Performance-Based Fire Safety Assessment and Optimization of a Mixed-Use High-Rise Building Using NBC 2016, Hydraulic Adequacy, and Evacuation Time Analysis

Year : 2026 | Volume : 13 | Issue : 02 | Page : 1 9
By

Pravin Tathod,

Vishesh Singh Raghav,

Ashish Deshmukh,

Rudraksh Yadav,

Karan Gound,

  1. , Assistant Professor, Department of Fire Technology and Safety Engineering, Institute of Engineering and Science, IPS Academy, Indore, Madhya Pradesh, India, ,
  2. , B.Tech.UG Student, Department of Fire Technology and Safety Engineering, Institute of Engineering and Science, IPS Academy, Indore, Madhya Pradesh, India, ,
  3. , B.Tech.UG Student, Department of Fire Technology and Safety Engineering, Institute of Engineering and Science, IPS Academy, Indore, Madhya Pradesh, India, ,
  4. , B.Tech.UG Student, Department of Fire Technology and Safety Engineering, Institute of Engineering and Science, IPS Academy, Indore, Madhya Pradesh, India, ,
  5. , B.Tech.UG Student, Department of Fire Technology and Safety Engineering, Institute of Engineering and Science, IPS Academy, Indore, Madhya Pradesh, India, ,

Abstract

This paper presents a performance-based fire safety assessment of a simulated 92 m mixed-use high-rise building containing parking, commercial, office, and residential occupancies. Rather than relying only on prescriptive compliance, the study evaluates whether the installed fire protection strategy can maintain tenable conditions and deliver adequate suppression performance during a credible design fire. Using the base data supplied for the Metro Central Tower case, the work determines fire load density, selects a retail floor design fire, checks flashover development, verifies hydrant and sprinkler pressure availability at the most remote level, and compares Available Safe Egress Time (ASET) against Required Safe Egress Time (RSET). A staircase flow model is then used to examine full-building evacuation performance under peak population, and a weighted Fire Safety Index (FSI) is applied to compare pre- and post-optimization system performance. The base case indicates that the building may satisfy installation intent but still fails key performance objectives at upper levels: the top-floor hydraulic condition is deficient, the ASET-RSET margin is critically small on shopping floors, and total evacuation time exceeds the tenable window. The optimized case, incorporating pressure zoning, a high-head fire pump, improved alarm/voice communication, smoke exhaust, and additional exit capacity, significantly improves suppression reliability and life safety margin. The manuscript contributes an integrated, code-linked framework for industrial safety engineering practice by combining Indian code context, hydraulic screening, tenability analysis, and evacuation assessment in a single mixed-use high-rise case study.

Keywords: Fire safety engineering, mixed-use high-rise building, NBC 2016, hydraulic adequacy, ASET, RSET, evacuation modelling, Fire Safety Index

[This article belongs to Journal of Industrial Safety Engineering ]

How to cite this article: Pravin Tathod, Vishesh Singh Raghav, Ashish Deshmukh, Rudraksh Yadav, Karan Gound. Performance-Based Fire Safety Assessment and Optimization of a Mixed-Use High-Rise Building Using NBC 2016, Hydraulic Adequacy, and Evacuation Time Analysis. Journal of Industrial Safety Engineering. 2026; 13(02):1-9.
How to cite this URL: Pravin Tathod, Vishesh Singh Raghav, Ashish Deshmukh, Rudraksh Yadav, Karan Gound. Performance-Based Fire Safety Assessment and Optimization of a Mixed-Use High-Rise Building Using NBC 2016, Hydraulic Adequacy, and Evacuation Time Analysis. Journal of Industrial Safety Engineering. 2026; 13(02):1-9. Available from: https://journals.stmjournals.com/joise/article=2026/view=257671

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Regular Issue Subscription Original Research
Volume 13
Issue 02
Received 23/03/2026
Accepted 15/06/2026
Published 17/06/2026
Publication Time 86 Days

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