Modelling radiation and moisture content in fire spread.

A numerical method is developed for fire spread simulation modelling. The model is a two-dimensional one which takes into account moisture content and radiation. We consider the combustion of a porous solid, where a simplified energy conservation equation is applied. The effect of the vegetation moisture and endothermic pyrolysis is incorporated in the model by means of a multivalued function representing the enthalpy. Some of the three-dimensional effects are incorporated in the model, i.e. heat losses in the vertical direction and non-local radiation from the flame above the vegetal layer. Also the radiation model allows to cope with wind and slope effects. The approximate solution is obtained using a finite element method. A semi-implicit Euler algorithm in time is applied. The resolution of the multivalued operator is done using the Yosida approximation of a perturbed multivalued operator. The characteristic method combined with a discrete ordinate method is used to solve the radiation equation. Finally, several representative examples are solved and compared with experimental data. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]