Date
6-2016
Degree Name
MS in Fire Protection Engineering
College
College of Engineering
Advisor
Frederick Mowrer and Christopher Pascual
Abstract
The purpose of this analysis is for completion of FPE 596 Culminating Experience in Fire Protection Engineering course in the Fire Protection Engineering Program at California Polytechnic State University. This analysis has been compiled using previous design courses evaluating the egress analysis, suppression design, alarm and detection design, smoke control system design, and structural fire protection. The context of the courses studied both prescriptive and performance based design approaches.
The building chosen for the analysis is Centennial Station located approximately 15 miles south of Denver, Colorado at 12154 East Easter Avenue, Englewood, CO 80112. The facility was designed specifically for use by the government in 2008 and constructed throughout 2009. The facility is a 92,041 square feet, four-story, freestanding building consisting primarily of B, E, and S-1 occupancies.
Analysis of Centennial Station was completed with only the floor plans of the building. Mechanical, electrical, fire protection, and life safety drawings were not available during the completion of this analysis. The attached floor plans showing fire protection systems were created by Brandon Huffman and are not indicative of what is present at the building. Where noted certain assumptions were made to complete the design of the systems. All images of the systems are shown as a representation of systems installed in Centennial Station, but are not of the actual systems installed in the building.
The fire alarm and suppression systems were designed using prescriptive methods utilizing applicable NFPA codes. The smoke control system design provided in this analysis is hypothetical with information known about the building; the hypothetical system design is based performance-based design and industry best practices. Egress analysis was performed using prescriptive based design, as well as performance based evaluation. All systems were evaluated together to analyze the required safe egress time versus the available safe egress time, the analysis was used to determine the effectiveness of the design of all operating systems including alarm activation, sprinkler activation, effectiveness of smoke exhaust, and occupant travel paths and times.
Analysis of the building found that the prescriptive based designs of the alarm and suppression systems met the minimum code requirements for the building as shown in the drawings in Appendix C. Additionally, the building use and construction type was appropriate for the building height and area as constructed. In general, the egress components were code compliant with the exception of one instance of an exceeded common path of travel on the third floor in Open Office 312. Fire Dynamics Simulator was used to model the smoke exhaust system; it was determined that the smoke control system is adequate for the building as designed in this analysis.
https://digitalcommons.calpoly.edu/fpe_rpt/66
Final Presentation
DOI
10.15368/fperpt.2016.15