Fire Resistant Design High Rise Building Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays

Approach to Fire Strategy by [Name of Student] Lecturer [Name of University] [Date] Abstract Concrete columns and beams are good fire resistant as compared to steel due their non-conductivity ability. The degrees of damage to a building whether build on steel or concrete depends on the loading capacity, compression deflection and strain of the materials used when subjected to high temperatures. It is important to note that fire outbreak in a building should be detected as soon as possible to prevent a possibility of the entire building catching fire. There should be detectors which uses sensor to detect fire when breaks out. The sensors should works in manner that when there is heat it is triggered to send signals to the bell which will ring to alert the people about the fire outbreak. Modern technology requires the installation of automated valves which detects fire and sends signal to the bell. There should be also detectors which raises an alarm when there is a smell of gas, thereby, preventing the possibility of a major fire explosion in the building. Multi-storey Steel-Framed Buildings should have beams which if not protected unprotected should withstand 30 and 60 minutes fire resistance. Concrete- Framed Buildings are have enhanced strength, ductility and stiffness in terms of their columns and beams this is because they do not easily buckle, erode and have high fire resistance. The beams and columns need to have a thick concrete that can improved performance so long as they comply with both static and seismic loads. Outline Abstract Introduction Steel Building Concrete Building Comparisons between Steel Building and Concrete Building Approach to Fire Strategy Conclusion References Introduction Building designers are obligated to design structures which have necessary fire safety measures. This begins with the building layout, structural in response to fire, structural configuration and thermal response of materials used. This means in laying out the building, a means of escape should be provided based on the nature and number of occupants at any given day in the building. Proper fire fighting facilities should be provided and placed in accessible area. There should be proper compartmentation of the building in terms of a number and size of ventilation, the internal height of the building and materials used in construction. Structural response of buildings ensures that the building can withstand fire without collapsing to give time to occupant’s to escape. The structure should be fire resistant in terms of structure supporting rooms, columns and stairs. It should be in a position to allow in air that will reduce the effect of smoke to the visibility of the occupants. This relates to the design and provision for ventilations. Steel Building The building selected in this case study is T- Mobile headquarters’ which was originally a concrete framed building but was changed to steel. The T- Mobile headquarters’ has six buildings which have 9x9 metre grid with floor area of 2600m2 for each building. The building has approached fire strategies by providing a strong structure of steel, giving provision for means of escape, providing accessible facilities for fire fighting, and providing adequate ventilations. The building which has a business pack, retail amenities, educational facilities and offices has been build and given provisions for fire escape. There is a wide stair cases for fire escape which are consistent with U.K regulations standards. The structure is formed using steel with a proper bearing capacity and it is supported by a ring beam. This ensures that the building is stable and cannot collapse in case of fire. The steel that has been used in the construction was tested in ensuring that they did not collapse in case of fire. The structure consisting of columns beams and floors have been designed in rectangular grids which are not regular but can withstand a huge loading. This means even if there is a high temperature chance of steel members being affected to the point of collapsing are minimal. This is because the thickness used has been calculated and adhere to Eurocode 3 which gives guidelines on the thickness to be used. Being an office as well as shops the building has afire loading density of 1100 MJ/m2 and heart release rate of 550 kW/m2. Such a building has a fire growth rate of medium because it is an office and other facilities (Corus Construction & Industrial, 2006). In the building, there is enough suppression system which ensures that fire is contained to give room for occupants to escape as well as wait for intervention from fire brigades. The facilities provided within the building will ensure that fire is sprinkled to reduce the spread and heat release. At the same time they can help contain the fire from spreading by ensuring that areas where fire has not reached are wet to reduce the spread. Because the building is sprinkled, it has a height of 30 comply with approved document B table A 2 and they have a minimum of fire resistant rating of 5 hours. The building has complied with Approved Document B requirements which makes mandatory for steel building to have ability to resist fire for more than 60 minutes. The building has also a re-entrant deck with A252 mesh with mesh strength of 46kN/cm2. It has T-Mobile headquarters’ buildings have also secondary beams to protect other beams from fire thus increasing fire resisting ability. These beams have a loaded of 49kN as per the requirements of Approved Document B. When there is fire, the steel that has been used will not easily be deformed because it’s protected and it’s connected with the other steels. This high rise steel structure is assumed to be resistant to fire for more than 60 minutes. T-Mobile headquarters’ buildings have wide-flange box columns and columns that are 100% steel-framed it has good load-bearing capacity (Corus Construction & Industrial, 2004). The buildings have complied with the all requirements relating to fire exposure especially after the 2001 World Trade Centre fire which led to destruction of 20 floors in the first 30 seconds and it was steel-framed. The World Trade Centre the test of fire safety measures because it collapsed within a short period (9 - 1 1 R e s e a r c h, 2013). Concrete Building The concrete building selected is Beetham Tower . the design of the building is similar to the most concrete framed building in that it has narrow windows that rise to the top of the building. A concrete core and concrete frame supported