Characterization of smoke development and propagation among ignitable materials.
Distribution of local visibility values. Verification of particle-free environments.
Temporal trend of temperatures. Verification of thermal conditions on surfaces.
Realistic assessment of overall escape time and viability of routes.
Built between 1865 and 1878, the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II was constructed with a lattice structure of iron and meshed glass. It was initially conceived as a covered pedestrian street, but was later used as an elegant shopping mall with nearly one hundred stores, distributed on a cross-shaped plan. The imposing dimensions of the structure cover 196 m in the north-south direction and 105 m in the east-west direction. The dome towering over the central octagon reaches a total height of 47 m.
The Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, precisely because it is a notorious Italian building, was chosen as an ideal example to show the potential of INC Ambiente e Territorio in fire design, developed over its many years of experience. The study conducted on such a complex building, including architectural, structural and artistic details, also gives an idea of the degree of accuracy and precision that can be achieved in the technical and graphic representation of the buildings subjected to our analysis.
STEP 1: 2D design analysis
Step 2: 3D modeling
Step 3: CFD modeling
PHASE 4: FIRE SIMULATION
STEP 5: Final Delivery
The analysis conducted on the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II aims to illustrate in detail the application of FSE (Fire Safety Engineering) through the simulation of a fire event inside a complex historical building, highlighting the potential of fire design based on theperformance approach. Differentiating from traditional design using the so-called prescriptive approach, FSE, also referred to as the "engineering approach," involves meticulous study of the dynamic evolution of the fire and focuses the analysis on scientific prediction of the building's performance, with respect to various fire safety parameters defined by the standard.
The project was inspired by a real-life incident in the 1970s, in which a historic restaurant in the Galleria fell victim to a fire. In our analysis, we specifically wanted to test the potential of a thermal curve generated by the ignition of a hearth at the cash register at the entrance, in interaction with the main combustible elements in the restaurant, such as curtains, fabrics, armchairs, wood, chairs and carpeting.
La first phase focused a careful analysis of 2D and photographic documentation: indeed, the accuracy of the data is vital for the proper conduct of simulations. In the second phase 3D geometric modeling of the structure has taken place: the models we create must be absolutely free of geometric inaccuracies. Since we also consider it of great interest to be able to provide a graphic rendering marked by photorealism, we devote additional time to finishing the main architectural and structural elements. Subsequently in the third phase the model is adapted for the purposes of computational CFD calculation, with reference to the geometries and properties of the materials under analysis, finally arriving at the fourth phase of launching and analyzing simulations. The fifth phase finally provides for the presentation of the FSE report, enhanced by the explanatory renderings and technical images derived from the simulations.
