Date
6-2023
Degree Name
MS in Fire Protection Engineering
College
College of Engineering
Advisor
Fredrick Mowrer and Christopher Pascual
Abstract
This report covers an analysis of each component of the fire protection system within the Iris Island building. The Iris Island building contains several unique features such as a three-story monumental stair on Levels 1 through 3. It also contains several mock court rooms and lecture rooms on Levels 2 and 3 as well as a two-story library on Levels 4 and 5. This document begins with a description of the prescriptive requirements for this building as required by the 2018 edition of the International Building Code. Analysis is performed for the egress systems, the fire resistive construction, the fire alarm system, the fire suppression system, and the smoke control system. These components are compared to their respective requirements and are generally described in their implementation within the building.
This report also discusses performance-based analyses for the building as tested by three theoretical design fires. These design fires are placed throughout the building in areas where they challenge the fire protection system. The three locations for these fires were in a lounge space on Level 5 of the building, a Christmas tree fire within the monumental stair, and a fire that travels through the bookshelves within the library of the building. A fire dynamic simulator (FDS) was used to analyze the fire within the monumental stairs due to the complex construction within the space. The goal of the simulation was to determine if a smoke control system would be required to implemented in the three-level space in order to maintain tenability for occupants egressing through the area. It was determined that the Required Safe Egress Time (RSET) was 1463 seconds. The Available Safe Egress Time (ASET) was approximately 300 seconds without an atrium exhaust system. This means a smoke control system is required due to occupants not having enough time to evacuate before the atrium is untenable. An exhaust system with a flow rate of 174,659 CFM was determined to be able to maintain the smoke layer 6 feet above the highest walking area on Level 3. This would allow for occupants to egress unimpeded.
Based on the overall analysis of the building, the building’s fire protection system can be considered sufficient with some required modifications. Doors must be added around the monumental stair to enclose the atrium boundaries as modeling shows that a fire in the atrium can quickly spread to other spaces within the building. An atrium smoke exhaust system is also required to be added. A horizontal exit was also required to be added to allow for proper egress from the third floor of the building. With all of these additions, the building is compliant with the 2018 edition of the IBC.
https://digitalcommons.calpoly.edu/fpe_rpt/189
Final Presentation