Warehouse Extension, Ollerton

The proposal was to add a 14,000m² warehouse extension onto an existing warehouse of approximately 18,500m².

At the shell design stage Innovation Fire Engineering identified the implications for the proposed alterations to the warehouse as the impact on the existing means of escape from the protected staircases which currently discharge to open air but are proposed to discharge into the warehouse extension, and the extended travel distances in the proposed warehouse extension of up to 110m.

Innovation Fire Engineering used CFD modelling to assess the impact of a fire in the new extension in terms of the amount of smoke produced and the temperature of the smoke. The CFD modelling showed the smoke movement initially along the central bay then moving out to the other bays as the smoke layer deepened. Slices at various heights above floor level were assessed for visibility and temperature.

The temperature of the smoke was shown to be very cool, the majority of the smoke remaining below 50°C even at roof level and visibility at 2m above the floor (above head height) showed that the smoke did not descend this far for the duration of the simulation. Innovation Fire Engineering were able to use these CFD results to prove that the extended travel distances of up to 110m within the proposed warehouse and from the existing protected stairs were acceptable.