its floors. ‘The Beetham Tower, Holloway Circus in Birmingham used post-tensioned concrete fl at slabs to give a slim structural zone’ (concrete centre, 2006) In addition, symmetry is also employed in the building and it has a tower on the central building. The multi-storey building can house a large number of people. There is similarity in size among the other buildings constructed during this era. The buildings also used the same colour, which means that the classicism style was fully utilized. This building has complied with requirements as highlighted in approved document B in relations to fire approach. The building uses modern materials such as steel for its outer casing, a glass atrium, almost more than 60 foot high, rises to the top of the building, stopping only at the skylight. The atrium serves as a courtyard around which offices are located and the resultant sunlight in the atrium provides the much-needed impetus for the growth of the foliage that is a part of it. It consists of an external building housing a reliquary box and it is a boxlike look that is surrounded by a ring of skylights. The skylights allow natural light to find its way into the concrete walls that gives the whole chapel an impression of being illuminated in an ethereal glow. The building is constructed as a series of rectangular volumes placed parallel to each other, with three short and two long structures. The structures are made of glass and concrete and the one that houses the restaurant and cafe gives a panoramic view of the exteriors. The curtain like glass walls provides an inlet for the natural light while the artefacts are protected by the concrete walls. The use of natural lighting in this building is consistent with the theory that form should aid function. The use of natural light in the building is further enhanced by the skylights that filter in a soft light those lights up the exhibition spaces. The building has proper fire fighting facilities, it has a proper means of escape and it’s constructed on materials that have low fire growth rate. The building has enough r fire escape routes to the occupants and has given room for many clearly marked exit routes in the high rise buildings because they carry many occupants at any given time as compared to the single storey building. There is detection of fire signs which is a proactive step for preventing the occurrence of fire explosions in building. The use of fire detector, pungent smelling fire in the building, and automated valves with sensors can detect the fire. The building has steel members that are fully encased in concrete with reinforced to avoid buckling in case of fire. Concrete buildings are not affected by erosion of their stiffness over time but they maintain resistance, stiffness and ductility minimising shrinkage and structural response to loads. The building has high resistance because it has rectangular cross-sections which are good in resisting fire. The rectangular columns and beams have concrete shell that guarantee corrosion resistance and fireproof thus degradation of building due to fight temperature and pressure from smoke is reduced. It should be noted that fireproof construction is one in which the structural elements are of incombustible materials with fire resistance ratings sufficient to withstand the fire severity resulting from the complete combustion of the contents and finish involved in the intended occupancy. In concrete framed high-rise building adjacent cools structure provides restraint and continuity, increasing the fire resistance of the structure within the fire compartment. It is also clear from this study that relatively small areas of tensile membrane force were formed within the concrete slabs, and large areas of the slabs were subject to compressive membrane force during the fire. As a result the down stand concrete beams were subjected to enhanced tension during the fire, especially in the initial stages, and these tensions were mainly carried by their tensile reinforcement. It is therefore very important to keep the temperature of the reinforcement within certain limits. The covers to reinforcement specified in current design codes seem reasonable provided that concrete spalling does not occur during the fire. Designers should therefore pay attention to measures to prevent concrete spalling, in order to enable structures to satisfy their fire resistance requirements. The fire resistance of columns should be with reinforced concrete buildings to avoid structural failures which result due buckling of the heated columns(The concrete centre, 2006). Comparisons between Steel Building and Concrete Building Approach to Fire Strategy Both buildings have strong fire resistance approaches because they have provided proper means of escape in case of fire as well as they have necessary fire facilities to contain the fire as fire brigades are awaited. The means of escape for the buildings have complied with requirements of Approved Document B. the buildings have been build on strong structures which have been reinforced. The two buildings are not comparison in terms of structure because since they are made of steel and concrete, however in terms of fire resistance, the concrete building is said to have high fires resistance. The quantity material to be used any building will depend on the number of floors each building has. The following graph shows number of floors and quantity of materials used; Columns in concrete framed of high rise buildings use steel since steel and cement combine the strength and stiffness. To exhibit efficient structural response the beam and columns uses shear connectors along the height. This ensures that building is earthquake-resistant The impact of lighting on productivity has also been determined in the positive since it creates a natural atmosphere, free of the heat and pollution that are part of artificial resources. Natural light is a natural ally of one's biological rhythms and human beings have evolved in a way that their emotional quotient increases in sunlight which leads to better productivity and a greater sense of satisfaction. If optimally designed, hexagonal shaped building ensures that the front width of all houses is determined by the length of the courtyard. Such a system would ensure uniformity and an appealing housing system thereby enhancing the creation of appealing forms of art. It is also imperative to note that as house is an extension, sunlight becomes a common concern. However, this issue can be addressed by enacting a hexagonal grid facing one direction. In this case, if the hexagonal grid is facing