Project Description:
This project presents a performance-based fire protection design analysis for the University of Maryland Hillel Center for Jewish Life, a two-story assembly building featuring a large two-story opening and security-driven design elements. The analysis evaluates alternative fire protection strategies, including smoke baffles and delayed egress locking doors, to determine whether they provide an equivalent level of life safety compared to prescriptive code requirements. Fire and egress modeling were conducted using FDS and Pathfinder to assess smoke movement, tenability conditions, and occupant evacuation performance under representative design fire scenarios. Performance was evaluated using criteria such as temperature, visibility, and toxic gas exposure, with a focus on ensuring that Available Safe Egress Time (ASET) exceeds Required Safe Egress Time (RSET). Results demonstrate that the proposed design maintains tenable conditions and supports safe occupant evacuation while addressing both architectural and security objectives.
