Numerical Studies on Recent Large High-Rise Building Fire

Abstract

Numerical studies on a recent large high-rise building fire in Hong Kong are reported. Preliminary studies suggested that a lift shaft under refurbishment with all of its doors removed was the key factor in the fire spreading. This point is investigated in this paper by simulating the fire environment using a fire-zone model and computational fluid dynamics (CFD). Different scenarios with a fire starting at the lift shaft and also starting at a higher level were considered. Five sets of zone-model simulations and three sets of CFD simulations were performed. The importance of providing a lift lobby was demonstrated. It is further confirmed that this lift shaft would create many problems. A lift shaft, even undergoing refurbishment, should not have its doors kept opened.