Now Available On-Demand!

Live Webinar: April 9, 2024, from 10:00 - 11:00 a.m. EDT (-4 UTC)

Description:
This webinar will showcase new research from two of the SFPE Foundation’s student research grant recipients: Andrea Franchini of University College London and Yohannes W. Shewalul of Stellenbosch University. Franchini’s presentation will i) illustrate the advantages of treating fire scenarios as output design variables through a recently-developed approach (Consequence-oriented Fire intensity Optimization, CFO); ii) show how the CFO approach can optimize the trade-off between implementing passive fire protection and enhancing a structure’s “inherent fire capacity,” defined as its ability to retain integrity/functionality without additional fire safety measures; iii) demonstrate these concepts through the fire safety design of a steel girder bridge.

Then, Shewalul will discuss the fire behavior of construction systems incorporating biomass and recycled waste materials, with a focus on characterizing their performance under various fire conditions. Small-scale to large-scale fire tests were conducted to assess the fire performance of hemp shive, hemp blocks or hempcrete, as well as crumb rubber and plastic eco-aggregates. His research underscores the importance of considering fire behavior as a critical aspect of sustainable construction practices, facilitating the development of environmentally friendly and resilient building materials and systems.

Learning Objectives:
Participants in this webinar are expected to learn:

1. Understanding and exploiting fire-structure coupling effects
2. Treating uncertainty in fire safety design
3. Addressing the fire safety of bridges
4. Gain insights into the fire and thermal properties of biomass and recycled waste materials (crumb rubber and plastic eco-aggregates).
5. Assess the structural fire resistance of construction systems, such as blocks and walls, that are cast or built using these materials.
6. Identify potential fire hazards associated with the use of biomass and recycled waste materials in construction systems.

Speakers:
Andrea Franchini
Yohannes W. Shewalul