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A Simplified Approach for Assessing Initial Fire Development and Spread
Track(s): Fire Protection Engineering, Research

Kurt Schebel, Arup

Audio Sample:




During this session you will hear about a simplified method for assessing fire development and spread in passenger rail vehicles using small-scale test data and computational modeling. The method involves analyzing initiation fire scenarios, applying a material flame spread screening approach, applying a simplified upward flame spread model, and translating the outcomes into a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model. By being able to quickly assess a material's propensity to spread flame for a range of initiation fires, this method can be used to support threat, risk, and vulnerability assessments; to screen materials for new design; and, in conjunction with additional assessment of initial flame spread characteristics, to predict the overall fire development and spread hazard for specific configurations and resultant impacts.

Kurt Schebel, Consultant Engineer at Arup located in New York, New York. He graduated with a Master of Science in Fire Protection Engineering from Worcester Polytechnic Institute, June, 2010. Kurt is in the process of publication and also a member of NFPA and SFPE.