Parameters affecting the performance of detection systems in road tunnels

In 2006, Phase 2 of the International Road Tunnel Fire Detection Research Project was initiated. As part of this project, a series of fire tests were conducted in a laboratory tunnel facility to evaluate the performance of detection systems under limited airflow conditions and longitudinal airflow conditions. In addition, fire tests were also conducted in the Viger tunnel in Montreal. In conjunction with the full-scale experiments, CFD simulations were conducted. The numerical predictions were initially validated against data from a demonstration test and subsequently using the results of selected laboratory and field experiments. Simulations were conducted to investigate the impact of various parameters including fire scenarios, ventilation mode, and tunnel length on fire behaviour and detection system performance. The results of the full-scale experiments conducted in the Viger tunnel roadway tunnel and the results of the numerical simulations are discussed in this paper.En 2006 fut lanc\ue9e la phase 2 du projet de recherche international portant sur la d\ue9tection des incendies en tunnels routiers (International Road Tunnel Fire Detection Research Project). Dans le cadre de ce projet, une s\ue9rie d?incendies exp\ue9rimentaux ont \ue9t\ue9 r\ue9alis\ue9s dans une installation de tunnel en laboratoire aux fins de l?\ue9valuation de la performance des syst\ue8mes de d\ue9tection en conditions de courant d?air limit\ue9 et d?\ue9coulement d?air longitudinal. En outre, des essais au feu ont \ue9galement \ue9t\ue9 r\ue9alis\ue9s dans le tunnel du carr\ue9 Viger, \ue0 Montr\ue9al. Parall\ue8lement \ue0 ces exp\ue9riences en vraie grandeur, des simulations avec mod\ue8le de m\ue9canique des fluides computationnelle (CFD) ont \ue9t\ue9 r\ue9alis\ue9es. Les pr\ue9dictions num\ue9riques ont \ue9t\ue9 initialement valid\ue9es en regard des donn\ue9es issues d?un essai de d\ue9monstration et, ult\ue9rieurement, par utilisation des r\ue9sultats provenant d?exp\ue9riences en laboratoire et in situ s\ue9lectionn\ue9es. Des simulations ont \ue9t\ue9 r\ue9alis\ue9es pour investiguer l?incidence de divers param\ue8tres, dont les sc\ue9narios d?incendie, les modes de ventilation et la longueur des tunnels, sur la performance et le comportement des syst\ue8mes de d\ue9tection. Les r\ue9sultats des exp\ue9riences en vraie grandeur men\ue9es dans le tunnel routier du carr\ue9 Viger et ceux des simulations num\ue9riques sont examin\ue9s dans ce document.Peer reviewed: YesNRC publication: Ye