Steel Buildings in Europe

Part 6: Fire Engineering 6 - 14 3 FIRE PROTECTION SOLUTIONS 3.1 Active fire protection Active fire protection measures include installation of detectors, alarms and sprinklers, which can detect fire or smoke and suppress the fire at its earliest stage. These fire protection systems can have a significant influence on the level of life safety and property protection that can be achieved in a building. Prescriptive regulations usually require detection and alarm systems to be installed and these, along with sprinklers, often form an important part of the fire safety strategy in performance-based designs. 3.1.1 Detectors and alarms As part of a strategy based on active fire protection measures, a number of detectors have to be installed in multi-storey buildings. These devices can detect heat, smoke and flames. Fire alarm systems are designed to alert occupants of the need to evacuate the building due to a fire outbreak. Figure 3.1 shows a typical detector and alarm device. Figure 3.1 Fire detector and alarm device 3.1.2 Sprinklers Sprinklers are devices that automatically suppress a small fire, either on its ignition or shortly after its ignition. As shown in Figure 3.2, a sprinkler normally has a glass bulb, which contains a volatile liquid and seals the water nozzle. In the event of fire, the heated liquid expands, breaks the glass bulb and thus activates the sprinkler head. Sprinklers contribute to both structural fire safety and building property protection. In some countries use of sprinklers in a multi-storey building may lead to a reduction in the required fire resistance period, but this should be checked with the relevant national regulations.