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Procedia Engineering 192 (2017) 480 – 485

TRANSCOM 2017: International scientific conference on sustainable, modern and safe transport

3D small-scale fire modeling testing preparation

Maroš Krajčíra*, Jana Müllerováa
a
University of Zilina,Faculty of Security Engeneering, 1.Mája 32, 010 08 Žilina, Slovak Republic

Abstract

The paper deals with problematics of small-scale fire tests – the preparation phase including mathematic π- non-dimensional
groups in order to make a functional small-scale model representing the full scale modelling in the effective way. Exact
calculation for suitable material need to be done to represent real walls with certain thickness and fire resistance. The interior
represented by the cribs made mostly of wood, polymer and other materials common in rooms or offices need to be prepared in
sense of their amount, position and porosity. After that the construction of the small-scale model can be started with respect to all
the dimensions, amount and proportion of material calculations.
© 2017
© 2017TheTheAuthors.
Authors. Published
Published by Elsevier
by Elsevier Ltd.is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license
Ltd. This
Peer-review under responsibility of the scientific committee of TRANSCOM 2017: International scientific conference on
(http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).
Peer-review
sustainable,under responsibility
modern of the scientific committee of TRANSCOM 2017: International scientific conference on sustainable,
and safe transport.
modern and safe transport
Keywords: Small-Scale Modelling ; Preparation ; Calcutation

1. Introduction

In past decades, scale models have been utilized in numerous fields. From civil to aerospace engineering, scale
models demonstrate how a final product may perform. Models have been used to visualize interactions between
various parts of a design, to experiment with different design ideas, and to improve the overall product.
Scale modeling can allow fire investigators to replicate specific fire dynamics at a dramatically reduced cost. A
wood cribs are used to represent the wide range of fuels that investigators encounter. Modeling requires an in depth
understanding of fire physics. Scaling a particular fire begins with assessing the governing conservation equations
and selecting the appropriate dimensionless groups.

* Corresponding author. Tel.: +421 415 136 754.

E-mail address: maros.krajcir@fbi.uniza.sk

1877-7058 © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license
(http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).
Peer-review under responsibility of the scientific committee of TRANSCOM 2017: International scientific conference on sustainable, modern and safe transport
doi:10.1016/j.proeng.2017.06.083
 Maroš Krajčír and Jana Müllerová / Procedia Engineering 192 (2017) 480 – 485 481

Full scale Experimental modelling of real fire accident situation is the most probably the oldest form of
experimental fire engineering. Although, this way is very costly, the results in form of measured data of fire-relevant
physical quantities such as temperatures, heat release rate, mass loss and their development during the experiment
are very valuable (Table 1.). On the other hand the disadvantages are connected to time-consuming preparation,
human resources required, funding. The repeating of full scale experiment is also very rare [1].
Table 1. Comparing of fire modelling systems [1].

Criteria Full-scale modeling Small-scale modeling

Accuracy High High

Relative costs (€) Ten thousand Hundreds
Professional competence Upper intermediate Upper intermediate
Preparation time Months Weeks
Number of iterations Very limited Limited

Many data and many realistic measurements are needed. But full scale modelling is very slow. A full-scale model
takes too much time for. Especially models of entire buildings are very rare. And this is the place for small-scale
modelling. It enables much more iterations at the same time comparing to full-scale experiments. Its accuracy is
comparable to full-scale modelling. The biggest advantage is the price for experiment reflecting much shorter
preparation time. It enables more iterations in various conditions. The output data might be used in the PC modelling
[2,3].

2. Scale modeling of compartment fires

Gross and Robertson were one of the first researchers to conduct experiments to scale wood crib fires in
enclosures. Their attempt was based on matching the Froude number because they recognized that the fire plume
flow was governed by the buoyancy force:

u
Fr
gs (1)

It was recognized that the gas flow velocity (u) is proportional to the square root of the length scale (s). In their
experiment, the scaling rules applied in the design phase were basically geometric relationships, and the same
compartment wall material was used for all scales. The results obtained from different scales did not compare well
because other important factors involved in a compartment fire such as ventilation condition and boundaries were
not taken account of [3,4].
482 Maroš Krajčír and Jana Müllerová / Procedia Engineering 192 (2017) 480 – 485

2.1. Time scale

Fig. 1. (a) Schematic drawing of mass flow rate; (b) Schematic drawing of momentum [3].

ఘିఘಮ ்ି்ಮ
By using the perfect gas law under constant pressure ቀ ൌ ቁ and the definition of mass flow rate ݉ሶ ൌ
ఘಮ ்ಮ
ߩ‫ ܣݑ‬can be written in terms of the length scale “s”:

T  Tf
Uu 2 s 2 ~ Uf gs 3
T (2)

So the scale relation for mass flow velocity can be obtained:

u ~ gs
(3)

Furthermore, equating the momentum term with buoyancy gives a time scale:

1
s
t~ Ÿ t ~ s2
g (4)

In this research, the time scale is derived based on the fundamental physics concept. This time scale is the basic
scaling relation used to develop scaling rules governed in a compartmental fire [5,6].

