Fire Growth Rates in Tunnels

An overview of fire growth rates (FGRs) for different vehicles travelling through tunnels is presented. The emphasis is on understanding the governing physics of fire growth rates. This includes ignition sources, geometry and type of the fuel and the effects of the longitudinal ventilation flow. The FGR-related parameters are decisive for tunnel fire safety. It dictates how fast the fire in different materials develops and influences the situation inside a tunnel in very different ways. The chapter gives a good understanding of the main mechanism behind the FGR of different types of vehicles and different solid materials. The effects of windbreaks on the FGR are explored.