PARAMETRIC APPROACHES FOR AUTOMATED FIRE CODE COMPLIANCE CHECKING IN SINGAPORE

Abstract

Code Compliance in architectural design continues to become onerous. To ensure building safety and performance, numerous sets of regulations were published by different authorities to control building design. In Singapore, the checking of building designs against code compliance is done manually by architects and consultants. This process requires extensive work and time, and is prone to human error. This dissertation aims to explore the possibility of automated code checking for the Singapore Fire Code by using parametric modelling. It begins with a review of existing research on automated code checking tools. Subsequently, by studying the Fire Code and conducting interviews with architects and consultants from different architectural firms in Singapore, this dissertation finds out a few rules in the Fire Code which are more difficult and time-consuming when checking. Three of the rules will be evaluated and compared based on their potential and limitations. Unprotected opening is selected in the end, and a parametric compliance checking model is developed for this rule using Sidefx Houdini application. To demonstrate and evaluate the automated checking method for unprotected opening, several building examples are created and checked with both the manual method and the automated method. The efficiency and accuracy of the automated checking model is then evaluated based on the experiment results. By comparing to the manual method, the advantages and limitations of the proposed automated method are evaluated. From the results, it is shown that the automated checking method improves the working efficiency significantly with faster code checking process, more accurate results, and greater flexibility. By using parametric modelling tool to build parametric compliance checking model, the checking models are open to inspection and adaptation, and can be developed and adapted by non-programmers.