Chap.

I Fundamentals of fire
and fire safety

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University of Liege

J-M Franssen & T. Gernay

1. Fundamentals of fire and fire safety

Fundamentals of fire and fire safety: objectives

Explain the process of combustion in solids

Distinguish the concepts of fire reaction and fire resistance

Describe the physics of the development of a fire in a compartment

Explain the main effects of fire on materials and structures

Formulate the place of fire resistance in the overall field of fire safety engineering

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University of Liege

J-M Franssen & T. Gernay

1. Fundamentals of fire and fire safety

Essentials of solid combustion

In order to have a fire, 3 different components must be present. They form what is usually
referred to as the triangle of fire
Heat Source

Oxygen

Combustible material

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2016/2017

University of Liege

J-M Franssen & T. Gernay

1. Fundamentals of fire and fire safety

Essentials of solid combustion

Heat Source

Oxygen

Combustible material

Oxygen is present in the air (21% on earth)

Combustible: liquid (fuel), solid (timber, paper, plastics) or gaz (propane)
Heat: spark, free flame, short-circuit, friction
=> It is impossible to eliminate completely the risk of fire in a building.

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University of Liege

J-M Franssen & T. Gernay

1. Fundamentals of fire and fire safety

Essentials of solid combustion

Let us assume that we have a semi-infinite cellulosic media.
Two different phenomena must be distinguished:
- Pyrolysis: because of the heat source, the temperature in the solid
increases leading to a physico/chemical decomposition in the solid. This
generates combustible gases.
- Combustion: Chemical reaction (fast oxydoreduction) between the gases
and the oxygen contained in the air production of heat + light

Schematic representation of a
burning surface (Drysdale, 1999)

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24 mai 2016

University of Liege

T. Gernay

1. Fundamentals of fire and fire safety

Essentials of solid combustion

Air (with the oxygen in it) and combustible gases diffuse into each other,
leading to a diffusion flame (as opposed to a premixed flame produced, for
example, by a premixed gas burner or an oxy cutting torch)

Air
Elevation above
the solid
Flamability limits

Combustible gases
Gas concentrations

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University of Liege

T. Gernay

1. Fundamentals of fire and fire safety

Essentials of solid combustion

The heat produced by the combustion has a radiative component that heats
the solid.
Depending on the properties of the solid, the initial heat source can be
removed and the phenomena is feeding itself.

Combustion

Pyrolisis

Heating

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University of Liege

T. Gernay

1. Fundamentals of fire and fire safety

Essentials of solid combustion

Some observations can be explained by this simple model:
- Smaller pieces of timber are easier to put on fire than massive pieces: this is
because the larger specific surface leads to a faster heating from the initial heat
source. In a bigger piece, the heat is distributed in a larger volume.
- A wood crib made of tiny pieces produces more power than a wood crib made of
the same volume of wood made of pieces of larger dimensions. This is because
the surface for releasing combustion gases is larger.
- Pieces of heavy wood disappear more slowly than pieces of lighter wood. This is
because, for a given amount of radiant energy released by the flame, the amount
of molecules that are pyrolysed is constant, but they are concentrated in a
smaller volume in a heavier wood.
- Propagation of a flame is faster on a vertical surface than on an horizontal
surface. This is because the hot combustion gases raise from buoyancy effects
and they heat the solid upward of the flame whereas they go away from
horizontal surfaces.
- Dry wood burns faster than wet wood because some part of the radiative heat
from the flame is needed to evaporate the moisture contained in the wood.
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pieces

University of Liege

J-M Franssen & T. Gernay