Highrise Building Fire
Safety Concept
HG Tay FIFireE
B Sc (Hons) M Sc Fire Safety Engineering
IFE International President
The Institution of Fire Engineers
Highrise Building Fire Safety Concept
Introduction
Highrise Building Fire Safety Concept
Introduction 1.History and Development of Highrise Buildings
2.Fire Hazards of Highrise Buildings
3.Fire Risks of Highrise Buildings
4.Fire Safety Concept and Management of Highrise Buildings Highrise Building Fire Safety Concept
History and Development of Highrise Buildings
Growing populations
Limited land resources
Reflection of high technology in construction industry
Reflection of modern city status
Advancement in highrise construction
is also accompanied by high fire hazards and fire risks Highrise fire fighting and mass evacuation becomes a major issue
Highrise Building Fire Safety Concept
Development of Highrise Buildings There are three eras where highrise buildings were a trend in the construction industry. The first highrise was a 10 storey building in Chicago back in 1885
The First Wave Starts back in 1931 in New York represented by Empire State Building of 102 storey at 381m height
This record was held for 40 years
Highrise Building Fire Safety Concept
The second wave During 20th century from 1960 to 1970 in America.
The representing skyscraper is New York World Financial Centre of 110 storey and 417m height constructed in 1972
Followed by Chicago Sheers Tower – 1973 of 110 storey at 443m height which holds the record for 23 years
Highrise Building Fire Safety Concept
The Third Wave
From 20th Century 1990 until now There is migration of the concept from the West to the East
Represented by Kuala Lumpur Twin Tower Malaysia of 98 storey at 452height built in 1996
Followed by Taipei 101 built in 2003 of 101 storey and 508m height
Shanghai and Hong Kong of China and Dubai all Join the race to build the tallest tower in the world Today in Shanghai there are more than 10,000 highrise buildings Highrise Building Fire Safety Concept
World’s Tallest
Highrise Building Highrise Building Fire Safety Concept and Design
Two International Finance Centre ‐ 415m 88 Storey
Shanghai Jin Mao Building – 421m 88 Storey
Willis Tower Chicago – 452m 108 Storey
Zifeng Tower Nanjing – 450m 89 Storey Kuala Lumpur Petronas Twin Tower – 452m 88 Storey
International Commercial center Hong Kong – 484m 118 Storey
Shanghai World Finance Centre –492m 101 Storey
Taipei 101‐ 509m 101 Storey
Makkah Royal Court Hotel
– 601m 120 Storey
Burj Khalifa Dubai – 829.84m 163 Storey
Burj Khalifa Dubai Full View Worlds Tallest Skyscrapers Rank
Building[A][4]
1
Burj Khalifa
2
City
Dubai
Country
Height (m)
Height (ft)
Floors
Built
UAE
828 m
2,717 ft
163
2010
Makkah Royal Clock Mecca
Tower Hotel
Saudi Arabia
601 m[5]
1,971 ft
120
2012[F]
3
Taipei 101
Taipei
Taiwan
509 m[6]
1,670 ft
101
2004
4
Shanghai World Financial Center
Shanghai
China
492 m
1,614 ft
101
2008
5
International Commerce Centre
Hong Kong
Hong Kong
484 m
1,588 ft
118
2010
6
Petronas Tower 1
Kuala Lumpur
Malaysia
452 m
1,483 ft
88
1998
6
Petronas Tower 2
Kuala Lumpur
Malaysia
452 m
1,483 ft
88
1998
8
Zifeng Tower
Nanjing
China
450 m
1,476 ft
89
2010
9
Willis Tower
Chicago
USA
442 m
1,450 ft
108
1973
Highrise Building Fire Safety Concept
Definition of Highrise Building Highrise Building Fire Safety Concept
Definition of Highrise Buildings
Most of the countries in the world define Highrise Building as :‐
“Any occupied building with a structure that is more than 30 meters above ground level beyond which internal fire fighting is imminent”
Any building above 10 Storey = Highrise Building
Singapore, Hong Kong, Malaysia – 30m
Canada – 18m
USA – 23m
Nederlands – 70m
Highrise Building Fire Safety Concept
Definition of Highrise Buildings (Cont)
* Available height of water Jet supply
* The achievable height of turn table ladder
* Fire Engine pump capacity
* Fire engine access requirements
* Building below 30m fitted with Dry Riser c/w breeching inlet * * Highrise building are fitted with Wet Riser system
‐ pressurized pipework connected to pumpsets and water tank that is self replenishing ‐ breeching inlet connected to water tank
Highrise Building Fire Safety Concept
Highrise Building Features
Highrise Building Fire Safety Concept
Highrise Building Features
•Multiple Occupancies ‐
City in City * Tower Block ‐ Office, Hotel Condominium
* Podium Block – Shopping Complex, amusement park, restaurants, cineplex, bowling centre, Karaoke, childcare centre, carpark
* Mix occupancy mix fire risk
* Maximum travel distance often exceeded
* ASET – RSET ????
* Mass evacuation difficulties
Highrise Building Fire Safety Concept
Fire Hazard and Fire Risk
* Fire caused by electrical appliances
‐ During construction
‐ After occupancy, during renovation
* Cooking facilities
‐ Pantry
‐ Restaurant
‐ Microwave
* Machine induced fire
* Renovation induced fire * Fire caused by Smoking ‐
Cigarette in the waste bin
Highrise Building Fire Safety Concept
Fire Hazard and Fire Risk (Cont.)
