A comparison between empirical models and FDS simulation to predict the ceiling gas temperature distribution in a tunnel fire

Abstract: A comparison between the results obtained from a Computational Fluid Dynamic (CFD) simulation and from the application of an empirical formula for determining the temperature distribution inside a tunnel in case of fire is presented. The temperature is measured and calculated at different distances from the location of the fire and at different time intervals. The fire considered varies with time following a time-heat release rate curve which has a parabolic growing phase, a constant period and a linear decay. The comparison reveals differences in the results. The temperatures calculated with the empirical formula resulted higher than the temperatures obtained by means of the CFD simulation. A list of possible reasons for this limited correspondence is also presented and commented.