Selected Fire Protection Problems in Designed and Modernized High-Rise Buildings
Aim: The first aim of this article is to define problematic areas associated with fire protection in the design and modernization of high-rise buildings. The second aim is to present practical (formal and technical) methods of solving these problems. Introduction: The subject of this article are problems related to ensuring an adequate level of fire safety in existing and planned high-rise buildings. According to current law regulations, high-rise buildings must be designed and built in the highest class of fire resistance. This means severe consequences in the design of fire resistance class of building elements and components of fire separation. Most of the problems associated with fire protection requirements in such buildings relate to existing facilities, which is subject to constant change in existing fire protection regulations, but there is also a problematic area related to the design of new buildings. Methodology: In order to achieve the first objective, an analysis was performed of the law acts used in Poland in the last 35 years in the scope of technical requirements and buildings. The second aim of the study (practical ways of solving problems) was carried out with the analysis and synthesis of the available literature, technical knowledge and unpublished own materials. Conclusions: In fire safety engineering problems related to high-rise buildings exist.. Problematic areas were defined in both the existing buildings and newly designed ones. In the case of newly designed buildings in order to avoid impediments it is recommended to use the institution of derogation of building regulations and individual technical documentation (single admission). In Poland there is also a group of high-rise buildings constructed under the requirements different from those that are currently in force. These are buildings, where construction works are carried out in order to adapt them to new technical and functional requirements. The main conclusion of the analysis in this area is to confirm that there are formal and engineering tools which allow to use the buildings where an adequate level of safety is provided. For this purpose it is suggested to use alternative solutions by the implementation of engineering expertise, analytical methods and computer simulations of fire development.