Date
3-2017
Degree Name
MS in Fire Protection Engineering
College
College of Engineering
Advisor
Frederick Mowrer and Christopher Pascual
Abstract
A comprehensive fire and life safety analysis was performed on the Orfalea College of Business. The report covers the prescriptive analysis of the building and the performance-based design analysis. The prescriptive analysis includes assessment of the relevant codes for egress system, water-based suppression system, alarm and detection system, and structural fire protection. The egress analysis under the Life Safety Code 2015 found the building meets the requirements of occupant load to exceed exit capacity, number of exits and its location, travel distances. Four rooms on the second floor that have not met the common path of travel distances limits were discussed in detail in this report. In addition, two locations where exits signs should have been located were investigated in this report. The water-based suppression system was analyzed, and an automatic fire sprinkler system was designed according to NFPA 13. The fire alarm and detection system throughout the building was reviewed. The notification device in Room 300 does not meet required candela rating. The smoke management system analysis indicates door magnetic holder for the exit enclosure on the third floor does not work properly. The analysis of the structural fire protection demonstrates that the building is in accordance to the requirements of the IBC 2015 for Type I-B construction. A performance based analysis of the Orfalea College of Business was performed to evaluate a design fire scenario. The fire scenario was modeled using Fire Dynamic Simulator (FDS), Pyrosim and Pathfinder. The tenability results of the simulation are compared to the established tenability criteria to determine the available safe egress time (ASET) for the scenario. Then, (ASET) is compared to the required safe egress time (RSET). The fire scenario evaluated an upholstered three seat sofa in a break room on the fourth floor. The required safe egress time (RSET) was calculated as 249 seconds and the available safe egress time (ASET) was determined to be 42 seconds when the visibility tenability criterion was exceeded. As part of the evaluation process, there are additional recommendations in the report including exit sings locations on the third floor, obstructions in the corridor on the fourth floor, smoke detection system and notification appliances coverage, and several other recommendations are discussed in more detail in the report.
https://digitalcommons.calpoly.edu/fpe_rpt/76
Final Presentation