High Density Vehicle Storage

[jimnogood]

Has anyone designed a sprinkler system for a parking garage with high denisty vehicle storage, aka car stackers? My feeling is that unlike an Ordinary Hazard occupancy of a typical garage, car stackers would need to be protected in accordance to the Storage and Commodities chapters of NFPA 13. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thx.

 

[LCREP]

Not covered by NFPA or FM, contact a fire protection engineer for the design of the system. You are dealing with something out of the ordinary and need professional help.

 

[TravisMack]

There is some performance criteria reports that I have seen going around the web for these. Apparently, these are common in Europe. If you are an AFSA member, you can search through the email server and there is a lot of discussion about these things and how they are handled in Europe.

However, as LCREP stated, you will need a FPE to pour over this one with you.

Travis Mack
MFP Design, LLC

http://www.mfpdesign.com

https://www.facebook.com/pages/MFP-Design-LLC/92218417692

 

[cdafd]

One agency's thoughts

http://www.dfes.wa.gov.au/regulatio.../GL-14_Fire_Safety_in_Car_Stacker_Systems.pdf

 

[cdafd]

http://www.branz.co.nz/cms_show_download.php?id=89adae773f3273d5a7a087cb86fd5c4003eb5db2

 

[Sdpaddler50]

This an interesting one. when I was on my own, I was approached by a developer of these to write an overall FPE spec. After some preliminary research, I declined the project because I could not find enough supporting data, testing etc to support it.

But, it is an interesting project and with some more digging you may find more. The link cda posted is a good start.

I remember many years ago a building steel supply company did some fire testing of fueled parked cars, and the fire spread was limited. IE, the fire did not jump from car to car, which is likely another reason the nfpa density is fairly light.

 

[Sdpaddler50]

I believe the aforementioned fire test was by AISI, and done in the 80's.

 

[stookeyfpe]

See page 46 of the attached report which summarizes a fire test of an open steel parking garage. This may be the article you're remembering Sdpaddler.

http://www.cisc-icca.ca/getmedia/1f4127b4-9ffa-4cbe-9dcb-1dc47f41a59d/FireFacts.aspx

 

[jimnogood]

Thank you all for your input. I have also found studies done on car stackers, including this one for BAFSA...

http://www.bre.co.uk/page.jsp?id=2149

And some guidelines from others who have designed sprinklers in car stackers...

https://www.linkedin.com/groups/carstacker-what-is-most-suitable-76233.S.83315706

The short of it is, since this still relatively new territory and it is not yet addressed by NFPA, I agree that a registered fire protection engineer is needed to evaluate and determine the appropriate sprinkler coverage. Thanks again.