eprintid: 10145281
rev_number: 13
eprint_status: archive
userid: 699
dir: disk0/10/14/52/81
datestamp: 2022-03-17 13:56:26
lastmod: 2025-06-10 10:51:04
status_changed: 2022-03-17 13:56:26
type: article
metadata_visibility: show
sword_depositor: 699
creators_name: McLaggan, MS
creators_name: Gupta, V
creators_name: Hidalgo, JP
creators_name: Torero, JL
title: Upward Flame Spread for Fire Risk Classification of High-Rise Buildings
ispublished: pub
divisions: C05
divisions: F44
divisions: B04
divisions: UCL
keywords: Facade; Fire; Risk; Cladding; Upward flame spread
note: This version is the version of record. For information on re-use, please refer to the publisher’s terms and conditions.
abstract: External fire spread has the potential to breach vertical compartmentation and violate the fire safety strategy of a building. The traditional design solution to this has been the use of non-combustible materials and spandrel panels but recent audits show that combustible materials are widespread and included in highly complex systems. Furthermore, most jurisdictions no longer require detailing of spandrel panels under many different circumstances. These buildings require rapid investigation using rational scientific methods to be able to adequately classify the fire risk. In this work, we use an extensive experimental campaign of material-scale data to explore the critical parameters driving upward flame spread. Two criteria are outlined using two different approaches. The first evaluates the time to ignition and the time to burnout to assess the ability for a fire to spread, and can be easily determined using traditional means. The second evaluates the preheated flame length as the critical parameter driving flame spread. A wide range of cladding materials are ranked according to these criteria to show their potential propensity to flame spread. From this, designers can use conservative approaches to perform fire risk assessments for buildings with combustible materials or can be used to aid decision-making. Precise estimates of flame spread rates within complex façade systems are not achievable with the current level of knowledge and will require a substantial amount of work to make progress.
date: 2021-12
date_type: published
official_url: https://doi.org/10.21022/IJHRB.2021.10.4.299
oa_status: green
full_text_type: pub
language: eng
primo: open
primo_central: open_green
verified: verified_manual
elements_id: 1944914
doi: 10.21022/IJHRB.2021.10.4.299
lyricists_name: Torero Cullen, Jose
lyricists_id: JLTOR59
actors_name: Torero Cullen, Jose
actors_id: JLTOR59
actors_role: owner
full_text_status: public
publication: International Journal of High-Rise Buildings
volume: 10
number: 4
pagerange: 299-310
citation:        McLaggan, MS;    Gupta, V;    Hidalgo, JP;    Torero, JL;      (2021)    Upward Flame Spread for Fire Risk Classification of High-Rise Buildings.                   International Journal of High-Rise Buildings , 10  (4)   pp. 299-310.    10.21022/IJHRB.2021.10.4.299 <https://doi.org/10.21022/IJHRB.2021.10.4.299>.       Green open access   
 
document_url: https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10145281/1/Torero%20Cullen_Upward%20Flame%20Spread%20for%20Fire%20Risk%20Classification%20of%20High-Rise%20Buildings.pdf