FV2204 Computational Engineering
Assignment 2 Brief
The work should be word-processed, and submitted online to Canvas unless
specified below. The deadline for submission is 23:59 on 12 April 2021
(Monday).
Aims of Assessment
The module aims to provide students with fundamental knowledge and skills of using computing in
fire hazard analysis. This includes both essential numerical programming skills required to carry out
basic engineering computations within generic programming environments and application of
specialist software to solve typical computational problems of fire engineering.
Learning Outcomes
This piece of assessment will test your ability to meet learning outcomes 1-4 as described in your
module booklet: -
1. Use and apply Scilab to plot graphs of functions given both analytically and by the data from
text files. Incorporate those graphs into reports electronically
2. Apply standard numerical methods of computational engineering, e.g. curve fitting and
interpolation, solution of simultaneous linear equations, and statistical processing of
experimental data
3. Write Scilab scripts and function to carry out engineering computations and plot complex
graphs
4. Demonstrate the use of problem solution tools and evaluative skills in the selection of
appropriate methods of analysis
Assignment Details
• This is an individual assignment. Copying from the works of another person
constitutes plagiarism, which is an offence with the University’s regulations and will
result in a mark of ZERO for the assignment.
• This assignment requires the students to complete ALL questions as attached;
• The word limit is 2500 works (+/- 10%);
• All the assumptions/definitions, comments in the scripts and explanation in your
answers should be clearly stated due to be awarded;
• Submission of all input script files and snapshots of output results are required; and
• This assignment will carry 50% weighting of the total mark for this module.
Submission Details
This assignment should be submitted online to Canvas by the deadline given above. Submission of
Turnitin Report is NOT required. Five days rule will be applied for any late submission, i.e. 40% mark
is capped.
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Assignment Details (Learning Outcome: 1-4)
Q1. The architectural layout of the 2-stories building is shown in the sketch as below. The
headroom of G/F and 2/F is 5 m and 3 m respectively. The multi-function rooms at
G/F may involve the usage as assembly hall or exhibition functions. (40 Marks)
Each student shall use FDS+Evac to study the occupants’ evacuation of the whole
building including G/F and 2/F under the following three scenarios.
a) Fire Drill Model: No fire is involved. All the exits and staircases are available for
evacuation. Detection time is assumed as 0s.
b) Evacuation Scenario A - Front entrance at G/F is blocked by fire at T=120s. Fire
affecting area at front entrance is around 2m*2m close to the door centre. Detection
time is assumed to be 20s.
c) Evacuation Scenario B – Upper landing area to the left staircase is blocked by fire
at T=60s. Fire affecting area to the left staircase is around 2m*2m close to the exit
door of meeting room. Detection time is assumed to be 30s.
To demonstrate your works, the assignment shall incorporate the below items:
Multi-function
Room
Figure 2 - Layout Plan (G/F)
20 m
14 m
Not to scale
Figure 1 - Layout Plan (2/F)
Office
12 m 8 m
5 m 7 m 8 m
6 m
6 m
2 m
1m 1m
Meeting
Room
Office Office Office Legend:
Single leaf exit door
0.8m (W) * 2.0m (H)
Double leaves exit door
1.8 m (W) * 2.0m (H)
Multi-function
Room
8 m 8 m
1m
1m
4.5m
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(1) you will have to report the main assumptions of the occupants in each space,
occupants’ profile including pre-movement time assumption, unimpeded walking
speed on horizontal floor or downward stairs, etc. for each scenario.
(2) FDS+Evac input scripts shall be provided.
(3) The simulation results shall be summarized in the RSET table to indicate the
clearance time for each room and floor.
(4) Evacuation screenshots in every 30 seconds shall be provided.
