Experimental investigation on the characteristics and propagation of fire inside subway train. (January 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Peng, Min; Cheng, Xudong; Cong, Wei; Yang, Hui; Shi, Long; Yuen, Richard; Zhang, Heping
• Is Part Of: Tunnelling and underground space technology. Volume 107(2021)
• Publication Date: 2021-01
• Subjects: Flame length -- 2D ceiling temperature profile -- Methanol pool fire -- Subway train -- Underground space fire; Tunneling -- Periodicals; Underground construction -- Periodicals; Tunnels -- Periodicals; Underground areas -- Periodicals; 624.193
• DOI: 10.1016/j.tust.2020.103632
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0886-7798

Abstract

Highlights: The performance and propagation of fires in subway train were studied. The flame propagation length was analyzed and compared to previous results. Correlation for predicting two-dimensional ceiling temperature rise was proposed. The proposed correlation was compared with literature and showed a good agreement. Abstract: With the rapid development of subway systems, the related fundamental knowledge is critically needed to benefit their designs and fire hazard assessment. The experimental study was performed in a 1/5th scale subway train model to characterize the fire inside subway train, and the experiment in open space was also conducted as a control group. Results show that in the case where the ceiling flame has not yet propagated to the sidewalls of the subway train, the normalized ceiling flame length varies as 1/4 power of the non-dimensional ceiling heat release rate. In addition, the temperature distributions at different transverse distances from the fire source follow the exponential decay law effectively, the decay rate is indeed a function of normalized transverse distance from the longitudinal centerline. An empirical model involving dimensionless transverse and longitudinal coordinates is proposed to predict the two-dimensional temperature underneath the ceiling, which is reasonably well fitting with experimental results from this study and literatures.