspended below a concrete floor slab. Part II shows how the equations have been successfully adapted to digital computer operation. The computed results agree with experimental measurements for two specific systems exposed to a standard test furnace heated at a prescribed rate. Note: References 1 through 11, Table 1, and Figures 1 and 2 will be found in Part I of this paper published inFire Technology, Vol. 5, No. 4, November 1969, on pages 323–331.     

Polyurethane foam: Some studies relating to its behavior in fires

According to one test, polyurethane foam is “self-extinguishing,” while another classifies it as a “surface of rapid flame spread.” The author has found that its burning rate is sensitive to the applied heat flux and suggests that the fire resistance of polyurethane foam be assessed in tests using more realistic heat flux levels. Note: This paper is Crown Copyright 1971.     

Flammability tests for cellular plastics—Part I

Many tests have been employed to describe the behavior of cellular plastics when exposed to fire. In this, the first part of a two-part article, the author discusses the requirements of various small-, medium-, and large-scale tests. Union Carbide Corporation Note: Based on a paper titled “The Flammability Characteristics of Cellular Plastics” delivered by the author at the May 1967 Polymer Conference at Wayne State University and subsequently published in the September 1967 issue ofIndustrial & Engineering Chemistry, Product Research and Development.     

Detection and analysis of binary gas phase mixtures

The advent of halogenated hydrocarbon engineered fire extinguishing systems has created a need for measuring agent concentrations in an enclosed volume. Since commercially available instruments do not meet the criteria specified by researchers, development of a new unit was undertaken. Note: Dr. Riley presented this paper at Fire Research Session No. 1 of the National Fire Protection Association’s 76th Annual Meeting in Philadelphia on May 16, 1972.     

Ignition of aircraft fluids on high temperature engine surfaces

Temperatures created in aircraft jet engines have given rise to concern over hot surface ignition of flammable fluids. For some time, 500° F has been accepted as the maximum safe surface temperature. Under the specific conditions reported here, it appears that this figure can be increased significantly. Note: This paper was originally presented by the author at the National Air Transportation Meeting held in New York City, April 21–24, 1969, and was published by the Society of Automotive Engineers.     

Fire and high buildings

The time necessary to evacuate today’s high-rise buildings in a fire emergency is unsatisfactory from the standpoint of the development of untenable smoke conditions. The Division of Building Research has been working on the problem for several years and suggests several approaches to controlling smoke movement in buildings. Note: Mr. Wilson is Assistant Director of the Division of Building Research, and Mr. Shorter is Head of the Fire Research Section. Note: The authors presented this paper at the 74th Annual Meeting of the National Fire Protection Association in Toronto on May 20, 1970. It is a contribution from the Division of Building Research, National Research Council of Canada and is published with the approval of the Director of the Division.     

Rheological properties of fire fighting foams

An instrument has been designed to continually measure the rheology of foams under a constant applied stress. Yield stress has been found to be a reproducible characteristic of a particular foam. Some correlation has been obtained between initial yield stress and foam expansion for particular foams. Note: Mr. Elliott presented this paper at the 80th Annual Meeting of the AIChE in Boston, Massachusetts on September 8, 1975.