Course coordinator
Dr Anwar Orabi
Course overview
- Study period
- Semester 2, 2024 (22/07/2024 - 16/11/2024)
- Study level
- Postgraduate Coursework
- Location
- External
- Attendance mode
- Online
- Units
- 2
- Administrative campus
- St Lucia
- Coordinating unit
- Civil Engineering School
This course aims to build on the skills and knowledge on the principles of fire dynamics that were introduced in FIRE3700. Detail will be developed in the following areas: fire growth, combustion chemistry, smoke behaviour, compartment fires and heat transfer.
Further detail will be developed in the following areas: conservation equations, combustion chemistry, material thermal degradation, fire growth phenomena (ignition, flame spread, burning dynamics, calorimetry), and compartment fires. This course provides a deeper understanding of the body of knowledge that is required for fire safety engineering. All the way through the course, tutorial-based learning is complemented by computer laboratory practicals on basic fire dynamics modelling tools such as computational fluid dynamics and zone models to reinforce the learning outcomes.
Students will be expected to read and analyse technical literature. Classroom discussions will provide an important supplement to course material and literature and students will be expected to use this knowledge in the analysis of course-related problems.
Course requirements
Prerequisites
You'll need to complete the following courses before enrolling in this one:
FIRE3700 or FIRE7600 or ENGG3700
Course contact
Course staff
Lecturer
Dr Anwar Orabi
Timetable
The timetable for this course is available on the UQ Public Timetable.
Aims and outcomes
Fire dynamics consists of the study of how chemistry, fire science, material science, fluid mechanics and heat transfer interact to influence the development of fire. This course builds on the fundamentals of fire dynamics that were introduced in FIRE3700, and is an essential course for anyone considering a career in Fire Safety. Further detail will be developed in the following areas: conservation equations, combustion chemistry, material thermal degradation, fire growth phenomena (ignition, flame spread, burning dynamics, calorimetry), compartment fires and fire suppression. This course provides a deeper understanding of the body of knowledge that is required for fire safety engineering. All the way through the course, tutorial-based learning is complemented by computer laboratory practicals on basic fire dynamics modelling tools such as computational fluid dynamics and zone models to reinforce the learning outcomes.
The course also builds on the frameworks covered in FIRE4610/7610 to allow students to identify when it may be appropriate to analyse the fire dynamics of a proposed solution more carefully.
Learning outcomes
After successfully completing this course you should be able to:
LO1.
Examine the fundamental physical, chemical, and thermal mechanisms behind ignition, fire growth, and extinction.
LO2.
Apply the fundamental mathematical models for flammability, fire spread, and extinction to solve practical problems in fire dynamics.
LO3.
Build numerical models for the simulation of fire and its consequences and assess their limitations.
LO4.
Explain the background and limitations of empirical models and the underlying experimental data.
LO5.
Analyse a complex fire dynamics problem using the empirical, mathematical, and numerical tools from the course while working as part of a team.
Assessment
Assessment summary
| Category | Assessment task | Weight | Due date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tutorial/ Problem Set | Problem Sets | 40% |
Assignment 1 23/08/2024 4:00 pm Assignment 2 27/09/2024 4:00 pm |
| Project, Tutorial/ Problem Set |
Assignment #3 (group)
|
20% |
4/11/2024 4:00 pm |
| Reflection |
Online Peer Assessment
|
25/10/2024 4:00 pm |
|
| Presentation |
Final Interview
|
40% |
4/11/2024 - 15/11/2024
To be scheduled during the exam period. |
A hurdle is an assessment requirement that must be satisfied in order to receive a specific grade for the course. Check the assessment details for more information about hurdle requirements.
Assessment details
Problem Sets
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Tutorial/ Problem Set
- Weight
- 40%
- Due date
Assignment 1 23/08/2024 4:00 pm
Assignment 2 27/09/2024 4:00 pm
Task description
Assignment #1 is a problem set on the material taught in the first weeks of the course (20%)
Assignment #2 is a problem set on the material taught in the intermediate weeks of the course (20%)
This assessment task evaluates students' abilities, skills and knowledge without the aid of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) or Machine Translation (MT). Students are advised that the use of AI or MT technologies to develop responses is strictly prohibited and may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
Submission guidelines
Assignments will be submitted electronically via Turnitin.
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
The maximum extension allowed is 28 days. Extensions are given in multiples of 24 hours.
Late submission
A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.
Assignment #3 (group)
- Team or group-based
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Project, Tutorial/ Problem Set
- Weight
- 20%
- Due date
4/11/2024 4:00 pm
Task description
Assignment #3 consists of a problem set covering the material from the later weeks of the course.
The assignment will be taken in groups of two students, and contains a significant amount of numerical simulation work and a final written report.
This assessment task evaluates students' abilities, skills and knowledge without the aid of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) or Machine Translation (MT). Students are advised that the use of AI or MT technologies to develop responses is strictly prohibited and may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
Submission guidelines
Assignments will be submitted electronically via Turnitin.
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
The maximum extension allowed is 28 days. Extensions are given in multiples of 24 hours.
Late submission
A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.
Online Peer Assessment
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Reflection
- Due date
25/10/2024 4:00 pm
- Other conditions
- Peer assessment factor.
