Parametric Fires for Structural Design

The authorities, the construction association, and a number of companies in Denmark have supported the author writing a guide for design of building structures for parametric fires. The guide is published by the ministry as a supplement to the building regulations. However, consultants and contractors have asked for a reference in English in order to make the guide-lines and the background for them available internationally.

The paper therefore presents recommendations from the design guide especially concerning how to assess parametric design fires based on the opening factor method for large compartments. Findings leading to the guide-lines are discussed, and it is indicated what a safe design fire model means for structural design and how it differs from a safe design fire model for evacuation.

Furthermore, the paper includes some experiences from the application of the design guide in practise especially concerning implementation of consequences of the latest development of the building technology, where low-energy windows and step-noise damping give rise to changes of the design fires.