Effects of interior doors on the audibility of fire alarms

Authors

  • Ágota Zsuzsanna Mohai Institute of Safety Science and Cybersecurity, Donát Bánki Faculty of Mechanical and Safety Engineering, Óbuda University, Népszínház Street 8., 1081 Budapest, Hungary https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6762-5625
  • Barbara Elek Institute of Safety Science and Cybersecurity, Donát Bánki Faculty of Mechanical and Safety Engineering, Óbuda University, Népszínház Street 8., 1081 Budapest, Hungary https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7515-6374

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.14513/actatechjaur.00738

Keywords:

fire alarm, evacuation, fire sounder, soundproof, sound pressure, alarm audibility

Abstract

One of the most important purposes of installing fire alarm systems is to provide an alarm signal in the protected building in the event of a fire. Fire alarms are most often provided by networked audible warning devices. The signal must be easily and quickly detectable and identifiable so that the occupants inside can start to escape after the alarm has been sounded. This is apparently a simple expectation, but if you look at the efficiency of fire alarms as a whole, and the effects that determine whether an evacuation will occur in response to an alarm during an actual fire, the question is not so simple anymore. In this article, we will examine the circumstances that may affect the alarm signal. Among these aspects, we will focus on the soundproofing properties of building structures, including interior doors, and their effect on sound propagation. By carrying out on-site measurements, we verify the design principles used in engineering practice, looking for the factors that may influence efficiency of the fire alarms in today’s construction environment. We hypothesise that the increase in sound insulation of certain building materials and structures has an increasingly negative effect on the audibility of fire alarm signals.

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Published

2024-04-29

How to Cite

Mohai, Ágota Z., & Elek, B. (2024). Effects of interior doors on the audibility of fire alarms. Acta Technica Jaurinensis, 17(2), 84–90. https://doi.org/10.14513/actatechjaur.00738

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Section

Research articles