Cecilia Abecassis Empis
- From: Lisbon, Portugal
- Qualifications:
- PhD Fire Safety Engineering, University of Edinburgh, UK (2010)
- MEng Civil Engineering, University of Edinburgh, UK (2004)
- PhD Fire Safety Engineering, University of Edinburgh, UK (2010)
- Affiliations:
- Postgraduate study: Started 2005, graduated 2010
PhD Project:
Analysis of the Compartment Fire Parameters Influencing the Heat Flux Incident on the Structural Facade
In multi-storey buildings there is often a risk of external fire spread beyond the compartment of fire origin. Post-flashover compartment fires can lead to external flaming which in turn can ignite external cladding, can lead to window breakage and ignite combustible items in upper-storey compartments and will result in a heat load to the external structure. This work analyses the existing methodology for determining the external heat exposure resultant from a compartment fire, and adapts it to additionally provide the heat flux incident on the facade (cladding, windows, etc.). A thorough parameter sensitivity study identifies parameters of key influence on the resultant heat flux incident on the facade and shows the model has large scope for simplification. This study uses the Dalmarnock Fire Test One scenario as a benchmark, providing a ballpark for evaluation of the effect of individual parameter variation and for comparison of the model with experimental measurements. Throughout the study both numerical and physical limits of the model's applicability are identified. A Simplified Model for determining the heat flux incident on the facade is proposed, incorporating the findings and providing a more straightforward tool with clearer limits of applicability. Further essential areas of research are recommended in order that the model applications can be further refined and so that external heat exposure can be quantified for scenarios that fall outwith the limits of the current models.Poster
Selected publications
JOURNAL PAPERS- Cowlard, A., Jahn, W., Abecassis-Empis, C., Rein, G. and Torero, J.L., Sensor Assisted Fire Fighting, Fire Technology 46 (3), July 2010, Pages 719-741.
- Abecassis-Empis, C., Cowlard, A., Valenzuela, M., Jahn, W., Lange, D., Rein, G., Torero, J.L., Forensic Analysis of Fire Induced Structural Failure, Forensic Engineering: From failure to understanding, Institution of Civil Engineers, London, 2009. ISBN: 978-0-7277-3613-0.
- Rein, G., Torero, J.L., Jahn, W., Stern-Gottfied, J., Ryder, N.L., Desanghere, S., Lazaro, M., Mowrer, F., Coles, A., Joyeux, D., Alvear, D., Capote, J.A., Jowsey, A., Abecassis-Empis, C. and Reszka, P., Round-Robin Study of Modelling Blind-Predictions using the Dalmarnock Fire Test, Fire Safety Journal 44 (4), May 2009, Pages 590-602.
- Abecassis Empis, C., Reszka, P., Steinhaus, T., Cowlard, A., Biteau, H., Rein, G., Welch, S., Torero, J.L, Characterisation of Dalmarnock Fire Test One, Experimental Thermal and Fluid Science 32 (7), July 2008, Pages 1334-1343.
BOOK CHAPTERS
- Cecilia Abecassis Empis, Adam Cowlard, Stephen Welch, Jose L. Torero, Chapter 3, Test One: The 'Uncontrolled' Fire, The Dalmarnock Fire Tests: Experiments & Modelling, Edited by G. Rein, C. Abecassis Empis and R. Carvel, School of Science and Engineering, The University of Edinburgh, U.K., 2007, ISBN 978-0-9557497-0-4.
- Pedro Reszka, Cecilia Abecassis Empis, Hubert Biteau, Adam Cowlard, Thomas Steinhaus, Ian Fletcher, Andres Fuentes, Martin Gillie and Stephen Welch, Chapter 2, Experimental Layout and Building Description, The Dalmarnock Fire Tests: Experiments & Modelling, Edited by G. Rein, C. Abecassis Empis and R. Carvel, School of Science and Engineering, The University of Edinburgh, U.K., 2007, ISBN 978-0-9557497-0-4.
- Adam Cowlard, Thomas Steinhaus, Cecilia Abecassis Empis, and Jose L. Torero, Chapter 4, Test Two: The 'Controlled Fire', The Dalmarnock Fire Tests: Experiments & Modelling, Edited by G. Rein, C. Abecassis Empis and R. Carvel, School of Science and Engineering, The University of Edinburgh, U.K., 2007, ISBN 978-0-9557497-0-4.
CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS
- Deeny, S., Abecassis Empis, C., Stratford, T., Gillie, M., Torero, J.L., The Dalmarnock Fire Tests on a Cast In-Situ Concrete Structure, Workshop on Fire Design of Concrete Structures: From Materials Modelling to Structural Performance, Coimbra, Portugal. Nov. 2007.
- Abecassis Empis, C., Snorrason, D., Lee, J., Reszka, P., Steinhaus, T., Cowlard, A., Biteau, H., Stratford, T., Gillie, M., Rein, G., Welch, S., Torero, J.L., The Dalmarnock Fire Tests, IFE AGM [IFE Bodycote Warrington Fire Research Prize for the Best Fire Safety Engineering Paper 2007], Cambridge. July 2007.
- Jowsey, A., Rein, G., Abecassis Empis, C., Cowlard, A., Reszka, P., Steinhaus, T., Torero, J.L., Usmani, A., Lane, B., An Analytical Approach to Define Surface Heat Fluxes to Structural Members in Post-Flashover Fires, 5th International Seminar on Fire and Explosion Hazards, Edinburgh. April 2007.
