In Taiwan, the fire code is prescriptive in nature and is inappropriate to be utilized in buildings with large spaces and atria, where performance-based fire safety design method is applied. It is the goal of this dissertation to develop a design guide for this application. Through literature survey and theoretical analysis, the important parameters were induced, including: plume transport time lag, ceiling jet transport time lag, smoke entrainment rate, mechanical and natural ventilation rate. To predict smoke behavior and descending rate accurately, algebraic equations and field model were both used to calculate and compare with experimental result so that its applicability can be evaluated. Furthermore, a full-scale experiment has been conducted in the USTC campus to validate that the field model can predict the smoke behavior and descending rate accurately. Finally, the calculation models developed in this study were compiled into a guideline for fire engineering performance-based designs. Design examples were also demonstrated to explain its procedure in engineering application.

Many large space buildings have been built in Taiwan during the past decade and people are very concerned about the fire safety inside the large space. Therefore, a performance-based smoke management system with makeup air system has been exercised. For steady flow, the mass flow of air or smoke exhaust from the top of an atrium equals the mass flow of air entering below the smoke layer. This airflow entering the atrium is referred to as makeup air, and the makeup air can be either supplied naturally or by fan power. In this research, various full-scale hot smoke tests for makeup air systems will be performed to evaluate the temperature distribution of smoke layer and the smoke descending rate at ABRI large space fire lab in Tainan. The experimental results obtained will be utilized as an important reference to establish the code of smoke management system with makeup air system in Taiwan.