On a fire detection on staircase in multi-storey buildings

Staircases are very important from the point of view of fire protection. There are several reasons for this standpoint, but two are particularly significant. The first is that stairs are an important means of evacuation in multi-storey buildings, and the second is that the moment of detection of fire is crucial for the beginning of the evacuation. The first fact refers to the stair’s location in buildings and the dimensions of stairs and landings. The importance of the second fact is obvious – the location and numbers of fire detectors directly affect early fire detection, and consequently the beginning of evacuation. The worst-case fire scenario from the aspect of building design - a staircase in the center of the building - was chosen for the simulation described in the paper, because in Serbia, there are many structures like this For the simulation described in the paper, the worst-case fire scenario was selected from the aspect of building design - a staircase in the centre of the building, because there are many, such in our country. On the other hand, recommendations for the location and number of fire detectors on a staircase are different in world-leading standards. For these reasons, in this paper, the simulations were performed in an eight-story building for various dimensions of spaces between stairs. On the basis of a comparison of the regulations outlined in European, British, German, American, and Russian standards, simulation parameters are defined. Parameters for simulations are defined on the basis of a comparative analysis of rules stated in European, British, German, American and Russian standards. Taking into account that some emergency evacuations entail moving through smoke-filled areas, building engineers must understand how the aforementioned factors affect smoke development in the event of a fire, and thus effective evacuation.