NSF Workshop on Structures and Fire: Research Needs and State-of-the Art

摘要：火灾是已建基础设施最严重的环境危害之一，耐高温(防火安全)设计是民用、机械、航空航天和核结构设计和制造中的关键考虑因素之一。根据一些高水平的报告和白皮书(如提交给国会委员会的世界贸易中心建筑性能调查报告)，目前严重缺乏用于进行基于性能的消防安全设计的测试数据、数值模型、设计工具和训练有素的人员。将举行为期两天的研讨会，以确定结构设计和火灾行为的研究需求和最新技术。为研讨会选择的形式使与会者(包括大学全职教师，主要是结构工程和/或建筑工程学科的人员)能够更好地熟悉结构消防工程的背景、当前做法和新出现的问题，并强调他们与传统结构和建筑工程领域的关系。其中一些话题是由9·11事件后的应急反应和公共安全担忧引发或加速的，而另一些话题长期以来一直被认为是与消防工程和基于性能的设计(PBD)的进步有关的未来研究或专业辩论的问题。其他工业化国家，特别是欧洲和环太平洋地区的国家，已经在FIRE PBD方面取得了重大进展，所有这些知识都需要输入、吸收、合格、进一步完善、传播和适应美国的做法。为此，两位来自海外的著名专家和研究人员同意就整体最先进的进展及其不足发表他们的见解。这次研讨会将通过增加这个国家缺乏专业知识的领域的知识来对社会产生影响。研讨会的公告将被广泛传播，并将邀请一批代表不同教职员工的与会者。将特别努力吸引代表性不足的群体和职业生涯早期的教员。这个工作坊是一个种子，将在结构防火性能方面培养一个受过教育的国家。这个工作坊将编制一份最先进的报告，内容是“结构消防安全领域的研究和培训需求”。来自学术界和工业界的大学教职员工和国际顶尖专家将出席研讨会。在研讨会介绍、焦点小组会议和其他讨论的基础上，将为NSF准备一份“消防安全研究和培训需求”报告。这份报告将帮助NSF项目经理制定战略，为未来几年的火灾研究提案提供资金。

Abstract:Fire represents one of the most severe environmental hazards for the built infrastructure, and high temperature-resistant (fire safety) design is one of the key considerations in the design and fabrication of civil, mechanical, aerospace and nuclear structures. Based on a number of high level reports and white papers (such as the World Trade Center building performance investigation report that was presented to Congressional Committees) there is, at present, a serious lack of test data, numerical models, design tools and trained personnel for undertaking performance based fire safety design. A 2-day workshop will be held to identify research needs and state-of-the-art for structural design and behavior in fires. The format selected for the workshop allows for the attendees (which include university full-time faculty, principally those in the Structural Engineering, and/or Architectural Engineering disciplines) to better familiarize themselves with the background, current practices, and emerging issues in structural fire engineering, with emphasis on their relationships to the traditional structural and architectural engineering fields. Some of these topics were prompted or accelerated by the post-9/11 emergency response and public safety concerns, while others have long been acknowledged as matters for future study or professional debate relative to advancements in fire engineering and Performance-Based Design (PBD). Other industrialized countries, in particular those in Europe and the Pacific Rim, have already achieved significant progress in fire PBD, and all this knowledge needs to be imported, absorbed, qualified, further refined, disseminated, and adapted to US practices. For this reason, two notable experts and researchers from overseas have agreed to present their insights on the overall state-of-the-art advancements and its voids.This workshop will have impact on society by increasing the knowledge in an area where this country lacks expertise. The workshop announcement will be broadly disseminated and a select a group of attendees that represent a diverse community of faculty will be invited. Particular effort will be given to attracting underrepresented groups and early career faculty. This workshop is a seed that will grow an educated nation in structural fire performance. This workshop will develop a state-of-the-art report on "research and training needs in the structural fire safety field". University faculty and leading international experts from academia and industry will attend the workshop. Based on the workshop presentations, focus group meetings, and other deliberations, a "Fire Safety Research and Training Needs" report will be prepared for NSF. This report will help NSF program managers develop strategies for funding fire research proposals in the coming years.Douglas A. Foutch, Program Director, Structural Systems and Hazard Mitigation of Structures