Keywords
Wildland fire modeling, Shrub combustion, Live fuels
Abstract
A semi-empirical model was developed which forms shrub geometries from distinct fuel elements (e.g. leaves) and describes flame spread from element to element. Ignition, flame growth and flame decay patterns were based on combustion data of single leaves. Extension of the model to various heating conditions was achieved by scaling the flame growth parameters using physics-based heat transfer models. The resulting model offers a novel approach to examine fire spread and to explicitly describe both distinct fuel elements and fire behavior. This approach balances computational speed and modeling detail while providing a unique perspective into fire spread phenomena. Comparisons of the tuned model to fire spread behavior measured in an open-roofed wind
Original Publication Citation
Prince, D. R., C. Shen, and T. H. Fletcher, “Semi-empirical Model for Fire Spread in Shrubs with Spatially-defined Fuel Elements and Flames,” Fire Technology, 53, 1439–1469 (2017). DOI: 10.1007/s10694-016-0644-9
BYU ScholarsArchive Citation
Prince, Dallan; Shen, Chen; and Fletcher, Thomas H., "Semi-empirical Model for Fire Spread in Shrubs with Spatially-Defined Fuel Elements and Flames" (2017). Faculty Publications. 6980.
https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/facpub/6980
Document Type
Peer-Reviewed Article
Publication Date
2017
Publisher
Springer Science
Language
English
Link to Data Set(s)
A semi-empirical model was developed which forms shrub geometries from distinct fuel elements (e.g. leaves) and describes flame spread from element to element. Ignition, flame growth and flame decay patterns were based on combustion data of single leaves. Extension of the model to various heating conditions was achieved by scaling the flame growth parameters using physics-based heat transfer models. The resulting model offers a novel approach to examine fire spread and to explicitly describe both distinct fuel elements and fire behavior. This approach balances computational speed and modeling detail while providing a unique perspective into fire spread phenomena. Comparisons of the tuned model to fire spread behavior measured in an open-roofed wind tunnel benchmarked the model’s ability to simulate fire spread in manzanita shrubs.
College
Ira A. Fulton College of Engineering
Department
Chemical Engineering
Copyright Status
Springer Science
Copyright Use Information
https://lib.byu.edu/about/copyright/