Fire Research

Building and Fire Research Laboratory

Fire Research Division

Flame Speed Measurements
The speed of a flame is measured as increasing amounts of super- effective suppressant are added during the search for possible halon replacements.

The Fire Research Division develops, verifies, and utilizes measurements and predictive methods to quantify the behavior of fire and the means to reduce the impact of fire on people, property, and the environment. This work involves integration of laboratory measurements, verified methods of prediction, and large-scale fire experiments to demonstrate the use and value of the research products. Focused research activities develop scientific and engineering understanding of fire phenomena and metrology; identify principles and produce metrology, data, and predictive methods for the formation/evolution of smoke components in flames and for the burning of polymeric materials; and develop predictive methods to enable high-performance fire detection and suppression systems. Through the Division’s programs in measurement, prediction, systems integration, and the dynamics of fire and its interactions with the built and natural environment, the division provides leadership for advancing the theory and practice of fire safety engineering, fire fighting, fire investigation, fire testing, fire data management, and intentional burning. Extensive publication and technology transfer efforts facilitate the use of fire research results in practice in the fire communities in the United States. Participation in the codes and standards processes helps to reduce barriers to trade and global markets for U.S. goods and services.

William L. Grosshandler, Chief
(301) 975-2310
william.grosshandler@nist.gov
   

Research Programs

Most of the Division's research is carried out within four main Programs under two main Goals.  These programs benefit from collaborations with other BFRL divisions, divisions in other NIST laboratories, industry sponsors, and other government agencies. The Division sponsors an Extramural Grants Program, as well, to promote academic research in these areas.  The programs and their objectives are:

Innovative Fire Protection Technologies

Homeland Security

Employment Opportunities

Division Organization

Fire Fighting Technology Group

The Fire Fighting Technology group enables advances in fire fighter safety, fire ground operations, and effectiveness of the fire service; develops and applies technology, measurements and standards, and improves the understanding of the behavior, prevention and control of fires to enhance fire fighting operations and equipment, fire suppression, fire investigations, and disaster response.

Nelson Bryner, Leader
(301) 975-6868
email: nelson.bryner@nist.gov

Fire Metrology Group

Thermocouple measurements in fire test
The uncertainty in thermocouple temperature measurements, an essential part of all meaningful fire tests, are quantified here under actual conditions.

The Fire Metrology Group applies measurement science in the development a nd quantification of new and existing methods for studying fire growth, fire induced flows, flame radiation, smoke formation and dynamics, species production, heat transfer, and fire suppression. It conducts long term basic research to develop new measurement paradigms and responds to short term challenges to address needs identified by other groups within the division. The group serves as division resource for quantification of measurement uncertainty, development of calibration standards, and best practices documents. The group also manages the NIST Large Fire Facility where advanced field scale diagnostics, real time data output, and quantified measurements are employed to validate models for fire growth, smoke dynamics, and suppression.

Jiann Yang, Leader
(301) 975-6662
email: jiann.yang@nist.gov

Analysis and Prediction Group

The Analysis and Prediction Group develops understanding and predictive methods of dynamic fire phenomena to advance fire science and engineering practice, reduce fire hazards, and improve fire protection and fire fighting. It performs research to enhance the understanding of the physics of fires to improve predictions of the growth, spread, suppression, and emissions from fires of all scales, and it uses experiments, analysis, metrology, and advanced computer simulations to improve predictions of fire phenomena.

Anthony Hamins, Leader
(301) 975-6598
email: anthony.hamins@nist.gov

Integrated Performance Assessment Group

The Integrated Performance Assessment Group produces quantitative tools useful to a broad base of stakeholders in the building and fire safety communities, including: architects and design engineers; manufacturers of building materials, products and furnishings; code developers, enforcers, and regulating authorities; and stakeholders exposed to direct risk such as building owners, occupants, the general public and the fire service. The group utilizes enhanced data and predictions to quantify fire events for fire hazard and risk assessment; for fire fighter operations, training and fire investigations; and performance evaluation of fire protection systems in buildings, transportation systems, and vehicles in response to fire. The group works with customers to build fire safety decision models making use of advancements in metrology, simulation, and materials; and manages the flow of research data and information to the fire safety community.

Thomas Cleary, Leader
(301) 975-6858
email: tclear@nist.gov
 

Materials and Products Group

polypropylene specimen
Polypropylene specimen undergoing gasification in absence of O2 leads to greater understanding of polymer flammability.

The Materials and Products Group performs research to understand fundamentally the mechanisms that control the ignition, flame spread, and burning rate of materials and the chemical and physical characteristics that affect these aspects of flammability. It develops methods of measuring and predicting the response of a material to a fire, which includes characterizing the burning rates of charring and non-charring polymers and composites, delineating and modeling the enthalpy and mass transfer mechanisms of materials combustion, and developing computational molecular dynamics and other mechanistic approaches to understand the relationships between polymer structure and flammability.

Jeffrey Gilman, Leader
(301) 975-6573
email: jwgilman@nist.gov
 

Highlights:

Staff



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 Last updated: 1/18/2008