Grange Insurance Audubon Center-FIRE PROTECTION LIFE SAFETY REPORT

Author

Gabriel Levy, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis ObispoFollow

Date

6-2022

Degree Name

MS in Fire Protection Engineering

College

College of Engineering

Advisor

Frederick Mowrer and Christopher Pascual

Abstract

This technical approach narrative presents the intent and methodology of the Fire Protection and Life Safety systems for the Grange Insurance Audubon Center located at 505 W Whittier St. Columbus OH 43215. The primary goal of the structure is to provide life and property protection in a fire scenario while taking into account the costs of implementing the criterion and risks associated with the facility. This will be achieved through the appropriate application of requirements listed in the 2015 International Building Code (IBC) and the International Fire Code (IFC) as adopted by the City of Columbus, Ohio, and any reference standards and guidelines. Prescriptive requirements analyzed in the body of this report include building construction, egressing, fire alarm systems, and fire suppression systems. The effectiveness of the fire protection systems will depend on a holistic view of the design, operation, and maintenance of these systems. In addition to a prescriptive analysis of the building, a performance-based analysis is performed. The intent of the performance analysis is to demonstrate the protection of occupants not intimate with the initial fire development, and the improvement of the survivability of occupants intimate with the initial fire development.

The building is found to be fully compliant in accordance with the required codes, except for a single dead-end corridor which exceeds allowable length. A solution to this compliance issue is described in the body of the report. The performance-based analysis identifies three potential design fire scenarios: a multipurpose room table fire, a kitchen fire, and a lobby furniture fire. Fire modeling efforts finds that the existing building geometries provide adequate pooling of smoke such that occupants are not exposed to untenable conditions for at least 20 minutes after ignition, at which point they are able to escape the building.