Fire simulation in road tunnels

The catastrophic tunnel fires since the year 1999 and a series of accidents in some tunnels in the summer of 2001 triggered extensive discussions and proposals relating to tunnel safety. When a fire occurs in a tunnel, and in absence of sufficient air supply, large quantities of smoke are generated, filling the vehicles and any space available around them. Unless a strong flow is created and maintained, hot gases and smoke migrate in all directions. With a weak airflow, smoke forms a layer along the tunnel ceiling and can flow against the direction of forced ventilation, interfering with personal evacuation. This paper shows the results of a computer fire simulation in a tunnel and the results of this simulation: air velocity, air temperature and wall temperature in the case of fire. The simulation started before the emergency ventilation system is activated and continued with the fans activated to control the smoke. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.