South India's first Building Fire Research Centre (BFRC) of the National Institute of Engineering (NIE) in Mysore has fabricated an oven to assess fire resistance of building materials. | |
| The oven, said to be the largest in this part of the country, is of 2.5 feet by 1.5 feet. BFRC is also working on minimal damage to structures in case of a fire accident. |
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| BFRC Director N Suresh said that the centre has given a proposal to the Commissioner for Heritage and Archaeology, Government of Karnataka, on assessing the fire load of heritage buildings in Mysore. The heritage city has over 100 old structures of historical and structural significance. |
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| The second such centre after Roorkee set up two years ago, BFRC has taken up a project to calculate the fire load of two buildings in Mysore "� the K R Hospital Surgical Block and the NIE golden jubilee building "� as part of its research and awareness programme in which 25 students and four research scholars are engaged. |
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| "Due to the increase in the activities of software companies, high rise buildings and apartments are mushrooming in and around Mysore, and they are prone to accidental fires. It is necessary to ensure that the structures do not collapse in an accidental fire. More technical knowledge in the advancement of fire protection of structures is, therefore essential for technical people," Suresh said. |
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| With its research outcome, the BFRC can provide advise on fire resistance structures and minimal fire damage to builders and industries depending upon the size of their structures, NIE Principal G Raghavendra Rao said. |
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| BFRC is organising a one-day workshop on "Fire protection of structures" on April 10 covering topics like IS codes provision for residential and industrial structures, testing and rehabilitation of fire affected structures and fire protection systems. |
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| Around 100 structural engineers, values, academicians, scientists, planners, practicing engineers and civil, and construction technology students will participate. |
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