Citation

Croce PA, Grossh WL, Ler, Bukowski RW, Gritzo LA. Fire Safety J. 2008; 43(3): 234-236.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2008, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.firesaf.2007.12.004

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

The International FORUM of Fire Research Directors (FORUM) periodically takes a position on a technical issue of international significance confronting the fire safety research community. The position of the FORUM on performance-based regulations, codes and design for fire safety applications, and the rationale leading to it, is described in this paper. Aspects addressed include current capabilities and challenges associated with the application of performance-based design, and possible enhancements (obtained through a coordinated and sustained global effort of research) in next generation tools leading to more certain predictions of the effects on performance of changes in building materials, active and passive fire protection systems, compartmentation, and egress systems; the structural response of a building to large fires including those leading to full building burnout; the impact of fire on neighboring buildings and infrastructure; and the uncertainty in deterministic predictions for incorporation into reliable probabilistic calculations of hazard and risk. Keywords: Performance-based design; Building and fire codes; Fire research http://www.bfrl.nist.gov/info/forum/. The International FORUM of Fire Research Directors (FORUM) was formed in 1991 with a goal to reduce the burden of fire (including the loss of life and property, and effects of fire on the environment and heritage) through international cooperation on fire research. Our members include many who were involved with writing PB codes; we have met and worked with regulators, practitioners, and educators worldwide; and we have carefully examined and discussed these factors in the effective application of PB design for regulation.