- Learning outcomes
- L05
Task description
Assignment #3 will be moderated by a peer assessment factor (PAF) to determine an individual team member's mark.
You will be asked to assess your peers again and this mark will be used to scale each individual's team marks for that specific deliverable.
PAFs are capped at 1.2 which means that you can potentially receive an additional 10% of the team marks but that no student will be overly rewarded for effort in place of marks for the other FIRE7620 learning objectives. PAFs of 1.2 or less will be directly applied to the team component of the report marks (e.g. if you receive a PAF of 0.8, you will get 80% of the team mark component).
This assessment task evaluates students' abilities, skills and knowledge without the aid of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) or Machine Translation (MT). Students are advised that the use of AI or MT technologies to develop responses is strictly prohibited and may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
Submission guidelines
Assessment must be submitted through the course BlackBoard site.
Deferral or extension
You cannot defer or apply for an extension for this assessment.
Final Interview
- Hurdle
- Identity Verified
- In-person
- Mode
- Oral
- Category
- Presentation
- Weight
- 40%
- Due date
4/11/2024 - 15/11/2024
To be scheduled during the exam period.
Task description
This interview is an identity-verified assessment that will be conducted virtually and will be used to assess student understanding and retention of the course material. It will also assess the capacity of the student to understand and apply the acquired knowledge to a change in design brief or underlying design parameters. The interview duration is 15 to 20 minutes and will be conducted individually for each student by one of the course academic staff members.
The interview will cover all of the course content and will be recorded.
Students are allowed to have prepared notes, but are not allowed to use online search or any form of AI. The students will need to have a working camera and microphone, and must adhere to the setup guidelines instructed by the course academic on Learn prior to the interview. These may include, for example, having hands and upper body in the camera frame, sharing their computer screen, and disclosing the type and content of the notes that are being used during the interview.
Note that this interview is a "hurdle". Failure in this assessment results in failure of the entire course regardless of prior performance.
This assessment task evaluates students' abilities, skills and knowledge without the aid of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) or Machine Translation (MT). Students are advised that the use of AI or MT technologies to develop responses is strictly prohibited and may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
Hurdle requirements
This course requires the student to obtain at least 40% on the final interview in order to pass the course.Submission guidelines
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
The maximum extension allowed is 28 days. Extensions are given in multiples of 24 hours.
Late submission
You will receive a mark of 0 if this assessment is submitted late.
Course grading
Full criteria for each grade is available in the Assessment Procedure.
| Grade | Cut off Percent | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 (Low Fail) | 0 - 19.99 |
Absence of evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: A weighted mark greater or equal to 0% is required for a Grade of 1. |
| 2 (Fail) | 20 - 44.99 |
Minimal evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: As for the grade of 2, the student fails to complete the assessment for the course. |
| 3 (Marginal Fail) | 45 - 49.99 |
Demonstrated evidence of developing achievement of course learning outcomes Course grade description: The student fails to demonstrate sufficient knowledge or understanding of the underlying concepts. Much of the information provided is inaccurate and irrelevant. |
| 4 (Pass) | 50 - 64.99 |
Demonstrated evidence of functional achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: Some knowledge of the subject is evident but the student demonstrates a limited understanding of the underlying concepts. A substantial part of the information provided is inaccurate or irrelevant. |
| 5 (Credit) | 65 - 74.99 |
Demonstrated evidence of proficient achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: The student demonstrates sound knowledge and at least a partial understanding of the underlying concepts. Has some correct and some incorrect information. |
| 6 (Distinction) | 75 - 84.99 |
Demonstrated evidence of advanced achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: Key concepts are understood. There is a demonstrated ability to solve previously unseen problems. There are only minor factual inaccuracies and there is little irrelevant information. |
| 7 (High Distinction) | 85 - 100 |
Demonstrated evidence of exceptional achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: Key concepts are understood and can be used to solve previously unseen problems.There is evidence of critical analysis and an ability to synthesize information from different aspects of the subject. There are insignificant factual inaccuracies and there is very limited irrelevant information. |
Supplementary assessment
Supplementary assessment is available for this course.
Learning resources
You'll need the following resources to successfully complete the course. We've indicated below if you need a personal copy of the reading materials or your own item.
Library resources
Find the required and recommended resources for this course on the UQ Library website.
Additional learning resources information
Lectures
- Prepared course notes are not available
- Copies of selected slides from the lecture presentations are available to assist students preparing their own course notes during lectures. These will be made available for download via the course BlackBoard website
Learning activities
The learning activities for this course are outlined below. Learn more about the learning outcomes that apply to this course.
Filter activity type by
Please select
| Learning period | Activity type | Topic |
|---|---|---|
Multiple weeks From Week 1 To Week 13 |
Lecture |
Lectures |
Tutorial |
Tutorial sessions to support assignment |
Policies and procedures
University policies and procedures apply to all aspects of student life. As a UQ student, you must comply with University-wide and program-specific requirements, including the:
- Student Code of Conduct Policy
- Student Integrity and Misconduct Policy and Procedure
- Assessment Procedure
- Examinations Procedure
- Reasonable Adjustments - Students Policy and Procedure
Learn more about UQ policies on my.UQ and the Policy and Procedure Library.
School guidelines
Your school has additional guidelines you'll need to follow for this course: