Construction Innovation Center- Fire and Life Safety Analysis

Author

Matthew Atwell, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis ObispoFollow

Date

3-2018

Degree Name

MS in Fire Protection Engineering

College

College of Engineering

Advisor

Frederick Mowrer and Christopher Pascual

Abstract

In this report you will find the analysis of existing fire protection systems and features that are installed in the Construction Innovation Center at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. The Buildings construction was completed in 2008 and is separated into three separate buildings A, B, and C connected by an exterior balcony. This report is separated into two separate analysis Prescriptive and Performance.

The Prescriptive analysis reviews the buildings means of egress, fire alarm systems, the suppression systems, and the structural fire protection. The Prescriptive-based analysis of the Construction Innovation Center confirms that the building meets the requirements of NFPA 101, The Life Safety Code, NFPA 13, NFPA 17, NFPA 72, NFPA 92, The International Building Code (IBC), and The California Building Code (CBC).

The performance-based analysis investigates two different fire scenarios. The first design is set in the lobby of the first floor of Building A. The second fire design scenario examines the effects that a fire would have on Buildings B and C if it started in Building 187, The Simpson Strong-Tie Materials Demonstration Lab, which is in the courtyard of The Construction Innovation Center. For the performance-based analysis Pyrosim and Pathfinder were used. Pyrosim is a type of fire dynamics simulator that simulates fire conditions inside a building including temperature, tenability, and other features. Pathfinder is used to simulate evacuation times. Both design scenarios yielded positive results of Required Safe Egress time (RSET) being greater than the Available Safe Egress Time (ASET).

The Construction Innovation Center meets all code requirements and showed sufficient performance during the fire simulations. I would recommend that the Simpson Strong Tie Demonstrations Lab and The Construction Innovation Center have connected fire alarm systems due to the buildings having about a 20 ft. separation distance. If one building caught on fire it could ignite the face of the other building. The occupants of each building would benefit from being alerted to a fire in the adjacent building.