An Assessment of the National Institute of Standards and Technology Programs Fiscal Year 1993 (1994) / Chapter Skim
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9 BUILDING AND FIRE RESEARCH LABORATORY
9 BUILDING AND FIRE RESEARCH LABORATORY
Pages 179-212
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From page 179... ...
The BFRL performs and supports field, laboratory, and analytical research on the performance of construction materials, components, systems, and practices and on the fundamental processes 179
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From page 180... ...
BUILDING AND FIRE RESEARCH LABORATORY stru~cures 1 | Building || Buil ding || Fire Safety| | Fire Science Division Materials Environment Engineering Division l l | Division ~ L Division || Division ~ | Structural Organic Thermal Fire Smoke Dynamics Evaluation Materials Machinery Protection Research Applications Earthquake Englneerlng Inorganic Materials Construction Materials Reference Laboratories Mechanical Systems and Controls Heat Transfer Ccmputer Integrated Construction Indoor Air Quality Lighting Fire Modeling Large Fire Research Materials Fire Research Fire Sensing and Extinguishment FIGURE 9.1 Organization and structure of the Building and Fire Research Laboratory.
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From page 181... ...
Strategy BFRL's vision for the construction and fire safety communities includes (1) high-quality constructed facilities supporting international industrial competitiveness and quality of life for the U.S.
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From page 182... ...
MIST is reprogramming to BFRL a $1 million increase for earthquake hazard reduction ($0.5 million in 1993 and $0.5 million in 1994) and $0~5 million for advanced refrigeration cycles for alternative refrigerants.
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From page 183... ...
The plan will become a basis for the fiscal year 1995 budget proposals of the National Earthquake Hazard Reduction Program. · Developed a rational, integrated seismic design procedure for design and retrofit of spirally reinforced bridge columns for the American Association of State Highway Transportation Officials and the California transit authority (Caltrans)
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From page 184... ...
ASSESSMENT OF BFRL'S STRATEGIC DIRECTIONS The assessment below is organized according to BFRL's critical program thrusts rather than its structure. Computer- Integrated Construct ion Engineering and construction industries and their clients (owners and operators)
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From page 185... ...
BFRL's strategy to develop protocols for concurrent engineering applications, shared integrated product databases, and construction automation practices using STEP coincides perfectly with this heightened interest. High-Performance Construction Materials Strategy and Planning The long-term strategy and planning embodied in the HighPerformance Construction Materials research have time-based specific milestones and are a major improvement over the strategy document provided to the panel at the fiscal year 1992 program review.
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From page 186... ...
The Prediction of Service Life of Coatings Program has significant potential for high visibility within the coatings industry. Organic Materials The strategy for the Prediction of Service Life of Coatings Program is well conceived and includes yearly milestones and plans for a consortium to facilitate technology transfer.
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From page 187... ...
In its fiscal year 1992 report, the panel recommended development of a timely user-friendly computer software package for service-life prediction. BFRL included such a package as part of the Prediction of Service Life of Coatings Program.
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From page 188... ...
construction industry has been unreceptive to BFRL's new generation of high-performance concrete, U.S. international trading partners in Europe and elsewhere are adopting BFRL's innovation in their own construction industries.
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From page 189... ...
construction and code enforcement communities have made little progress in the use of performance codes. Fire Modeling Fire modeling has become a keystone of BFRL's Fire Program.
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From page 190... ...
In addition to the obvious, much-needed prediction tools that are being developed to solve real-worId problems, benefits of this project include its potential to provide greater visibility for BFRL. Halon Replacement The objective of the Halon Replacement Program is to provide data and expertise for selecting a small number of chemicals to replace Halon in engine nacelle and dry (electronics)
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From page 191... ...
The research provides methods for predicting smoke formation and burnout histories in larger turbulent flames and is well focused in order to bring fundamental studies to practical fruition. Recent advances in the understanding of soot production and evolution can be attributed to the combination of BFRL's internal program, BFRLfunded research at five universities, and research at a halfdozen other well-respected groups worldwide that are not associated with the BFRL programs.
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From page 192... ...
of the Fire Program at NIST has crashed." Reduced Impacts of Disasters Structures and Earthquakes Program In general, the program's studies of the impact of earthquakes on structures continue at a good pace. Structures such as bridge columns, seismic isolation systems, lightly reinforced concrete frames, and precast concrete structures are receiving special attention.
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From page 193... ...
