ICMS

Oct 31, 2008

ICMS, 14 India Street, Edinburgh

Organisers

Name	Institution
Lacey, Andrew	Heriot-Watt University (Marine and Tidal)
Rein, Guillermo	University of Edinburgh

The main objective of the one-day workshop is to explore some of the common research interests and opportunities between mathematics and engineering in fire safety science with an emphasis on forest and flame spread modelling.

The event is part of the initiative Bridging the Gaps between Engineering and Mathematics and is funded through the Edinburgh Research Partnership. Those interested in participating should complete the application form for this workshop. Note that there are only about 30 places available for participants. Lunch and refreshments will be provided. There is no registration fee.

Speakers from Applied Mathematics will be:
John Dold, University of Manchester
George Milne, University of Western Australia
Andrew Lacey, Heriot-Watt University.

Speakers from Fire Safety Engineering will be:
Chris Lautenberger, University of California Berkeley
Albert Simeoni, Università di Corsica
Guillermo Rein, University of Edinburgh

It is intended that there should be plenty of time for informal discussion.

Please email Audrey Brown at ICMS, if you have any questions regarding registration or arrangements for this workshop. For more information on the venue, visit http://www.icms.org.uk, and for the Edinburgh Research Partnership, see http://www.erp.ac.uk/.

 

Arrangements

This one-day workshop will take place from 09.00 - 17.00 on Friday 31 October 2008 at The International Centre for Mathematical Sciences (ICMS), 14 India Street, Edinburgh, EH3 6EZ.

The workshop venue at 14 India Street is the birthplace of James Clerk Maxwell. There will be an informal wine reception on the evening prior to the workshop, Thursday 30 October, from 17.00 - 19.00, to enable participants to view an exhibition of James Clerk Maxwell memorabilia. A Trustee of the James Clerk Maxwell Foundation will attend to give a talk about Maxwell and show the exhibits. All workshop participants are most welcome to attend.

Travel to ICMS
For information and advice about travel to Edinburgh and finding ICMS, please follow the link entitled 'Information for Visitors' at the top right of the webpage. A map of the city centre showing the location of ICMS is available here .

Accommodation
You are asked to reserve your own accommodation.

A list of Edinburgh accommodation of various sorts and prices is detailed below

The Walton Hotel, 79 Dundas Street, Edinburgh EH3 6SD

+44 (0)131 556 1137 - www.waltonhotel.com - enquiries@waltonhotel.com

Ballantrae West End Hotel, 6 Grosvenor Crescent, Edinburgh EH12 5EP
+44 (0) 131 225 7033 - http://www.ballantraewestend.co.uk/ - westend@ballantraehotel.co.uk

Ardenlee Guesthouse, 9 Eyre Place, Edinburgh EH3 5ES
+44 (0)131 556 2838 - www.ardenlee.co.uk - info@ardenleeguesthouse.com

The Dene, 7 Eyre Place, Edinburgh EH3 5ES
+44 (0)131 556 2700 - www.deneguesthouse.com - deneguesthouse@yahoo.co.uk

Edinburgh Central Youth Hostel, 9 Haddington Place, Off Leith Walk, Edinburgh, EH7 4AL
+44 (0)131 534 2090 - http://www.syha.org.uk/SYHA/Web/Site/Hostels/EdinburghCentral.asp

Other accommodation can be found at this link

Meals and Refreshments
An informal wine reception on the evening of Thursday 30 October and a light lunch and refreshments on Friday 31 October will be provided. There will be no cost to participants for this catering.

Programme

Thursday 30 October 2008

17.00 - 19.00

Informal wine reception in the Exhibition Room, ICMS Dr Dick Dougal of the James Clerk Maxwell Foundation will give a talk about the life of James Clerk Maxwell and discuss some of the exhibits on display.

 

Friday 31 October 2008

09.00 - 09.15	Welcome and Introduction by José L Torero (Edinburgh)
09.15 - 10.15	John Dold (University of Manchester/Mathematics) Fire eruptions and large-scale fires
10.15 - 11.15	Albert Simeoni (Università di Corsica/Engineering) Modelling forest fire spreading: a tricky problem Link to pdf of presentation
11.15 - 11.45	Coffee/Tea
11.45 - 12.45	George Milne (University of Western Australia/Mathematics) Modelling the dynamics of wildfire progression via simulation
12.45 - 13.30	Lunch provided in the Exhibition Room (ground floor, ICMS )
13.30 - 14.30	Chris Lautenberger ( University of California, Berkeley/Engineering) Some unsolved problems in fire dynamics – the needed physics and mathematics Link to pdf of presentation
14.30 - 15.00	Coffee/Tea
15.00 - 15.30	Andrew Lacey (Heriot-Watt University/Mathematics) Compartmental fire spread: flame propagation up vertical surfaces Link to pdf of presentation
15.30 - 16.00	Guillermo Rein (University of Edinburgh/Engineering) The unsolved problem of forecasting fire dynamics to lead the emergency response Link to pdf of presentation
16.00 - 17.00	Discussion
17.00	Close of workshop

 

Presentations:

