Nelson Bryner

Building and Fire Research Labo

National Institute of Standards and Tec

U.S. Department of Commerce

nelson.bryner@nist.gov

National Construction Safety Team Inve

National Construction Safety Team Inve

The Station Nightclub Fi

The Station Nightclub Fi

Testing and Validation Experim

Testing and Validation Experim

Support Simulation Support Simulation

NCST Advisory Committee

June 23, 2004
The Need for Testing and Experime

The Need for Testing and Experime

• Computer fire simulations require input d

Building Geometry – floor and ceiling dimensionsVentilation – location and dimensions of windows and Material Properties – Ignition temperature, thermal co

capacity, density, heat/energy release rate

• Data for common materials available in r

libraries; for less common materials addrequired:Cone Calorimeter lab test used to collect data on poly

ceiling tiles

Large Fire Facility experiments used to collect data on 

(Gerbs) and fire spread at real-scale

• NIST tested no materials removed from T
Objectives: Objectives:

To assess material burning behavior to det

correlation to the materials in the nightcldevelop source term data for modeling fr

• Cone calorimeter data

Polyurethane foamsCeiling tiles

• Pyrotechnics 

Gerbs

Use full-scale experiment to verify ability of 

predict fire conditions

Compare experimental results to model pre

flame spread, layer development, and gaconcentrations (oxygen and carbon diox
Cone Calorimeter Testing of PU Foam* H

Cone Calorimeter Testing of PU Foam* H

Release Rate: Release Rate:Incident Heat Flux: 35 and 70 kW/m

2

0

100200300400500600700

0 20 40 60 80 100 120

Foam 1-1Foam 1-2Foam 1-3

Heat Release Rate (kW/m2)

Time (s)

Non-flame retarded 

* PU foam purchased from a commercial supplier, American Micro Industries, Inc

0

100200300400500600700

0 20 40 

Heat Release Rate (kW/m2)
Pyrotechnics Pyrotechnics – Gerbs* 

(White color, 15 second duration, 15 foot throw)

• Video recordings, multiple geometries• Thermal Radiation- heat flux to surface• Temperature – gas temps of “plume”

45 Par

o

16 -18 s afterGerb Ignition

45 Perpendicular o

* Gerbs purchased from a commercial supplier, Luna Tech, Inc.
Temperature and heat flux: Temperature and heat flux: 

45

o Perpendicular Orientation Perpendicular Orientation

Gas 

0

50

100150200

90 100 

One Ge

Temperature, oC

0

200400600800

10001200

120 

Polyurethane Foam 

Temperature, oC

0

0.5

1

1.5

2

2.5

3

90 100 110 120 130 140 150

One Gerb - 45 o / Perpendicular Orientation

0.9 m Center1.5 m Left Center1.5 m Right Center1.5 m Center2.1 m Center

Thermal Heat Flux, kW/m2

Time, s
Stage Area Fire Experiments Stage Area Fire Experiments

2.44 m

 WOODPANELING

POLYURETHANE FOAM NYLON

CARPETING

REMAINING FLOOR, WALLS, & CEILING LINED WITH GYPSUM BOARD
0

100200300400500

0 50 100 150 200

Ceiling0.3 m below ceiling0.6 m below ceiling1.2 m below ceiling1.8 m below ceiling2.4 m below ceiling3.0 m below ceiling3.6 m below ceiling

Gas Temperature (C

o

)

Time (s)

0

200400600800

1000

0 50 

Gas Temperature (C

o

)

0

20406080

100

0 50 

Heat Flux (kW/m

2

)

Main Floor Ceiling 

(2.44 m above 

Ceiling heat flux and Ceiling heat flux and gas temperatures near gas temperatures near room center room center -

Sprinklered Non-Sprinkler
0

0.05

0.1

0.15

0 50 

Hydrogen Cyanide (volume %)

1U

0123456

0 50 100 150 200

Carbon Monoxide (volume %)

Time (s)

1.4 m above floor Un-sprinklered

1.4 m above floor Sprinklered

05

10152025

0 50 

Oxygen (volume %)

1.4 m above  Un-sprinkle

Gas volume fraction Gas volume fraction measurements near measurements near room center, 1.4 m room center, 1.4 m above floor above floor
Summary Summary

• Real-scale fire experiments were condcollect temperature, concentration, fire sheat release rate data over a room with foam-covered walls. • Non-sprinklered experiment led to flasconditions within alcove in approximate• Resulting high temperatures, low oxygcarbon monoxide, and high hydrogen cyconcentrations suggest conditions in thsprinklered test became untenable in les• With sprinklers, near-ambient temperaoxygen levels were maintained 1.4 m ab
6/22/04

• Overview - W. Grosshandler6/23/04• Egress study, and review of model building and fire 

W. Grosshandler

• Documentation of emergency response - K. Kuntz

• Testing and validation experiments to support simu

• Simulation of fire and smoke movement in labo

reconstruction - D. Madrzykowski

Status of Technical Investigation Status of Technical Investigation