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View Factor Calculator

What are View Factors in Fire Engineering?

View factors (also known as configuration factors or shape factors) are fundamental parameters in radiative heat transfer calculations. They represent the fraction of radiation leaving one surface that directly strikes another surface. View factors are dimensionless quantities that depend solely on the geometry and orientation of the surfaces involved.

In fire engineering, view factors are essential for calculating radiative heat flux between fire sources and target surfaces, enabling accurate prediction of heat transfer rates in fire scenarios. They help engineers predict how fire and smoke will spread through openings in buildings, such as windows, doors, and ventilation systems.

Configuration

Calculation Settings

* Note: Total points = (Resolution²). High resolution significantly increases computing time.
Units: All dimensions in meters (SI).

Upload a CSV file with opening configurations. Expected columns: Type, Label, Width, Height, X, Y, Z, RotX, RotY, RotZ

Emitters (Fire Source)

Receivers (Target)

Occluders (Obstacles)

Visualization

ELEVATION

PLAN VIEW

3D View

Time Equivalent Fire Severity Calculator

What is Fire Severity in Fire Engineering?

The Time Equivalent Fire Severity Calculator is a tool for fire engineers to justify Fire Resistance Levels (FRLs) to a reasonable level without compromising the level of fire safety. It compares the burnt-out time of a potential fire based on the building's specific configuration.

This evaluation takes into account parameters such as fuel load, unprotected openings for ventilation, and active fire suppression systems (if any). By modeling these factors, engineers can determine the required structural fire resistance more accurately than using generic prescriptive rules.

Scenarios Manager

Scenario Name Fire Load Fractile Sprinkler Failure? Breakage % Actions

* Only 1 Base Case allowed. You can add multiple Sensitivity Cases.

FS # Description Use Class Floor Area (m²) Perimeter (m) Height (m) Vert Open (m²) Avg H (m) Req FRL (min) Scenario Euro CIB Law Delete

Radiation Calculator

What is Radiation in Fire Engineering?

The Radiation Calculator is designed to evaluate radiative heat flux from fire sources to target surfaces. Radiation is often the dominant mode of heat transfer in large fires and plays a critical role in determining the safety of occupants and the potential for secondary ignition of nearby materials.

By modeling the fire as various geometric sources, engineers can predict the heat intensity (kW/m²) at specific distances, which is essential for determining safe separation distances and assessing the vulnerability of building elements or occupants.

This tool is coming soon.

Smoke Filling Calculator

Calculate the time for smoke to fill a compartment to a critical height.

Input Parameters

Results

No calculation performed.

Heat Transfer Analysis

1D Steady-State Conduction Calculator.

Wall Properties

Results

No calculation performed.

Human Behavior Calculator

Evacuation Flow Rate Calculator.

Evacuation Parameters

Results

No calculation performed.

Structural Fire Calculator

Steel Temperature Rise (Lumped Mass Method).

Steel Section Parameters

Results

No calculation performed.

RSET Calculator

Calculate Required Safe Egress Time (RSET) comparing Deemed-to-Satisfy (DtS) requirements against a Performance Solution.

Project Settings & Building Characteristics

Based on inputs: DtS likely requires Smoke Detection (AS 1670.1).
Changing these values will update the DtS inputs below to match recommended standards.

DtS Design

RSET: --
tdet: --
talarm: --
tpre-movement: --
ttravel: --
1. Fire Scenario
2. Detection (tdet) [1]
3. Alarm & Response [2]
4. Movement (ttravel)

DtS RSET

--
tdet--
talarm--
tpre-movement--
ttravel--

Performance Solution

RSET: --
tdet: --
talarm: --
tpre-movement: --
ttravel: --
1. Fire Scenario
2. Detection (tdet)
3. Alarm & Response
4. Movement (ttravel)

PS RSET

--
tdet--
talarm--
tpre-movement--
ttravel--

Technical Assumptions & Limitations

Calculation Methodology

  • Detection Time: Uses Alpert's Ceiling Jet correlation. Assumes a smooth, flat ceiling with unconfined flow. The ceiling height is taken as the height above the fire source. Detectors are assumed to locate at the corner of a square grid (maximum radial distance).
  • Smoke vs Heat: For smoke detection, an equivalent activation temperature and RTI are used as proxies for smoke entry lag, as per common engineering practice (e.g., C/VM2).
  • Movement Time: Calculated as the maximum of Travel Time (Distance/Speed) and Queueing Time (Flow Limited), unless a specific mode is enforced.
  • Pre-Movement: Values for "Pre-movement" include detection, alarm, recognition, and response time components unless specified otherwise. Values derived from PD 7974-6 / C/VM2 distributions.

