Approbation and analysis of regulatory requirements for protection of stairwells with open doorways in case of fire propagation along the facade

Introduction. The provisions of the Federal Law of the Russian Federation dated 22.07.2008 No. 123-FZ “Technical Regulations on Fire Safety Requirements” stipulate the possibility of designing L1 type stairwells with open doorways in external walls. The requirements of regulatory documents stipulate the necessity of calculation substantiation of design solutions to exclude blocking of stairwells by fire hazardous factors spreading along the facade. To test and analyze these requirements, this paper assesses the influence of different factors on the time of blocking of such stairwells by fire hazardous factors.

Goals and objectives. The purpose of this paper is to approve and analyze regulatory requirements for the protection of stairwells with open doorways from blocking by fire hazardous factors depending on the wind speed, the functional fire hazard class of the burning premises, the dimensions of partitions and projections of the stairwell, as well as the design of the windows of the burning premises.

Methods. Calculations of time intervals of stairwell blocking by fire hazardous factors spreading along the facade from the windows of burning premises were based on methodological provisions and mathematical models used to determine fire risk.

Results. The calculated data allowing to estimate time intervals of blocking stairwells with open doorways in external walls by fire hazardous factors depending on the wind speed in the area of object location, peculiarities of combustible load in the burning premises, sizes of partitions and projections of the stairwell, as well as the design of windows of burning premises were obtained. These data made it possible to assess the necessity of specifying regulatory requirements.

Conclusions. Based on the research, calculated data for formation of necessary practical experience of substantiation of the requirements on exclusion of stairwells blocking with open doorways by fire hazardous factors that spread along the facade from the windows of burning premises are received. The obtained data make it possible to evaluate the influence of wind speed, the functional fire hazard class of burning premises, the size of the stairwell projection on the time of its blocking by fire hazardous factors, as well as to determine the directions of specification of regulatory requirements.

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