Presentation Details
Dold, John
Fire eruptions and large-scale fires
View Abstract Hide Abstract
Most wildfires spread at speeds that at least appear to depend on topography, wind and vegetation conditions, so that a fire's spread can (in principle) be calculated from any given initial fireline. But this is not the case for eruptive fires, seen mostly on moderately steep slopes or in canyon-shaped topographies, where the spread-rate accelerates with time. A fairly simple model that bridges both forms of fire-spread will be presented. Large fires can induce further effects. One of these is an interaction with the atmosphere that generates fire-induced storm clouds, some aspects of which will be discussed. Such fires can also produce violent tornado-like vortices. It also appears that, in some cases, incomplete combustion can leave volatile combustible gases in high enough concentrations to burn as premixed flames.
Lacey, Andrew
Compartmental fire spread: flame propagation up vertical surfaces
View Abstract Hide Abstract
We consider a class of models for the migration of a flame up a wall composed of combustible material. The modelling is based on the assumption that pyrolysis of the wall's constituents into inflammable gases is driven by heat flux from the flame acting between its base and its tip. We initially follow earlier work, of Karlsson, Quintiere and others, but adapt their approaches to avoid a mathematically ill posed problem. Provisional numerical results for some simple models suggest that the burning is likely to propagate in the manner of an oscillating travelling wave.
Lautenberger, Christopher
Some unsolved problems in fire dynamics – the needed physics and mathematics
View Abstract Hide Abstract
While the basic principles of fire dynamics have been established, many details remain to be unravelled. This presentation explores several fire phenomena for which our physical and mathematical understanding remains limited. Areas having significance to practicing engineers are emphasized. Topics include soot/smoke plating onto surfaces; breakage/fall-out of glazing and its effect on compartment ventilation; modelling flame radiation, particularly thermal emission on coarse grids; radiation “blockage” by pyrolysate gases; carbon monoxide formation in wood immersed in a vitiated gas layer; automated optimization methods for material property estimation; and fire suppression by sprinkler sprays.
Milne, George
Modelling the dynamics of wildfire progression via simulation
View Abstract Hide Abstract
Wildfires are ever present in Australia, as in many other parts of the world. Appropriate simulators may be used for training fire-fighting staff, used in real-time to predict the future position of the fire front or may be used off-line to develop risk assessment of communities or to determine optimal prescribed burning strategies for mitigating future extreme fires. Over the past 5 years my research group has focused on building simulators which capture the dynamics of fire over the landscape. Essentially, we build virtual worlds with which to examine the dynamics of physical systems where experimentation is infeasible. As with any modelling exercise the challenge is to realistically represent such systems so as to have confidence in the results obtained from running the simulated environment. The talk will highlight our approach and some of the challenges with which we are faced.
Rein, Guillermo
The unsolved problem of forecasting fire dynamics to lead the emergency response
View Abstract Hide Abstract
The human attraction for the prediction of future events has permeated into science and technology, and also in fire safety engineering. FireGrid is a research project in Edinburgh that proposes a paradigm shift in the response to fire emergencies, providing the Fire Service with essential sensor information also including forecast of the fire dynamics. But some questions remain to be answered. This talk explores the engineering benefits and mathematical problems of forecasting fire dynamics in enclosures.
Simeoni, Albert
Modelling forest fire spreading: a tricky problem
View Abstract Hide Abstract
In fire safety engineering, the modelling of wildland fires aims mainly to predict the fire spreading. The first aim is to improve fire fighting: to know how the fire will spread can help to take decisions. A second application deals with field management: to know how the fire will spread under given conditions can help to treat forests, scrublands or wildland/urban interfaces. The aim of this talk is to highlight the needs of engineers in terms of both fundamental and numerical tools. To proceed, the forest fire phenomenon is shortly described and the impacts of wildland fires in the Mediterranean zone are depicted. Then, the different kinds of models and their applications are described. As the research team of the University of Corsica focuses on physical models, these models are particularly detailed. Some applications of modelling are then discussed and some following needs are presented.

Participants

Name	Institution
Al-Remal, Ahmad	University of Edinburgh
Banas, Lubomir	Heriot-Watt University
Beard, Alan	Heriot-Watt University
Bejan, Andrei	Heriot-Watt University
Betts, Charles	Arup Fire
Biteau, Hubert	University of Edinburgh
Bustamante Valencia, Lucas	Laboratoire National d'Essais (LNE)
Dixit, Anurag	Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi
Dold, John	University of Manchester
Gomez-Mares, Mercedes	University of Edinburgh/Universidad Politécnica de Cataluña
Gonzi, Siegfried	University of Edinburgh
Hadden, Rory	University of Edinburgh
Jahn, Wolfram	University of Edinburgh
Lacey, Andrew	Heriot-Watt University (Marine and Tidal)
Lautenberger, Christopher	University of California, Berkeley
Milne, George	University of Western Australia
Mottram, Nigel	University of Strathclyde (Tidal)
Novozhilov, Vasily	University of Ulster
Palmer, Paul	University of Edinburgh
Rein, Guillermo	University of Edinburgh
Reszka, Pedro	University of Edinburgh
Salzer-Frost, Kristen	SAFE Consulting
Simeoni, Albert	Università di Corsica
Steinhaus, Thomas	University of Edinburgh
Stern-Gottfried, Jamie	University of Edinburgh & Arup Fire
Tanner, Jared	University of Edinburgh
Torero, Jose L	University of Edinburgh
Vogiatzaki, Konstantina	Imperial College London
Welch, Stephen	University of Edinburgh
Wilson, Stephen	University of Strathclyde