Key References

  • [1] Alpert, R. L. (1972)
    Calculation of Response Time of Ceiling-Mounted Fire Detectors. Fire Technology, 8(3).
  • [2] BSI PD 7974-6:2019
    Application of fire safety engineering principles to the design of buildings - Part 6: Human factors.
  • [3] SFPE Handbook (5th Ed)
    Section on Detection and Human Behavior in Fire.
  • [4] NCC 2022 / BCA
    National Construction Code Volume One (Australian Building Codes Board).
  • [5] C/VM2 (Amendment 4)
    Verification Method: Framework for Fire Safety Design (MBIE New Zealand).
  • [6] AS 1670.1:2018
    Fire detection, warning, control and intercom systems - System design, installation and commissioning.

Smoke Filling Calculator

What is Smoke Filling in Fire Engineering?

The Smoke Filling Calculator predicts the development and descent of the hot smoke layer within a compartment during a fire. Since smoke inhalation is the leading cause of fire-related casualties, accurately modeling smoke movement is vital for life safety assessments.

By evaluating plume dynamics and mass flow rates, this tool helps engineers determine the time available before the smoke layer reaches a height that compromises tenability or obscures exit paths, informing smoke control and extraction system requirements.

This tool is coming soon.

Heat Transfer Analysis

Heat Transfer in Structural Fire Engineering

The Heat Transfer Analysis tool provides a framework for studying the movement of thermal energy through building elements. This involves complex interactions of conduction through solids, convection at surfaces, and radiative exchange between the fire and the structure.

Understanding temperature profiles within structural members (such as steel beams or concrete slabs) is essential for predicting their mechanical response and evaluating the fire resistance of building assemblies under various fire exposures.

This tool is coming soon.

HRR Plotter

Heat Release Rate (HRR) Profile Generator

This tool generates design fire curves (Heat Release Rate vs. Time) based on the t-squared growth model (Q = αt2). Engineers can define the growth phase, peak HRR, and decay phase to simulate various fire scenarios. The generated profile can be exported for use in other fire modeling tools.

Note based on your Excel spreadsheet: This tool replicates the logic from "260112 Grid Size.xlsx" (Tab: HRR Profile).

Configuration

Settings

Fire Profile

Decay & Global Time

Freezes HRR at this time (e.g. suppression).

HRR Profile

Key Parameter Summary

Max HRR: -
Time to Peak: -
Total Energy (MJ): -
Coefficient (α) Used: -

Data Table

Drag headers to reorder columns.

FSE Database

Reference Material Data

Structural Steel Properties (Eurocode 3)

Property Value Unit Notes
Density (ρs) 7850 kg/m³ Constant
Specific Heat (cs) 600 J/kg.K Simplified constant value
Thermal Conductivity (k) 45 - 54 W/m.K varies with temp
Emissivity (ε) 0.7 - Carbon Steel

Human Behavior Constants

Parameter Value (Typical) Source
Specific Flow Rate (Doors) 1.33 pers/m/s SFPE / C/VM2
Boundary Layer (Walls) 0.15 m SFPE / Pauls
Walking Speed (Horizontal) 1.0 - 1.2 m/s General Population

Material Thermal Properties (Typical)

Material Density (kg/m³) Specific Heat (J/kg.K) Conductivity (W/m.K)
Normal Weight Concrete 2300 880 1.4 - 1.9
Gypsum Plasterboard 800 - 950 1090 0.17
Brick (Common) 1900 800 0.6 - 1.0
Timber (Pine) 450 - 600 1600 - 2300 0.12 - 0.15

Feedback & Support

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Other Tools

More tools coming soon.