Overview of the platform for experimentation and awareness-raising on fire risks at wildland urban interfaces (EXPLORII platform)

Abstract

The aim of this article is to present a new experimental platform built by the University of Corsica in order to study the vulnerability of buildings to fires occurring at wildland urban interfaces. The platform is made up of a slope 10 m long by 6 m wide with an inclination of 20° and a flat surface located at its top hosting an instrumented single-storey house. The platform is equipped with different kinds of sensors: meteorological station, anemometers, load cell, heat flux gauges, thermocouples, cameras and smoke chemicals analysers. They allow obtaining experimental data on the burning of fuels and on the impact of fire on the buildings. Having a full-scale platform for studying fires at the wildland-urban interface (WUI) is important, particularly in terms of minimizing damage. By recreating realistic conditions and complex interactions between wildland fires, ornamental vegetation and residential areas, researchers can analyse and understand the mechanisms of fire spread in these vulnerable environments. In addition, a platform such as this enables testing and assessment of prevention and protection measures, such as fire-resistant building materials. Two experiments have been carried out to commission the platform with Douglas fir trees and test the experimental device. They have highlighted the protective effect of shutters, but also the role of double glazing as a thermal screen. The analysis of these first results has enabled improvements to be proposed to the experimental facility in order to better quantify the aerology and the heat fluxes impacting the building.