Development of a Hazard-Based Method for Evaluating the Fire Safety of Passenger Trains.
Development of a Hazard-Based Method for Evaluating the
Fire Safety of Passenger Trains.
(1159 K)
Bukowski, R. W.; Peacock, R. D.; Reneke, P. A.; Averill,
J. D.; Markos, S. H.
NISTIR 6588;
Fire Retardant Trends and Advances. Fall Conference.
Fire Retardant Chemicals Assoc. October 14-16, 2001,
171-184, 2001, Philadelphia, PA AND Interscience
Communications Ltd./NIST/ Building Research
Establishment; and Society of Fire Protection
Engineers/Swedish National Testing and Research
Institute. Interflam 1999. (Interflam '99). Interflam
'99. International Interflam Conference, 8th
Proceedings. Volume 2. June 29-July 1, 1999, Edinburgh,
Scotland, ON BOOK SHELF: TH9112.I57 1999) 853-864 pp,
1999 AND Fire Research Development and Application in
the 21st Century. FORUM 2000 Symposium. Organized by
Architectural and Building Research Institute (ABRI)/MOI
and FORUM for International Cooperation in Fire
Research. Proc. October 23-24, 2000, Taipei, Taiwan,
1-24 pp AND U.S/Japan Government Cooperative Program on
Natural Resources (UJNR). Fire Research and Safety.
15th Joint Panel Meeting. Volume 1. Proc. March 1-7,
2000, San Antonio, TX, Bryner, S. L., Editor, 2001.
Keywords:
fire science; fire safety; passenger trains; cone
calorimeters; test methods; fire hazard; hazard
analysis; large scale fire tests; furnishings; seats;
walls; curtains; fabrics; floor coverings; heat release
rate; fire growth; fire spread
Abstract:
The fire safety of U.S. passenger rail trains currently
is addressed through small-scale flammability and smoke
emission tests and performance criteria promulgated by
the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA). The FRA
approach relies heavily on test methods applied to the
primary combustible materials of rail vehicle
components. As building fire safety regulations move
toward performance codes, there has been interest in the
application of fire hazard assessment to rail vehicles
using modeling techniques. Accordingly, with FRA
funding, the National Institute of Standards and
Technology (NIST) and the Volpe National Transportation
Systems Center (Volpe Center) have been working on such
an alternative approach. This effort included a
systematic study of the fire performance characteristics
of current rail car materials. First, the heat release
and smoke production of actual materials in use were
characterized in the Cone Calorimeter. Next, full-scale
assembly tests of components such as seats and interior
panels constructed of these same materials were
conducted in a furniture calorimeter. Full-scale tests
of rail cars incorporating the tested components are
planned. The predictive accuracy of fire hazard
modeling techniques will be assessed against the
full-scale test results and the model's utility in
evaluating alternative fire safety improvements, such as
automatic suppression or smoke exhaust will be
demonstrated. The paper provides an overview of five
years of work and the findings to date. It is expected
that this work could lead to Ihe recognition of fire
hazard-based methods as an alternative the current
prescriptive requirements.
Building and Fire Research Laboratory
National Institute of Standards and Technology
Gaithersburg, MD 20899