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The Influence of Tunnel Geometry and Ventilation on the Heat Release Rate of a Fire

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Abstract

It has occasionally been observed that fires in tunnels appear to be significantly more severe than fires in the open air. A literature review has been carried out, comparing heat release data from fires in tunnels with heat release data from similar fires in the open air. A Bayesian methodology has been used to investigate the geometrical factors that have the greatest influence on heat release rate. It is shown that the heat release rate of a fire in a tunnel is influenced primarily by the width of a tunnel; a fire will tend to have a higher heat release rate in a narrow tunnel rather than in a wide tunnel. The observed relationship between heat release rate and tunnel width is presented. Results from a study investigating the variation of heat release rate with ventilation velocity for fires in tunnels are also presented. A method for making realistic estimates of the heat release rates of fires in tunnels, based on these results, is presented.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of the Built Environment, Heriot-Watt University, Sir William Arrol Building, Edinburgh, EH14 4AS, Scotland

    R.O. Carvel, A.N. Beard & P.W. Jowitt

  2. Institute for Infrastructure and the Environment, University of Edinburgh, Crew Building, Edinburgh, EH9 3JN, Scotland

    D.D. Drysdale

Authors
  1. R.O. Carvel
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  2. A.N. Beard
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  3. P.W. Jowitt
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  4. D.D. Drysdale
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Carvel, R., Beard, A., Jowitt, P. et al. The Influence of Tunnel Geometry and Ventilation on the Heat Release Rate of a Fire. Fire Technology 40, 5–26 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1023/B:FIRE.0000003313.97677.c5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/B:FIRE.0000003313.97677.c5

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