Enhancing Car Park Safety with CFD Fire and Smoke Modelling

Carpark CFD Fire & Smoke Modelling to Enhance Car Park Safety

At Lava Consultants, we specialise in delivering advanced Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) fire simulations to assess the performance of ventilation systems in car parks during fire scenarios. With increasing urban density and the growing complexity of building layouts, especially in underground and multi-level structures, it is more important than ever to validate that smoke control measures are both effective and compliant with international fire safety standards.

Objective of the Study

The primary aim of a CFD-based fire and smoke analysis in car parking areas is to ensure the safety of occupants and facilitate firefighting operations. A well-executed CFD study evaluates the ventilation system’s ability to:

Control smoke and heat spread during a fire,
Maintain breathable air quality for occupants,
Preserve adequate visibility for safe evacuation, and
Enable safe and effective intervention by fire services.

What the CFD Study Involves

Using powerful tools such as Fire Dynamics Simulator (FDS), PyroSim, and other CFD software, we simulate realistic fire scenarios tailored to the specific layout and ventilation design of the car park. These simulations model:

The dispersion of smoke and heat throughout the space,
Air velocity and flow patterns induced by the ventilation system,
Temperature gradients and their impact on occupant tenability,
The concentration of toxic gases, particularly carbon monoxide (CO), which is a major cause of fire-related fatalities.

These parameters are tracked over time to ensure that ventilation systems can maintain tenable conditions long enough for occupants to escape and emergency personnel to enter safely.

Enhancing Safety with Carpark CFD in the UAE

Carpark CFD modelling is an essential tool for designing safe and compliant parking facilities across Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, and the wider UAE. Using Computational Fluid Dynamics our engineers simulate fire and smoke behaviour to evaluate the effectiveness of ventilation, extraction fans, and smoke control strategies. These studies ensure compliance with both Dubai Civil Defence (DCD) and Abu Dhabi Civil Defence (ADCD) requirements, as well as the UAE Fire & Life Safety Code. Carpark CFD helps optimise visibility, temperature, and evacuation conditions during fire events, reducing risks to occupants and supporting smooth authority approvals. At Lava Consultants, we deliver tailored Carpark CFD solutions that give developers, contractors, and MEP consultants confidence in achieving both safety and regulatory compliance.

NFPA Tenability Criteria

To ensure compliance with NFPA guidelines, several tenability thresholds must be satisfied during both the evacuation and firefighting phases. These include:

Temperature: ≤ 60°C – to prevent thermal injury,
Visibility: ≥ 10 metres – to allow clear navigation toward exits,
Carbon Monoxide (CO): ≤ 225 ppm – to reduce the risk of incapacitation due to toxic gas inhalation,
Air Velocity: ≤ 5 m/s – to avoid creating conditions that impede occupant movement or firefighting efforts.

Why Choose CFD?

Traditional prescriptive methods often fail to account for the unique spatial, mechanical, and operational characteristics of complex car park structures. In contrast, CFD provides a performance-based design approach that delivers:

A detailed visual and quantitative assessment of fire and smoke behaviour,
Credible, evidence-backed justifications to meet authority requirements,
Optimisation opportunities for the design and performance of ventilation systems,
Potential cost savings by avoiding over-design and allowing for system refinement.

At Lava Consultants, our CFD fire modelling services are tailored to ensure your fire safety strategy is resilient, efficient, and fully aligned with international best practices.

Faq

1. What is Carpark CFD fire and smoke modelling?

Carpark CFD is a simulation technique that analyses fire and smoke behaviour in car parks, ensuring ventilation systems maintain safety and comply with standards.

2. Why is Carpark CFD important for car park safety?

Carpark CFD ensures that smoke control systems work effectively during fire scenarios, protecting occupants, maintaining visibility, and supporting firefighting operations.

3. What does a CFD fire and smoke study involve?

A CFD study models smoke, heat, airflow, and toxic gases using tools like FDS and PyroSim. It evaluates how ventilation systems perform during realistic fire scenarios.

4. What are NFPA tenability criteria in CFD fire studies?

The NFPA criteria set safety thresholds, including temperature ≤ 60°C, visibility ≥ 10m, CO ≤ 225 ppm, and air velocity ≤ 5 m/s, to protect occupants and firefighters.

5. Why choose CFD over traditional fire safety methods?

Unlike prescriptive methods, CFD provides a performance-based approach that delivers detailed simulations, compliance evidence, system optimisation, and potential cost savings.