Research in Fire Engineering: Understanding Fire Growth and Flame Spread in Developing a Design Fire

Description

Developing a characteristic design fire lies at the heart of many aspects of fire engineering. The time-resolved development of a fire heat release rate (HRR) is the integrated effect of various competing phenomena. The following will present fire test data - from the bench-scale to full-scale furniture calorimetry - to demonstrate the driving factors of fire growth rate. The presentation will also touch on the concept of flame spread and the implications of different flame spread regimes on fire growth.

Contributors

David Morrisset

David Morrisset is a final year PhD student at the University of Edinburgh Centre for Fire Safety Research (UK). He attended the California Polytechnic State University of San Luis Obispo, receiving both a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering and an M.S. in Fire Protection Engineering. Prior to starting the PhD, David worked as a consultant for various fire engineering firms such as Jensen Hughes (US), Arup (US), and RED Fire Engineers (AUS). His PhD research focuses on the heat transfer mechanisms controlling the process of flame spread - however his research experience also includes the fire performance of timber, upholstered furniture testing, combustible cladding materials, and general material flammability testing. He is a member of the Society of Fire Protection Engineers (SFPE), the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), the Combustion Institute, and the International Association for Fire Safety Science (IAFSS).

Description

Contributors

David Morrisset