the south direction, all buildings would have a north exposure therefore ensuring adequate day time lighting for all buildings. A hexagonal based design would also ensure increased efficiency and safe movement for the students. In this regard, there would be narrow pedestrian paths separating buildings and this model would therefore address the issue of inaccessibility within building. Furthermore, the system would be built in such a way that it could be accessed without using pathways. The costs of maintaining and servicing this infrastructural unit are also lower in hexagonal systems. The distances that students also have to move are also reduced ensuring a more efficient design. Such a design would also provide a flexible plan that would allow room for future modification. In this case, the angles presented by the hexagon ensure that pathways facades can be addressed much more optimally than would be allowed by the more traditional systems that focus on curves. However, it is prudent to also consider the disadvantages of the hexagon in design. One of the major problems entails difficulty in application. The use of geometric approaches in designs stemmed from the need for an organized grid that would promote organization, accessibility and management. Initially, this entailed traditional rectangular-based designs. These designs posed challenges in ensuring accessible, economically viable, and space efficient designs. In the modern world, beset by the problems of environmental degradation due to unharnessed use of technology, sunlight as a means of illumination during the hours which it is available serves not only an important function of the building but also allows for the better conservation of the environment. The interaction of human beings with nature and all its components have continued unbroken through the centuries. It was only in the years following the Industrial Revolution that artificial lighting came to be adopted instead of natural lighting because of the needs of the capitalist society, rather than any esoteric value. The importance of natural lighting in architecture can be understood in the context of what Gilles Ivain said. According to him “darkness and obscurity are banished by artificial lighting, and the seasons by air conditioning; night and summer are losing their charm and dawn is disappearing. When human beings begin to turn towards their abundant natural resources, not only will they be rewarded with a satisfaction that stems from living in alignment with nature but also from the knowledge that they are part of the movement that helps in sustaining earth and its bounty. While the energy harnessed from sunlight is beginning to be used for multifarious purposes, it seems a paradox that these very resources are used for lighting of spaces through artificial means. The alliance of form and function finds its finest adaptation in using available modes of natural resources for purposes of productivity. When the form is designed in a way such that it allows for natural lighting to go about its function, it leads to a pleasant visual experience and at the same time promotes sustainability and environmental good sense. Apart from these obvious gains, the therapeutic and palliative effects of natural lighting are felt by the occupants of these designs. Modern architecture, in spite of its grandeur is still based on the theory of functionalism where form is dictated by the function that the structure serves. By bringing in the element of abundant lighting using naturally occurring abundant resources, architectural solutions can lead to better economic and environmental impact. Conclusion In both steel and concrete framed buildings fire suppression systems and detection systems are not enough if the structure is not any to withstand certain condition. The Structural response of the columns and beams in terms of loading conditions, restraint to fire heat, expansion due to temperature, continuity and temperature strength when fire breaks out. When there is temperature increase for a long time steel is likely to expand and they are protected by insulations in T-mobile buildings and this help in maintaining their shape, size and emissivity when their fire. The structures are good in responding thermally when fire breaks out. Both building have complied with Building Research Establishment (BRE) a structural model that provides strength for steel beams and columns as well as concrete. Multi-storey Steel-Framed Buildings should have beams which if not protected unprotected should withstand 30 and 60 minutes fire resistance. Concrete- Framed Buildings are have enhanced strength, ductility and stiffness in terms of their columns and beams this is because they do not easily buckle, erode and have high fire resistance. The beams and columns need to have a thick concrete that can improved performance so long as they comply with both static and seismic loads. References 9 - 1 1 R e s e a r c h, 2013.The Windsor Building Fire: Huge Fire in Steel-Reinforced Concrete Building Causes Partial Collapse. Available on /[Accessed 13 April 2013]. Corus Construction & Industrial, 2006. Fire resistance of steel-framed buildings Available on, /[Accessed 13 April 2013]. Corus Construction & Industrial, 2004. Fire design of steel structures. Engineered for safety and economy. Available on /[Accessed 13 April 2013]. Ellingwood, B. & Lin, T.D.,1991. “Flexure and shear behaviour of concrete beams during fires”, Journal of Structural Engineering, ASCE. EN 1992-1-1, 2004. “Eurocode 2: Design of Concrete Structures, Part 1: General Rules and Rules for Buildings”, Commission of the European Communities, Brussels. Huang, Z, Burgess, I. & Plank, R., 2012. Behaviour of Reinforced Concrete Structures In Fire. Available on [Accessed 13 April 2013]. Lennon T, Rupasinghe, R, Waleed N, Canisius G & Matthews S., 2007. Concrete structures in fire: performance, design and analysis. IHS BRE Press, Garston. Lennon T., 2004. Structural fire engineering design: materials behaviour – concrete. IHS BRE Press, Garston, BRE Digest. Otani, R., 2009. Concrete Construction at 7 World Trade Centre. Available on < http://www.structuremag.org/article.aspx?articleID=834>/[Accessed 13 April 2013]. Rupasinghe, R. & Nolan, E, 2009. Formwork for Modern, Efficient concrete Construction. Available On, < http://www.brmca.org.uk/downloads/BR495.pdf>[ Accessed 13 April 2013]. The concrete centre, 2006. Framed Buildings. Available on [ Accessed 13 April 2013]. . Read More

Fire Resistant Design High Rise Building - Essay Example

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