The overarching principle is to provide performance based fire engineering assessments to determine the required level of protection based upon the given buildings occupancy, ventilation, loading and boundary conditions. This approach often results in significant added value relative to the application of regulatory guidance as protection strategies are derived based upon specific risks associated with the building in question.
Through a fundamental understanding of heat transfer, structural engineering principles and an in depth understanding of the Eurocodes and associated guidance, LJ Carroll are able to offer assessments of steel, concrete, composite and timber frame buildings.
By applying CFD Modelling, in conjunction with advanced computational heat transfer and structural analysis tools, LJ Carroll are able to evaluate the structural fire performance of complex buildings. Examples include the assessment of whole building interaction concepts such as tensile membrane action, restrained thermal expansion and load redistributions, and their consequence for the robustness of a structure as a whole.
LJ Carroll also provide forensic assessments of fire resistance provisions in existing and historical buildings. As a result we are able to appraise the likely fire resistance achievable by a retained element of structure.
LJ Carroll have developed in house software to calculate limiting temperatures of various steel members, including cellular beams, in accordance with the Eurocodes.