Title

Building B: Fire and Life Safety Analysis

Author

Joseph Radford Sellers, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis ObispoFollow

Date

6-2020

Degree Name

MS in Fire Protection Engineering

College

College of Engineering

Advisor

Frederick Mowrer and Christopher Pascual

Abstract

A fire and life safety analysis was performed on Building B at the Y-12 National Security Complex in Oak Ridge, TN. This report was completed as a fulfillment of one of the requirements for the Masters of Science in Fire Protection Engineering Program from the California Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly) in San Luis Obispo, CA. The analysis consisted of a prescriptive, or code-based analysis, and a performance-based analysis.

The prescriptive analysis composed of four main areas: Life Safety, Fire Alarm and Detection, Structural Fire Protection, and Fire Suppression. The prescriptive analysis was performed to determine if Building B is in compliance with the latest codes and standards as outlined in the Code of Record. The analysis was not performed against the original code of record. The prescriptive analysis showed that the building is in compliance with a few exceptions. Those exceptions include the arrangement of the exit doors on the second floor south wing, the security door requirements, and the documentation of drawing. Those exceptions, however, did not affect the overall performance of the active fire suppression systems, nor did they affect the performance-based analysis.

The performance-based analysis centered around ensuring that the available safe egress time was greater than the required safe egress time (i.e., ASET > RSET). This approach ensures that performance criteria are met based on an analysis of a fire model and tenability criteria of occupants in the building. The tenability criteria was selected based on the overall approach occupant characteristics and design objectives.

The analysis concludes that based on a design basis fire of a cubicle electrical fire, the occupants would be able to safely exit the structure given sufficient notification and proper egress paths. The ASET was 282 seconds and the RSET was 206 seconds, therefore showing that the ASET > RSET and occupant would have sufficient time to exit the building. There would be no expected loss of life from smoke or fire based on the design tenability criteria. Coupled with the prescriptive analysis, Building B is capable of not only withstanding a design basis fire, but is able to protect the occupants and allow them to safely egress from the structure should a fire occur.