After many years of cautioning against the use of sprinklers in road tunnels, both PIARC and NFPA 502, the US national fire protection association for road tunnels, have added them to the arsenal of potential equipment available to manage the risks of large fires in road tunnels.
Common in countries such as Australia and Japan, fixed fire fighting suppression systems are rare in Europe. However, there are now several European companies such as Marioff, Fogtec and Aquasys that have developed and successfully sold systems, with recent installations in the controversial A86 tunnel in Paris and the M30 project in Madrid.
Proponents argue that FFFS deliver superior life safety for tunnel users, and many tunnel owners are convinced they also protect tunnels from damage. Critics are concerned that they simply add to the cost of tunnels, require ongoing maintenance, and may actually make tunnels less safe due to effects such as poisonous gases.
It is understood Professor Arnold Dix is heading up the new PIARC task group. Dix also sits on the committee of NFPA 502, and is known to have close links with Japanese, European and American tunnel experts and authorities.
tunnelintelligence is aware that Dix’s team have already made contact with tunnel owners and operators around the world, seeking actual data on system costs and performance while it is also understood several manufacturers have also been approached for test data.
This about face on suppression systems by PIARC and NFPA is unlikely to be all good news for the suppression industry as Dix, although publicly generally supportive of FFFS as a safety option for tunnels, is also known for his strong stand against simplistic use of these technologies in tunnels.
tunnelintelligence reported earlier this year Professor Dix’s call to the suppression industry globally during a sprinkler industry conference in Denmark to “lift their game” . He is known to be extremely critical of FFFS unless they are properly integrated into the tunnels safety systems and procedures. Dix has also expressed concern about the importance of understanding the impact of these systems on tenability due to known effects of such systems such as destratification of smoke. These themes were also raised in April this year by him at the 2008 Harding lecture at the Institute of Civil Engineers in London.
While the outcome of the latest PIARC initiative will not be known for some time, it seems fixed fire fighting systems are an option for enhancing tunnel safety.
PIARCs latest investigation will likely be a practical one – Dix is the coroners independent expert in the Australian Burnley fire incident – and the team assembled by PIARC include high standing consultants, firemen and government agency experts. It seems PIARC is intent on producing a practical “warts and all” report on sprinkler systems – and have assembled a team likely to do just that.
21st November, 2008.
London, UK.