* Gas Explosion
* Refute chute * Laundry chute
* Spontaneous ignition
Highrise Building Fire Safety Concept and Design
Fire Propagation
Hazard and Risk
Highrise Building Fire Safety Concept
Fire Propagation Hazards and Risks
During Construction
Storage of building materials that is highly combustible
Use of high energy output lamps for illumination and drying
Use of highly flammable solvents
Ever presence of fuel load and ignition source
Lack of fire protection systems Lack of passive compartmentation
Completed buildings
‐ Furnishing and finishes ‐ Commercial display combustibles
‐ Telecommunication cables and electrical cab
Highrise Building Fire Safety Concept
Fire Propagation Hazards and Risks (Cont)
* Vertical and horizontal access
‐ Riser ducts, wall penetrations, gaps, expansion joints
‐ Air condition ducts, trunkings ‐ Fire escape staircases
* Chimney effect ‐ Internally through vertical ducts ‐ Externally through curtain walling system
‐ Through fire escape staircase
* From floor to floor
‐ Towering Inferno scenario * Failure of Fire Protection Systems
Highrise Building Fire Safety Concept
Fire Propagation Hazards and Risks (Cont)
Building under Renovation
Increased of Fuel load and ignition source at site
Decrease of passive fire protection system e.g compartmentation wall; fire resistant doorsets Presence of scaffoldings and external netting Presence of third party workers increasing fire risk
Hyatt Hotel – Jin Mao Building
Caracas
Venezuela
Towering Inferno
35
36
Shanghai China Apartment
Fire
Shanghai China Apartment Fire
37
Shanghai China Apartment Fire
38
Highrise Building Fire Safety Concept
Mass Evacuation
Hazard and Risk
Highrise Building Fire Safety Concept
Mass Evacuation Hazards and Risks * Difficulty in implementation ‐ Vertical transportation through lift or escalator
‐ Mass evacuation for highrise within ASET is at times not achievable
‐ Human factor needs to be built into the formula for RSET
* Crowd Control ‐ need to avoid stampede during mass evacuation
* Maximum travel Distance and ASET ‐ Often exceed ‐ The taller and bigger the tower , the total number of evacuees increases and the longer
it takes Highrise Building Fire Safety Concept
Mass Evacuation Hazards and Risks (Cont)
* Possible ingress of flame, smoke and toxic fumes at fire escape staircase
* Need to cater for sick, disables, pregnant ladies, elderly, and any other emergencies.
* Need to cater for those who can not descend from higher floor
to lower floor (temporary refuge area) Highrise Building Fire Safety Concept
No of Floors
Evacuation Time (min)
240P/Floor
120/Floor
60P/Floor
50
131
66
33
40
105
52
26
30
78
39
20
20
51
25
13
10
38
19
9
Highrise Building Fire Safety Concept
Fire Fighting
Hazard and Risk
Highrise Building Fire Safety Concept Fire Fighting Hazards and Risks
* External Fire Fighting
‐ limited by height of turn table ladder
‐ limited by fire and smoke on the facade of the building
* Internal fire fighting
‐ Restriction due to layout of the building
‐ Due to accumulation of smoke and toxic fumes
‐ Failure of fireman’s lift
‐ Creates traffic jam within fire escape staircase
Highrise Building Fire Safety Concept
Fire Fighting Hazards and Risks (Cont)
* Water supply issue
‐ High demand for water supply ‐ Risk of hoses puncture by broken glasses
* Smoke Control and Management ‐ Rapid smoke and toxic fume built‐up ‐ Possible failure of mechanical smoke extract system
Highrise Building Fire Safety Concept
Highrise Fire
Safety Strategy
Highrise Building Fire Safety Concept
Highrise Building Fire Safety Concept
* Fire Safety Engineering Approach
* Performance‐based design
* Provision for Fire escape staircase
* Provision for smoke and fire lobby
* Provision for smoke control and management system
* Provision for active and passive fire protection systems
* Provision for firemen’s lift
* Provision for fire fighter’s lobby
* Provision for maximum travel distance
* Provision for mass evacuation
* Provision for emergency response planning and management Highrise Building Fire Safety Concept
Highrise Building Fire Safety Concept
* Provision for temporally refuge area and management * Provision for preventive maintenance
* Provision for sustainable fire engineering design
* Provision for fire engine access in relation to volume and height of the building
* Provision for in house first respondents
* Provision for AET through drill
* Fire Fighters need to be retrained for understanding
of building construction and fire hazards
Highrise Building Fire Safety Strategy 4.1 预防火灾发生的对策
Adopt Appropriate Fire Engineering Design
Accord Active and Passive FPS
ERP and ERM
Fire Risk Assessment and Management Fire Prevention
Strategies
Preventive Maintenance Schedule
In house Fire Fighting Units Highrise Building Fire Safety Strategy (Cont) 4.2 控御火灾扩大对策Fire resistant Structure
•Steel Structure • Reinforcement Concrete
Adopt FR Material Review Fire Hazard/Risk
• Occupancy Risk
• Activities
• High Risk
• Low Risk
Fire Propagation Strategy
• FP System
• FP Installation
•Inspection Testing
•Preventive Maintenance Adopt Intelligent System
• Interior Decorator • Furnishing
• Finishes
•External cladding
Highrise Building Fire Safety Concept
Highrise Building Rescue Strategy
* Automatic Fire Detection Alarm system
* Confine Fire and Conduct Mass Evacuate * Adopt various method of fire fighting technology
* Automatic smoke extract system
* Turn table external rescue
* Ground control and security
* PR and Medium * ERP and ERM Table top and actual drill
* Local council, Fire Service, Building owners,
professionals, police coordination meeting
Thank You