Steel Buildings in Europe

Part 6: Fire Engineering 6 - 44 6.5 Validation/verification of advanced models Since a number of advanced calculation models are available to model fire action as well as the thermal and structural response of buildings, both validation and verification must be performed to ensure that a sensible solution is obtained. Validation is the demonstration of the suitability of the design model or approach for the intended purpose, which includes those for predictions of fire severity, heat transfer and structural response. Verification is the assessment of whether or not the design model has produced valid results. It includes a careful check on the input data, on the consistence between the results obtained from the model and the results anticipated on qualitative analysis, and on the degrees of risk associated with possible errors. Advanced models should be verified against relevant test results and other calculation methods. They should be checked for compliance with normal engineering principles by the use of sensitivity studies. In the context of validation and verification of models and results, the standard ISO 16730 [7] provides a framework for assessment, verification and validation of all types of calculation methods used as tools for fire safety engineering. This international standard does not address specific fire models, but is intended to be applicable to both simple methods and advanced methods. 6.6 Regulatory approval The complexity of obtaining regulatory approval will vary from country to country. However, regulatory bodies may require the designer to present a fire design in a form that may be easily checked by a third party, with each design step clearly documented, including any assumptions and approximations that have been made. A checklist should be produced that covers the overall design approach, the fire model, the heat transfer and the structural response.