ENFE615-23S1 (C) Semester One 2023

Human Behaviour in Fire

15 points

Details:
Start Date: Monday, 20 February 2023
End Date: Sunday, 25 June 2023
Withdrawal Dates
Last Day to withdraw from this course:
  • Without financial penalty (full fee refund): Sunday, 5 March 2023
  • Without academic penalty (including no fee refund): Sunday, 14 May 2023

Description

Examination and interaction of the individual with the fire-created environment. Behaviour of building occupants. How human behaviour issues are incorporated in building design.

Learning Outcomes

  • The learning outcomes of the course are divided into (1) Knowledge and Understanding, (2) Skills and Abilities, and (3) Values and Attitudes in the paragraphs below.

    Knowledge and Understanding

    A passing grade requires that the student is able to
  • explain models that are commonly used in guidelines and regulations (RSET models)
  • explain and exemplify the main theories of human behaviour in fire (e.g. Role-Rule model, Affiliation Theory, Theory of Affordances, Help in Emergencies, and Social Influence)
  • state typical walking speeds for evacuation and explain how movement of people is influenced by demographic factors (e.g. age and mobility)
  • explain theories relating to pedestrian movement and pedestrian dynamics (e.g. merging flows and crowd movement)
  • explain the basic assumptions behind egress models, both computer models (course network, fine network and continuous models) and hand calculation models
  • explain how toxic species, heat and radiation influences the human body

    Skills and Abilities

    A passing grade requires that the student is able to

  • apply models to estimate the Required Safe Escape Time (RSET)
  • analyse fire accidents and relate the behaviour of evacuees to different theories/models
  • analyse exit design based on the Theory of Affordances
  • select appropriate occupant scenarios for fire safety engineering design
  • apply different egress modelling approaches, both computer models (fine network and continuous models) and hand calculation models (Predtechenskii & Milinskii), to simulate crowd movement
  • analyse results from egress models, both computer models (course network, fine network and continuous models) and hand calculation models, and relate the results to the assumptions of the models
  • estimate the effects of toxic species, heat and radiation on evacuees (FED/FEC concept)
  • independently seek information (articles, reports, manuals, etc) about human behaviour in fire
  • communicate theories of human behaviour in fire and egress modelling results to laymen and experts

    Values and Attitudes

    A passing grade requires that the student is able to:

  • adequately consider relevant ethical aspects relating to experiments with human participants (evacuation experiments)
  • adequately consider relevant ethical aspects relating to egress modelling

Prerequisites

ENGR403 or approval of Head of Department

Timetable Note

There is a total of three lab exercises in the course, namely three computer labs. The three lab exercises are:
i) Lab 1 – Test of a continuous egress model (Simulex)
ii) Lab 2 – Test of a fine network egress model (STEPS)
iii) Lab 3 – Advanced egress modelling

Two of the lab exercises (Lab 1 and Lab 2) will be performed during the second block seminar of the course, i.e., in the computer labs at University of Canterbury. You will do the third lab exercise (Lab 3) on your own using your own computer.

The first laboratory exercise (Lab 1) focuses on modelling of evacuation with a a continuous model, e.g., Simulex. In the second laboratory exercise (Lab 2), a fine network model, e.g. STEPS, will be used. A very simple report is handed in for Lab 1 and Lab 2 respectively.

In the third laboratory (Lab 3), you will perform more advanced egress modelling using a model of your choice. However, we will only be able to give you support if you choose one of the models included in Lab 1 or Lab 2. An extensive written report is required for Lab 3. In this report, you will not only need to explain your modelling assumptions, but also your selection of occupant scenarios.

Course Coordinator / Lecturer

Daniel Nilsson

Lecturer

Ruggiero Lovreglio (Massey Univ)

Assessment

Assessment Due Date Percentage 
Assignment 1 Report (< 2 pages) 5%
Assignment 2 Report (< 5 pages) 15%
Assignment 3 Report (< 15 pages) 30%
Lab 3 report (< 10 pages) 30%
On-line test 20%


In the course, there are a number of activities that are compulsory and need to be completed in order to pass. Not all activities contribute to your final grade, but you still need to complete them all in order to pass the course. Table 2 shows the activities contributing to your final grade. Table 3 shows the activities that do not contribute to your grade, but that you still need to complete in order to pass. In the sections below, you can find more information about the different activities.

The on-line test, which is given in the 11th course week, will consist mainly of theoretical questions, but simple calculation questions may also be included. Before the test, there will be an opportunity to ask questions, i.e., a consultation.

There are five individual assignments in the course. All assignments must be completed for a passing grade. The five assignments are:
1) Assignment 1 – Initial investigation of the ‘panic’ concept
2) Assignment 2 – Exit Design and the Theory of Affordances
3) Assignment 3 – Analysis of a Fire Incident
4) Assignment 4 – Crowd Calculation Exercise
5) Assignment 5 – Toxicity assessment

Late submissions will lose 20% of the total mark per day or part of day
A student must achieve a minimum of 10% on the on-line test to pass the course, i.e., 50/100
A student must achieve a minimum of 15% on Lab 3 to pass the course, i.e., 50/100
A student must achieve a minimum of 15% on Assignment 3 to pass the course, i.e., 50/100

Textbooks / Resources

The literature in the course consists mainly of papers and book chapters. Some of the literature will be published in LEARN, but you need to download some of the publications yourself using the University of Canterbury library resources. The number of publications per lecture varies, but approximately between 1 and 3 publications are treated per lecture. Literature for the seminar can also be found in LEARN.

The egress models used in Lab 1 and Lab 2 will be installed in the computer rooms at the University of Canterbury. You will be provided with copies of the egress models used in Lab 1 and Lab 2 for installation on your own computer if you choose to use them for Lab 3. If you use another egress model for Lab 3, you will need to make your own arrangements.

Indicative Fees

Domestic fee $1,164.00

* All fees are inclusive of NZ GST or any equivalent overseas tax, and do not include any programme level discount or additional course-related expenses.

For further information see Civil and Natural Resources Engineering .

All ENFE615 Occurrences

  • ENFE615-23S1 (C) Semester One 2023