Q2. Consider the set of parametric equations:
𝑋(𝑡) = 𝑒
0.15𝑡
𝑐𝑜𝑠2𝑡
𝑌(𝑡) = 𝑒
0.15𝑡
𝑠𝑖𝑛2𝑡
Create the following plots on the same page:
(a) X versus t
(b) Y versus t
(c) Y versus X
(10 Marks)
Test Case:
Q3. Consider a T-square developing fire with the heat
release rate 𝑄̇(𝑡). It is assumed that the design fire will
develop from ignition to peak heat release rate 𝑄̇
𝑝𝑒𝑎𝑘
in a t-squared growth rate and then burn out by a tsquared
decay rate with the same ratio. The profile is
illustrated as below:
Assume the fire class is labelled as
U – ultra-fast,
F – fast,
M – medium, and
S – slow.
Write a function using Scilab to read the label of fire
class and the developing time (T) from ignition to the
peak heat release rate and plot the heat release rate
𝑄̇(𝑡) vs time 𝑡. The function shall output the results
of time and heat release rate automatically to an
external file. (20 Marks)
Test Case:
--> Q3_plot("F",100)
--> Q3_plot("U",300)
Time (seconds)
Heat release rate (kW)
T
𝑄̇
𝑝𝑒𝑎𝑘
𝑄̇
𝑝𝑒𝑎𝑘 = 𝛼 ∙ 𝑇
2
Fire class Fire growth rate,
𝛼 (𝑘𝑊/𝑠
2
)
Ultra-fast 0.1876
Fast 0.0469
Medium 0.0117
Slow 0.0029
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Q4. The following equations are used to calculate the thermal response of a detector or
sprinkler located at or near a ceiling whose area is large enough to neglect the effects
of smoke layer development. When the detector or link temperature reaches its
activation temperature,
Total theoretical fire heat release rate at time 𝑡 (kW)
𝑟 Radial distance of the detector/sprinkler from the vertical axis of the fire (m)
𝑅𝑇𝐼 Response Time Index of detector/sprinkler
𝑇𝑗𝑒𝑡,𝑡+∆𝑡
Temperature of the jet at the next time step, 𝑡 +∆𝑡 (
oC)
𝑇𝑗𝑒𝑡,𝑡
Temperature of the jet at the previous time step, 𝑡 (
oC)
𝑇∞ Ambient space and initial detector/sprinkler temperature (oC)
𝑇𝐷,𝑡
Detector or sprinkler temperature at time, 𝑡 (
oC)
𝑇𝑎𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑣𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 Detector or sprinkler activation temperature, 𝑡 (
oC)
𝑣𝑗𝑒𝑡,𝑡
Velocity of the ceiling jet gases at the time step, 𝑡 (m/s)
𝑧 Vertical entrainment distance; the difference between the height of the ceiling and
the base of the flames (m)
Assume the fire will develop as a t-square growth fire. Four fire classes “U” – ultrafast,
“F”- fast, “M” – medium and “S” – slow will be considered, same as the
definition in question Q3.
Write a Scilab function and define the required input parameters such as
detector/sprinkler information, fire class, initial ambient temperature and time step as
the input arguments for the defined function. Use the above equations to estimate the
activation time of the detector/sprinkler (𝑇𝐷,𝑡
) and required heat release rate to
activate the detector/sprinkler. Try to plot the detector temperature (𝑇𝐷,𝑡
) , ceiling jet
temperature (𝑇𝑗𝑒𝑡,𝑡
) and heat release rate versus time. The generated results are also
required to be automatically saved to a text file as illustrated in the test case. First 10
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rows and last 10 rows in the exported txt file should be attached as a reference.
(30 Marks)
Test Case:
Marking Criteria for Assignment
The submitted assignment will be marked according to the following criteria:
Questions Marking Allocation Marking Criteria
Q1 40 Demonstrate the use of building evacuation model
(FDS+Evac) and evaluative skills on the designed
evacuation scenarios to estimate the egress time
for the building
Q2-Q3 30 Use and apply Scilab to plot graphs of functions
given and read input data from external text file to
generate sound outcomes or findings.
Q4 30 Use and apply Scilab to carry out numerical
methods of computational engineering and plot
complex graphs
Total 100
– END OF ASSIGNMENT –