FIRE AND THE CIVIL ENGINEER
THE STEADY IMPROVEMENT IN BUILDING REGULATIONS AND THEIR ADMINISTRATION IS ASSISTING THE WORK OF FIRE PROTECTION IN THOSE BRANCHES OF BUILDING DESIGN THAT ARE NORMALLY THE PROVINCE OF THE ARCHITECT. CIVIL ENGINEERS DO NOT ALWAYS HAVE SUCH ASSISTANCE AVAILABLE. THE WORKS THEY DESIGN MIGHT APPEAR TO BE FREE FROM ALL RISK OF FIRE. EXAMPLES ARE CITED FROM CANADIAN EXPERIENCE TO SHOW THE FALLACY OF THIS VIEW. FIRES IN TUNNELS OF CANADIAN NATIONAL RAILWAYS AND OF THE TORONTO TRANSIT COMMISSION SHOWED WHAT SERIOUS DAMAGE CAN RESULT FROM RELATIVELY MINOR INITIAL FIRES. ONE OF CANADA'S MOST FAMOUS BRIDGES WAS SEVERELY DAMAGED BY A MAJOR FIRE WHICH SPREAD TO AN ADJACENT SITE. THE FACTS OF SIX CASES ARE SUMMARIZED, NOT WITH CRITICAL INTENT, BUT IN ORDER TO DRAW FROM THEM CONFIRMATION OF THE PRECAUTIONS THAT SHOULD ALWAYS BE TAKEN IN THE DESIGN, MAINTENANCE AND CONSTRUCTION OF CIVIL ENGINEERING WORKS. WITH CHANGING DESIGN CONCEPTS FOR BUILDINGS, THE CIVIL ENGINEER IS HAVING TO GIVE INCREASED ATTENTION TO FIRE AS A FACTOR IN HIS CONTRIBUTIONS TO DESIGN. THIS WORK MUST ALWAYS BE VIEWED AGAINST THE BACKGROUND OF THE BASIC ECONOMICS OF FIRE PREVENTION MEASURES; FINAL DECISIONS WILL ALWAYS INVOLVE SOME DEGREE OF CALCULATED RISK. /AUTHOR/
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Supplemental Notes:
- Vol 50., PaPER 7426, PP 467-486
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Authors:
- Legget, R F
- Shorter, G W
- Publication Date: 1971-12
Media Info
Subject/Index Terms
- TRT Terms: Civil engineering; Construction; Design; Fires; Protection
- Subject Areas: Construction; Design; Highways; Security and Emergencies;
Filing Info
- Accession Number: 00215486
- Record Type: Publication
- Files: TRIS
- Created Date: Mar 20 1972 12:00AM