November 2004

BFRL Monthly Highlights

October 2004

November 2004

December 2004

January 2005

April 2005

PAST Highlights

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LADAR Performance Evaluation Facility Initiated

BFRL and MEL are establishing a laser detection and ranging (LADAR) performance evaluation facility at NIST. LADAR applications of interest to the construction industry include project planning, scanning as-built construction for comparison against original plans, surveying, scanning of hazardous containment vessels, and real-time control of robots on the construction site. BFRL has acquired a laser scanner with a range uncertainty of 50 mm (2-s) and is developing research software to manipulate and analyze LADAR data in support of the facility. The 5 m × 5 m × 14 m static scene facility is the first of three (small, medium, outdoor) such planned static scene facilities to be based at NIST. MEL has established an indoor facility for evaluating LADARs for mobility applications, such as detection and identification of moving objects and robot navigation. Future efforts include calibration of laser scanners.

BFRL and MEL are sponsoring an industry-government workshop, to be held at NIST in late February/early March 2005, to solicit advice from the LADAR development and user community regarding artifact and scene field needs for use in the static field indoor facility. These artifacts will be used to develop standard data sets for evaluating both LADAR hardware and software.

Contact:
Alan Lytle
301-975-6048

 

NIST Teams with FIATECH for Results

NIST has been working in collaboration with FIATECH (a non-profit industrial consortium focused on development and deployment of technologies to improve how capital projects and facilities are designed, engineered, built, and maintained) to develop eXtensible Markup Language (XML) schemas for the electronic data exchange of facilities equipment information. The NIST-led project, Automating Equipment Information Exchange (AEX), delivered the AEX XML schemas version 1.0 in July 2004. Companies participating with the AEX project started software implementations, and new companies are joining the project. MEL, BFRL, and FIATECH, with participation from other industry organizations, collaborate in the AEX project.

The XML schemas and documentation are available for anyone to use at no charge from the FIATECH Web site (www.fiatech.org). The XML schemas for facilities equipment, which include project, procurement, and technical information, are designed to be used to support multiparty collaboration work processes for the entire life cycle, including design, procurement, delivery, installation, operations, and maintenance of facility equipment. The NIST AEX testbed supported the development and release of the AEX schemas through extensive review, testing, and recommended improvements to the quality of the schemas prior to their release. As a result of these achievements, the AEX project and FIATECH are receiving some very good press and are succeeding in expanding industry participation and adoption.

Contact:
Mark Palmer (MEL)
or
Katherine Morris (MEL)

 

Advanced FDS Course Sponsored by SFPE

With the assistance of Kevin McGrattan and Glenn Forney of BFRL, the Society for Fire Protection Engineers (SFPE) is adding a course on “Advanced Computer Modeling with Fire Dynamics Simulator (FDS)” to its biannual professional training series. The FDS and the companion visualization tool, Smokeview, are computer models developed by BFRL to assist engineers in the design of fire protection systems and the reconstruction of major fire events. Version 4 of the software was released to the public in August 2004, following its use in the NIST World Trade Center investigation.

Contact:
Anthony Hamins
301-975-6598

 

NIST Holds SIT Workshop for China on Fire Protection for the Built Environment

A NIST Standards in Trade (SIT) workshop on Fire Protection for the Built Environment in China was held at NIST’s Gaithersburg campus from Sept. 20-24, 2004. Chinese participants represented the Fire Department of the Ministry of Public Security, Shanghai Fire Research Institute, Shenyang Fire Research Institute, and Sichuan Fire Research Institute (all under the Ministry of Public
Security); the China Academy of Building Research; and the Standardization Administration of China. The workshop was organized by TS and BFRL, in cooperation with U.S. private-sector interests, including Underwriters Laboratories; ASTM International; International Code Council; Intertek ETL Semko; National Electrical Manufacturers Association; National Fire Protection Association; NOTIFIER; Rolf Jensen and Associates, Inc.; SYSTEM SENSOR; and Tyco. The Department of Commerce’s International Trade Administration and the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) also participated.

The objective of the workshop was to provide a forum for discussion between the United States and China of fire safety, codes, standards development, conformity assessment, and regulation relating to fire safety. Discussions addressed the role and authority of fire protection officials across relevant agencies and organizations, and discussed best practices in developing comprehensive and sound fire protection systems. Topics addressed were broadly categorized as conformity assessment systems, including the role of product testing and certification, development of model codes and implementation at state and local levels, and development of standards, highlighting the role of performance-based design. Differences and similarities between the systems in the United States and China were addressed in all of these areas. The technical discussions were supplemented by site visits to a performing arts center under construction (Strathmore Hall), the Maryland Fire Rescue Institute, BFRL laboratories and the large fire test facility, and the CPSC testing laboratories.

Based on the discussions of the week, it was decided that future steps could include further information from the United States about the role of the American National Standards Institute, accreditation of standards as American national standards, and the U.S. accreditation system. Both sides agreed to study the possibility of exchanging draft standards and the opportunity to comment on these standards. The U.S. participants proposed that the Chinese delegation consider the use of U.S. standards and codes where no Chinese standards exist for either adoption or to be used as a basis for development of Chinese standards. The Chinese side proposed examining, in greater detail, avenues for cooperation and collaboration through exchange programs for scholars and for collaborative research. They also emphasized the need for translation of standards and codes into Chinese and English, and offered to continue the dialog at the International Fire Protection Workshop scheduled to be held in Beijing in 2005.

Contact:
Ajit Jillavenkatesa (TS)
 

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