Title: Tunnel fire smoke modelling for emergency management

Authors: K. Karatzas, I. Ossanlis, A. Kaprara, P. Louka, N. Moussiopoulos

Addresses: Department of Mechanical Engineering, Laboratory of Heat Transfer & Environmental Engineering, Aristotle University, Box 483, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece. Department of Mechanical Engineering, Laboratory of Heat Transfer & Environmental Engineering, Aristotle University, Box 483, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece. Department of Mechanical Engineering, Laboratory of Heat Transfer & Environmental Engineering, Aristotle University, Box 483, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece. Department of Mechanical Engineering, Laboratory of Heat Transfer & Environmental Engineering, Aristotle University, Box 483, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece. Department of Mechanical Engineering, Laboratory of Heat Transfer & Environmental Engineering, Aristotle University, Box 483, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece

Abstract: The current paper describes the investigation of parameters related to accidents in tunnels in the framework of the ||Advanced Training System for Emergency Management|| project, A-TEAM. On this basis, the flow field is investigated within tunnels, and its effects on fire development and smoke concentration fields for these emergency cases are reconstructed. This is achieved with the use of the Computational Fluids Dynamics (CFD) model CFX-5. This model has been applied for two tunnels in Switzerland: Belchen, a one-directional road tunnel, and Grauhotz, a bi-directional railway tunnel. The simulations identify the effects of the direction of trains/traffic on the resulting concentration fields, and show that at low ventilation areas, accident releases lead to increased concentration levels.

Keywords: tunnel fires; smoke modelling; emergency management.

DOI: 10.1504/IJRAM.2003.003436

International Journal of Risk Assessment and Management, 2003 Vol.4 No.1, pp.52 - 66

Published online: 08 Sep 2003 *

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