SCALE MODELING OF STATIC FIRES IN A COMPLEX GEOMETRY FOR FORENSIC FIRE APPLICATIONS

Abstract

Scale modeling can allow fire investigators to replicate specific fire dynamics at a dramatically reduced cost. A gas burner, liquid pool, wood crib, and polyurethane foam block are used to represent the wide range of fuels that investigators encounter. These fuels are classified into two groups: the burner and liquid pool that reach a semi-immediate steady state (static fires) and the crib and foam that have a fire spread and growth period (dynamic fires). This research examines the proposed scaling method for the static fires. The enclosure consists of a large corridor that provides an interesting challenge due to the presence of partitions at the ceiling. The design fires and the model enclosure are designed based on Froude scaling derived from conservation equations. The eight various sized fires demonstrate acceptable scaling results in the prediction of flame height and temperature at various elevations in the enclosure.