TRAINING.

Overview

After participating in this course, you will be able to:

• Understand the practical workflow of FDS modeling in PyroSim.
• Model fire and smoke behavior in enclosed spaces under varying fuel and structural conditions.
• Analyze toxic gas concentrations and their life safety implications.
• Simulate material thermal response under steady-state and transient fire conditions.
• Learn best practices in meshing, boundary conditions, and interpreting simulation data.

Description

This one-day intensive workshop provides participants with applied training in fire dynamics simulations using PyroSim (FDS). The course emphasizes hands-on learning through three structured practice problems based on real-world scenarios, enhancing understanding of combustion dynamics, toxic emissions, heat transfer, and structural response in fire environments. By the end of the workshop, participants will have developed modeling proficiency and analytical interpretation skills to assess fire safety and material performance in buildings.

Who Should Attend

• Fire Safety Engineers
• Facility and Plant Managers
• Structural Engineers
• Fire Protection Technicians
• Building Code and Safety Inspectors

Required Resources:

• Laptop with latest PyroSim software (Free version available via Link)
• Familiarity with basic thermodynamics and combustion principles is recommended

Please note: You can check other time zones here.

Syllabus

Session: One-Day Hands-On Simulation Lab

Introduction

• Course overview and learning outcomes
• Overview of FDS and PyroSim software environment

Practice Problem 1 – Toxic Gas Analysis in Fire (Polymers)
Model the combustion of 0.5 kg of Polystyrene (PS) and 0.5 kg of Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) in a closed room:

• Define combustion chemistry for PS and PVC
• Model toxic gases: CO and HCl using gas-phase devices
• Analyze gas concentrations and toxicity risk to occupants

Practice Problem 2 – Heat Transfer in Sauna Walls
Simulate steady-state heat conduction through wall and roof assemblies in a sauna built with wood framing:

• Model layered obstructions and assign thermal properties
• Use solid-phase devices to capture internal wall temperatures
• Analyze the effectiveness of insulation under high thermal exposure

Practice Problem 3 – Pool Fire Simulation with Octane Fuel
Model a 1m² square pool fire of N-Octane and examine vertical profiles of velocity, temperature, and mass flow rate:

• Set up surface burner, thermocouples, and flow measuring devices
• Validate FDS results with hand-calculated values
• Interpret axial plume behavior and flame characteristics

Wrap-up & Feedback

• Discuss modeling insights and performance validation
• Participant Q&A
• Certification and closing remarks

Instructor

Hamzeh Hajiloo, PhD, PEng

Hamzeh is a professor in fire safety engineering group at Carleton University whose research focuses on understanding structural behavior under fire and other extraordinary conditions. In addition to his teaching and research roles, Professor Hajiloo is dedicated to promoting fire safety awareness through active outreach activities. He serves as the Chair of American Concrete Institute (ACI) 216 sub-committee, working on developing a rational design document for concrete structural members exposed to fire. He is also a voting member of the ACI 440-C and ACI 216 committees, where he has made significant contributions to the development of codes and standards that are applied globally. His contributions to fire safety in various areas include concrete structures, FRP-reinforced concrete, FRCM strengthening systems, structural fire safety performance-based design, AI integration in fire safety and materials, hybrid fire testing, and advanced modeling techniques.