2.2. Energy equation

The model shows the fire phenomenon in a compartment (Figure 2.). The model displays the fire burning in the
compartment with a room vent.
 Maroš Krajčír and Jana Müllerová / Procedia Engineering 192 (2017) 480 – 485 483

Fig. 2. Model of a compartment fire [6].

This relation is expressed in the energy conservation equation. So two dimensionless groups (Π terms) can be
obtained:

Q
3 gen
U f c pTf g s 5 2
(5)

q
3 los
U f c pTf g s 5 2
(6)

Since the acceleration of gravity (g) is not practicable to change and ̱݃‫ ݏ‬଴ , the heat generation rate and heat loss
rate are scaled according to:

Q s 5 2 (7)

q s5 2 (8)

2.3. Scaling of compartment boundaries

The heat loss rate ሺ‫ݍ‬ሶ ሻ is determined by the boundary conditions of a compartment fire. The scaling relation of the
heat loss rate ሺ‫ݍ‬ሶ ̱‫ ݏ‬ଵΤଶ ሻ will be the basis to determine the design parameters of compartment boundaries. The heat
loss through the compartment boundaries consists of the heat loss through ventilation by radiation ሺ‫ݍ‬ሶ ௩ ሻ and heat loss
through wallsሺ‫ݍ‬ሶ ௪ ሻ [6].

q qv  q w (9)

2.4. Strategy of partial scaling

Complete scaling requires preserving all the four dimensionless groups Π wk , Πwc , Πwr and Πδw (Table 2.). The
preservation of conduction calls for the change of wall materials. The preservation of convection calls for the change
of heat convection coefficient, but this is difficult to implement. The preservation of radiation requires either a
change of gas emissivity or a change of ambient temperature. Changing ambient temperature is possible [5].
484 Maroš Krajčír and Jana Müllerová / Procedia Engineering 192 (2017) 480 – 485

Table 2. Dimensionless groups and scaling rules for compartment boundaries [6].

3. Small scale modeling application

The prototype is a building room with 5300mm×4850mm floor and 2600mm height (inside dimensions)
(Figure 3.). The wall material of the prototype is assumed to be bricks and the ceiling is made of steel beams. The
thickness of the compartment walls in the prototype is 450 mm [4].

Fig. 3. Geometry of the prototype compartment [4].

Model at scale ሺ‫ ݏ‬ൌ ͳΤͶሻ are designed. The model with 1400mm×1300mm floor and 750 mm height (inside
dimensions).The inner walls of the model were covered with mineral wool 5 cm thick (Figure 4.). The material was
found out thanks to fundamental relations of scaling. Mineral wool was fixed to 1.25 cm thick plasterboard
embedded in the metal frame (3mm thick and 30mm wide).
 Maroš Krajčír and Jana Müllerová / Procedia Engineering 192 (2017) 480 – 485 485

Fig. 4. Geometry of the model compartment.

With the help of glue for thermal insulation systems was sealed mineral wool to drywall. Closing of outer walls
was carried out by screws placed in 15 cm intervals (Figure 5.). During the tests, the material was exposed directly to
the hot gases.

Fig. 5. 1/4-scale compartments.

4. Conclusion

In case of fire modeling in a small scale, the entry test was necessary to find out the accuracy of the application of
the laws of reducing on selected object. Modeling on a reduced scale using dimensionless groups for compliance
with the criteria of decreasing provides very similar results as a model in full scale. Modeling on a reduced scale can
also make use of the forensic detection of fires or causes fire engineering. Fire test shows that the proposed method
of reducing a confined space is useful for continuous fire tests.

References

[1] J. Müllerová, Heat transfer. Germany: LAP LAMBERT Academic Publishing, 2014.
[2] G. Heskestad, Modeling of enclosure fires. [serial online] 1973, [cited 2013 May 11]; Available from: URL: http://libgen.org/scimag/?s=-
Modeling+of+enclosure+fires.+&journalid=&v=&i=&p=&redirect=1.
[3] M. Wang, Scale modelling of structural behavior in fire. [disertation]. Maryland: University of Maryland, 2006.
[4] V. Reichel, Setting requirements for building structures for fire safety (Stanovení požadavků na stavební konstrukce z hlediska požární
bezpečnosti). 1st ed. ČSSR: Praha, 1981 (in Czech).
[5] J. G. Quintiere, Fundamentals of fire phenomena, Maryland: University of Maryland, 2006.
[6] P. S. Veloo, Scale modeling of the transient behavior of heat flux in enclosure fires. Maryland: University of Maryland, 2006.