An effective and efficient approach for smoke control in underground parking garages

Abstract

Underground parking garages are enclosed spaces not directly exposed to the exterior. A smoke control system is typically required to facilitate occupants’ safe evacuation/relocation and assist in firefighting/rescue. Currently, there is a lack of guidelines for designing such systems in primary codes/standards. Only a limited number of local authorities have developed amendments to address this issue. These amendments either rely on outdated approaches, such as air change method, or simply repurpose carbon monoxide ventilation systems for smoke control without conducting additional engineering analysis and providing justification. The intent of this study is to examine the adopted approaches and explore an effective and efficient approach for garage smoke control. According to the study’s findings, it is discovered that garage floor height significantly impacts the performance of smoke control system. Additionally, structural components (beams) also influence the performance of smoke control system. Moreover, this study derives a linear equation to ascertain available safe egress time (ASET) when utilizing the carbon monoxide ventilation system or typical air change methods. Taking cost into consideration, the study concludes that for effective and cost-efficient smoke control in large underground garages, employing a carbon monoxide ventilation system is preferable to the traditional or equivalent air change method.