CURRENT RESEARCH AND FUTURE EXPECTATIONS OF RSE BURNING

摘要

The scientific method is the process in which the fire investigator, among other steps, develops arnhypothesis and tests it. The 2011 NFPA 921, §20.5.1, states that “Fire testing is a tool that can provide data thatrncompliment data collected at the fire scene (see 4.3.3), or can be used to test hypotheses (see 4.3.6). Such firerntesting can range in scope from bench scale testing to full-scale recreation of the entire event.” (bold and italicsrnadded). A Full Scale Enclosure (FSE) testing of a hypothesis may be quite expensive, time consuming, and just notrnpractical. Building and burning a Reduced Scale Enclosure (RSE) may provide insight into the various fire effects,rnpatterns, and dynamics within the enclosure.rnAfter burning over fifty FSE, RSE, and furniture combinations, fourteen RSE and one FSE were burned andrnevaluated. To help ensure valid tests, propane sand burners were used in both the FSE and RSE. The FSE had anrnignition source of an approximate 100 kW (341,214 BTU/Hr) while the RSE had an ignition source of anrnapproximate 3 kW (10,236 BTU/Hr). It was shown that when the parameters are held relatively consistent, then thernRSE results were repeatable and were in general agreement with the FSE. Since burning of the RSE occurredrnoutside year round, ambient temperatures and wind affected the results but were not calculated or considered. Thisrnclearly demonstrated that even with these variables, general agreement between the FSE and RSE occurred.rnThe results of the test consistently showed fire growth with rapid fire spread across the couch when the upper layerrnincreased in energy and then progressed across the room and ignited the stuffed chair. Consistently roll over wasrnobserved in the interior chair camera. A consistent and predicted phenomenon occurred just over the stuffed chair inrnthat it registered one of the highest room temperatures. This is explained by an abundant source of fuel, oxygen, andrnheat.rnThe construction of the scaled furniture appears to represent the fire effects and fire patterns of the FSE reasonablyrnwell. Though three fires developed very slowly, for unknown reasons, once energy feedback by the upper layerrnkicked in, they responded like all of the others. The concept of developing heavy, medium and light furniturerndesigns appears to help improve the visual representation as well as provided the required fuel packages. Furtherrnwork is being conducted to refine and verify the design so that a reliable and reproducible guideline may berndeveloped.rnA RSE is not only a tool for hypothesis testing but is a great tool for investigator to fine tune their skills as well asrndevelop new ones. These RSEs are inexpensive; easy to construct; easy on time; and just another way of for the firerninvestigator to gain more hands one experience.