Date
6-2025
Degree Name
MS in Fire Protection Engineering
College
College of Engineering
Advisor
Frederick Mowrer and Christopher Pascual
Abstract
This report presents a comprehensive fire safety and evacuation systems analysis for the underground light rail terminal station project. The station features two main levels— concourse and platform—and is strategically located adjacent to a sports stadium.
Station Overview: The underground light rail terminal station is a two-level facility strategically positioned adjacent to a major sports stadium. The station operates as a critical transportation hub with distinct functional zones designed for efficient passenger flow and emergency evacuation:
Concourse Level (3.5 meters below ground): Functions as the primary passenger processing and circulation hub. This level serves as the main entry control point where passengers purchase tickets, pass through fare gates, and transition between street level access and train platforms. The concourse accommodates passenger waiting areas, retail spaces, and technical support rooms on both sides. Three escalators and four emergency stairwells provide vertical circulation to the platform below, while direct street-level access through northern and southern entrances enables rapid evacuation to the point of safety.
Platform Level (10.1 meters below ground): Houses the train boarding operations with an island platform configuration serving bidirectional rail traffic. This level manages passenger queuing, train boarding/alighting operations, and platform safety through platform edge doors (PED) that control access to trains. The platform includes passenger waiting areas and emergency circulation via four emergency staircases (1.85m width each) that provide direct egress routes to the concourse level above.
Technical Support Infrastructure: Distributed across both levels, technical areas house critical building systems including electrical equipment, HVAC systems, fire suppression infrastructure, and the Station Control Room (SCR). The SCR provides backup control capabilities to the main Operations Control Centre during any emergency event.
Emergency Systems Integration: The station features comprehensive safety infrastructure including automatic sprinkler coverage, smoke detection throughout all areas, emergency communication systems, and dual 250-cubic-meter water reservoirs that supply fire suppression for both station and tunnel operations. Four emergency stairwells (1.85m width) provide protected egress routes with 120-minute fire-resistant separation.
Operational Capacity: The station is designed for normal operations with up to 1,339 passengers, with specialized crowd management protocols for high-occupancy events reaching 2,200 passengers during adjacent stadium events.
The project addresses several unique challenges: (1) Responsibility for providing fire suppression water supply to the tunnel line through two 250m³ water reservoirs, (2) Integration of a secondary control room serving as backup to the Operations Control Centre (OCC), and (3) Management of extreme fluctuations in occupancy during stadium events.
The design incorporates comprehensive safety systems: (1) EST3 standard automatic fire detection and suppression system with complete coverage and 276-second response time, (2) Smoke extraction system with 14.16m³/second capacity in each of two ventilation shafts, (3) Four emergency staircases with a 1.85m width and three escalators for evacuation, and (4) Reinforced concrete structure with 6cm concrete cover for enhanced fire resistance.
Comprehensive engineering analysis confirmed compliance with NFPA 130 standards, demonstrating a platform evacuation time of 2.57 minutes and total evacuation time of 4.47 minutes. Computer simulations verified that at the designed occupancy of 1,339 passengers, all safety systems function properly and enable safe evacuation.
Critical Findings - Performance Comparison: Prescriptive vs Performance-Based Analysis Results
Platform Evacuation Time: 2.57 minutes (Prescriptive Analysis) Total Evacuation Time for 1,339 passengers: 4.47 minutes (Prescriptive Analysis) and 4.0-5.9 minutes (Performance-Based Analysis Evacuation Time for 2,200 passengers: 7.57 minutes (Performance-Based Analysis) NFPA 130 Compliance (6-minute limit): 4.47 minutes (Prescriptive Analysis). Exceeds at maximum capacity (Performance-Based Analysis)
Summary and Recommendations: The comprehensive engineering analysis emphasizes the importance of maintaining the 1,339- passenger occupancy limit as a central parameter in station safety. The combination of engineering solutions (detection systems, fire suppression, and smoke extraction) with operational solutions (Crowd Manager, emergency protocols) provides an optimal response to the project challenges.
The underground light rail terminal station project demonstrates an effective integration of advanced engineering design and efficient operational management, enabling it to address the unique challenges of a terminal station while ensuring compliance with all standards and regulations, maintaining passenger safety in all possible scenarios.
https://digitalcommons.calpoly.edu/fpe_rpt/193
Final Presentation