Green Buildings: Energy Efficiency, Waste Reduction, and Recycling General Comments about the Green Buildings Initiative On the basis of a congressional mandate, BFRL has embarked on a new initiative aimed at helping the building industry produce facilities with lower life cycle environmental impact. The initiative's salient features include guidance of the design of four demonstration buildings, including one at NIST, support for an American Society for Testing and Materials "Green Building Design Guide," and collaboration with the U.S.
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From page 194... ...
Examination of these implications could provide the basis for the "Green Building Design Guide" that is scheduled for delivery later in the program. Strategy for Materials Use The examination of the global environmental implications of materials chosen for construction, currently a major issue in the architecture community, is another part of the green buildings effort.
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From page 195... ...
Significant achievements during fiscal year 1992 include: · A report characterizing the impact of building heating, ventilation, and air conditioning on indoor air quality investigations in commercial buildings, with the support of the Environmental Protection Agency. The report provides a protocol of measurement procedures for characterizing the ventilation systems of commercial buildings that will be used widely in the study of the "sick building'' syndrome.
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From page 196... ...
Indoor air quality is broader in scope than ventilation. In fiscal year 1992, the panel urged BFRL management to create a new staff position to examine source characteristics of materials used within buildings.
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From page 197... ...
The laboratory has documented the impact of completed work and has initiated a coordinated effort with NIST's senior economist in the Program Office to develop a model for assessing impacts of the Fire Program and the Building Program. Ultimately, the laboratory expects to quantify impacts of collaborating with key customers.
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From page 198... ...
The Building Environment Division and Fire Science Division are collaborating on a study of the flammability of candidate ch~orofluorocarbon replacements. Finally, the Fire Safety Engineering Division and Building Environment Division are seeking to establish a joint project to integrate fire sensing and detection systems into building control system emulators.
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From page 199... ...
Joint strategies are evolving in the infrastructure materials program, with the Department of Housing and Urban Development and the General Services Administration, in the housing and building technology areas, and with the Minerals Management Service, regarding large, open fires. Other possibilities are being explored.
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From page 200... ...
Can BFRL's Fire Program Enhance the Construct Industry's Competitiveness? BFRL's contribution is unique though modest, given the overall size of the construction industry; however, BFRL can enhance the industry's competitiveness e BFRL is a world leader in fire safety research, engineering, and technology.
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From page 201... ...
by seeking to extend staff empowerment, continuous improvement, and other principles of TQM. What Impact Does BFRL's Involvement in the National Research Council's Building Research Board and the National Institute of Building Sciences Have on BFRL Programs?
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From page 202... ...
Two recent examples are coatings in the automotive industry and the fire safety of aircraft. Funding from these industries and their constituencies is being sought, with the recognition that care must be taken to ensure that such efforts do not diminish BFRL's service to its primary customers and constituents.
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From page 203... ...
The current BFRL formulation of strategy is an excellent high-level overview; however, more detail is needed to make it an operational strategic plan. Recommendations on strategies and tactics made by the Ad Hoc Industry Task Group convened by BFRL in spring 1993 need to be implemented.
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From page 204... ...
improved contacts with critical industrial organizations, increased CRADAs, and ATP and other external alliances, and a more proactive role in establishing performance codes and standards; (3) balanced support of industrial competitiveness and public safety; and (4)
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From page 205... ...
It is in the competitive interest of the nation to move from prescriptive building and fire codes to performance-based codes as soon as the equivalent levels of effectiveness and public safety can be demonstrated. Local officials and design professionals will not accept performance codes without full-scale demonstration of the models behind them and of their effectiveness.
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From page 206... ...
A possible focus for an economic study is the Prediction of Service Life of Coatings Program. Program Management Finding.
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From page 207... ...
. Findings and Recommendations for Individual BFRL Programs The panel's recommendations for specific BFRL programs are given in this section, organized according to critical thrusts.
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From page 208... ...
Several other countries are currently ahead of the United States in transferring from prescriptive building and fire codes to performance-related codes, although much of the technology and the basis for computer modeling for performance codes used by other countries were developed at BFRL. Recommendation.
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From page 209... ...
Research on lightly reinforced concrete frames is based on data compiled from tests made elsewhere. Recommendation.
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From page 210... ...
Green Buildings Finding. In the Design Assistance Program pioneered by some state governments (e.g., Minnesota)
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From page 211... ...
Recommendation. Professional societies such as the American Institute of Architects should be asked to participate in the green buildings initiative in order to provide their experience with the practical aspects of building materials, and perhaps their endorsement of the initiative's recommendations.
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From page 212... ...
Finding. The BFRL ventilation work is important in building energy and "sick building" research and is being pursued with world-class technical ability.
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