SR185 Soot yield values for modelling purposes - residential occupancies (2008)

Handbook values for the smoke yield (the mass of smoke/soot produced per mass of fuel burned) based on flexible polyurethane foam have been assumed for design fires involving upholstered furniture. It is suspected that the predictions for the concentration of smoke are significantly higher than would be experienced in practice, and as a result. these are contributing to the buildings failing the proposed acceptance criteria relating to visibility.

The objectives of the research:

• Conduct a sensitivity analysis on the smoke yield parameter when used with two commonly used fire models (BRANZFIRE and FDS) by simulating a well documented experiment and varying the input smoke yield between 0.05 and 0.2 kg/kg.
• Compare model predictions for the optical density (which is related to smoke concentration and visibility) with the selected experimental data described in a report by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)
• Present the results and make a recommendation on an appropriate smoke yield (kg/kg) to be included in the design fire specifications to be published by the Department of Building and Housing.