The Smoke problem and its control in high-rise buildings

Fire in high buildings presents some special problems of life safety. The time required for evacuation of occupants increases with height and can be much greater than that for the development of untenable smoke conditions in stairwells and occupied parts of the building far removed from the fire. Recent studies on the mechanisms of smoke movement are reviewed, with emphasis on the rapid rate of contamination of vertical shafts and upper floors in winter due to building stack effect when fire occurs on a lower floor. Basic techniques for the control of smoke levels and some methods of application are discussed. Emphasis is placed on the development of an integrated approach.Peer reviewed: NoNRC publication: Ye