For full details and to register to join on 11 June in Birmingham, please visit the event website.
Please briefly explain your role, involvement, and experience with regards to fire modelling
Danny Hopkin (DH): I am a Director at OFR Consultants in the UK. We are a large fire and risk consultancy. My remit extends to overseeing technical delivery of fire safety engineering within OFR, alongside our research, learning and development activities. My first exposure to fire modelling was during my doctorate which focussed on the fire performance of structures. Since then, I have been exposed to a variety of modelling tools, which have included zone modelling, computational fluid dynamics (CFD), computational evacuation modelling (CEM) and finite element modelling (FEM). Through my role as a Visiting Professor at the University of Sheffield, I teach future structural engineers on aspects of fire modelling and the response of structures when heated.
What is the top challenge facing your industry at present?
DH: There are several, for instance, competency and how we drive up standards. Also the uncertainty that comes with new regulations and regulatory bodies across the UK nations. If I was to focus on one, it would be the climate emergency and how we as fire safety engineers can be contributors to solutions and not the creators of barriers. Invariably, most things that are likely to have a positive impact on climate change introduce novel fire hazards. This can be through structural materials, e.g., timber or how we generate and store power, e.g., photovoltaic panels and batteries. All stakeholders need to engage in dialogue on how such solutions can be accommodated, what the trade-offs might be in terms of fire hazards and where more research / investment is required to support the solutions based on robust evidence.
How would you say your industry has evolved over the past two years?
DH: Post-Grenfell Tower fire, the industry has become larger, with more personnel and practices than ever before. There is also now greater awareness of fire safety engineering as an important discipline and, as a result, greater demand for it. If I was being provocative, I would say fire safety engineers have become far more cautious when it comes to deviating from traditional routes to compliance, such as adopting Approved Document B in England. Whilst Dame Judith Hackitt advocated for greater moves towards outcomes-based regulatory frameworks, it would be my observation that there is now an increased reliance by most on what Hackitt described as “prescriptive rules and complex guidance”. This potentially has implications for the use of fire simulations in the future as they generally form part of a performance-based design study.
What will you be presenting at the IMechE: Fire Modelling seminar and how will this benefit participants?
DH: My presentation will focus on how fire modelling supports the design of robust structures as part of considered performance-based design. Fire safety guidance is full of surrogates and proxies that support achieving outcomes or requirements. One of the most misunderstood is fire resistance; what it purports to deliver and when using more nuanced methods might be necessary to evidence compliance with regulations or to achieve particular fire safety objectives. I hope to bust some myths around the topic of fire resistance and shine a light on alternative approaches that can be supported by fire modelling, be that either in terms of characterising the thermal exposure to structures or evaluating their response to heating.
Which other speakers and presentations are you looking forward to hearing at the forthcoming seminar?
DH: It would have to be Wojciech (Wegrzynski). We have a longstanding research collaboration and I always find him to be a very engaging speaker, whether that be at a conference or through the OFR-sponsored Fire Science Show Podcast. Outside of that, Guillermo (Rein) always produces high quality presentations and Fran (Restuccia) is touching on an important topic in terms of lithium-ion battery safety.
Why is it important for engineers and industry to come together at this event and share best practice?
DH: I can only see an increase in reliance on simulation tools in the future. However, despite this, there are often very different perspectives and approaches in delivering any type of fire modelling. There is no specific guidance on how models should be developed, etc. Therefore, I see events like this as an opportunity to establish what best practice looks like and to start to drive some consensus around how fire modelling should be developed and delivered.
The Improving Fire Safety Through Simulation and Modelling 2024 will take place on 11 June 2024 a the ICC Birmingham.
Building on 2022's popular event, this seminar will cover the work of mechanical engineers to model fire across a range of disciplines and application areas. Whether modelling smoke, evacuation routes or material choices, understanding the computational methods of modelling is essential.
Featuring input from modelling practitioners, academic researchers and experts, attendees will gain a clear understanding of which tools, software and development platforms are the most effective in individual, real world scenarios.
For full details and to register to join, please visit the event website.