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Title: FHWA REPORT: PREVENTION AND CONTROL OF HIGHWAY TUNNEL FIRES
Accession Number: 00457744
Record Type: Component
Availability: Find a library where document is available Abstract: This paper is comprised of some of the findings, conclusions, and recommendations of an FHWA report entitled "Prevention and Control of Highway Tunnel Fires". Investigated in this study were (a) steps that can be taken to reduce the risk, damage, and number of fatalities from fires in existing and future highway tunnels and (b) the effect of unrestricted transit of hazardous materials through tunnels. The history of highway tunnel fires was examined to determine the design and operating features that influenced ignition and spread of fire; detection, alarm transmission, and notification of appropriate authorities; response; control, extinguishment, and suppression; and resultant fatalities and damage. Operators in major domestic highway tunnels were interviewed about tunnel fires, and their responses were tabulated and compared. The procedures used in and results of several tunnel fire tests were examined and their recommendations evaluated in the light of historical evidence and operating experience concerning tunnel fires. A risk analysis for unrestricted transit of hazardous materials through a reference tunnel was performed and applied to 35 tunnels included in the study. Qualitative assessments of the effects of traffic, tunnel design, and operations on this risk were made. Comprehensive design and operating recommendations for prevention, detection, alarm, notification, control, extinguishment, suppression, and survival were developed. A ventilation system with a fire and emergency operating mode designed to provide motorists trapped in a tunnel fire with optimal escape potential was described and its inclusion in future vehicular tunnels was recommended.
Supplemental Notes: This paper appeared in TRB State of the Art Report 3, Recent Advances in Hazardous Materials Transportation Research: An International Exchange. Papers presented at the conference held in Lake Buena Vista, Florida, 10-13 November 1985. Distribution, posting, or copying of this PDF is strictly prohibited without written permission of the Transportation Research Board of the National Academy of Sciences. Unless otherwise indicated, all materials in this PDF are copyrighted by the National Academy of Sciences. Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.
Corporate Authors: Transportation Research Board 500 Fifth Street, NW Authors: Egilsrud, P EPagination: p. 147-160
Publication Date: 1986
Serial: ISBN: 0-309-03973-8
Media Type: Digital/other
Features: Figures
(9)
; References
(1)
; Tables
(1)
TRT Terms: Uncontrolled Terms: Old TRIS Terms: Subject Areas: Bridges and other structures; Highways; Planning and Forecasting; Safety and Human Factors; Security and Emergencies; I72: Traffic and Transport Planning
Files: TRIS, TRB
Created Date: Aug 31 1988 12:00AM
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