Novel Dataset For Fire Model Validation
The Fire Safety Research Institute (FSRI), part of UL Research Institutes, has published a novel dataset to support the development and validation of fire models. The new data repository was amassed through FSRI’s research project, Heat Transfer and Fire Damage Patterns on Walls.
This extensive dataset encompasses measurements from experiments in which a free-standing wall was exposed to various fire sources under controlled conditions. Fire sources include a natural gas burner, gasoline pools, heptane pools, wood cribs, and an upholstered chair. Tests were conducted in triplicate for three wall types: steel, calcium silicate board, and gypsum wallboard. The former two wall types address the heat transfer validation objective of the project, while the latter wall type addresses the fire damage patterns objective.
The repository contains comprehensive timeseries records of heat release rate, flame height, heat flux, temperatures, and more at discrete measurement points, as well as field measurements of wall temperatures, gas temperatures near the wall, and heat flux to the wall. Cumulative field measurements include mass loss and photographic documentation of fire damage patterns for each wall type and fire exposure. A README document shared in the repository provides full details on the repository structure and contents.
This dataset enables the exploration of important research questions, such as:
- Are flame radiation and convective heat flux to walls being modeled appropriately in fire models?
- How can fire damage patterns on gypsum wallboard be predicted using a fire model?
- What is the relationship between mass loss and discoloration fire effects on gypsum wallboard?
- Is cumulative heat flux to a wall a reliable predictor of fire damage patterns?
With this novel experimental dataset, fire researchers and fire model developers have an invaluable resource to advance predictive capabilities essential for fire investigation.
This research was supported by Award No. 15PNIJ-21-GG-04167-RESS, from the National Institute of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice. The opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this publication / program / exhibition are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect those of the Department of Justice.
