While fire-related injuries and deaths decreased in the global north over the past few years, they have increased in the global south. With more than one billion people residing in informal ...settlements (sometimes known as slums, ghettos or shantytowns), it is necessary that greater effort be placed on addressing and developing means for improving fire safety in these areas. As a result of advances made in computer technologies, emerging performance-based regulations and an increase in building complexity in the global north, the use of computer models simulating enclosure fires have increased dramatically. In this work an experimental investigation is presented for (a) a full-scale corrugated steel sheeting clad informal dwelling experiment and (b) a full-scale timber clad informal dwelling experiment. The experimental results are then compared to numerical models consisting of both simple two-zone (OZone) and computational fluid dynamic models. Currently, there is negligible literature available on Fire Dynamic Simulator (FDS) modelling of informal settlement dwellings (sometimes known as shacks or shanties) fires. This paper evaluates the plausibility of using FDS v6.7 and zonal models to predict certain fire parameters (i.e. ceiling temperatures, heat fluxes, etc.) for Informal Settlement Dwellings (ISDs) and to study the plausibility of using FDS to estimate the probability of fire spread. In this paper an introduction to ISDs is given with details pertaining to construction materials and considerations needed for numerical modelling of informal dwellings (i.e. thin permeable boundaries or combustible boundaries). Models are based upon (a) a prescribed heat release rate per unit area in FDS using data obtained from a Fire Propagation Apparatus test, and (b) an empirical two-zone model using OZone. The FDS validation guide was used to quantify the model uncertainties in order to give a critical separation distance at which fire spread between dwellings will not occur. It was found that at 3 m spacing between ISDs there is a 6% chance (based on the model uncertainties) that fire spread can occur. This is an important finding that highlights the danger associated with these closely spaced dwellings and the hope is that it can guide local government and Non-Governmental Organizations in future decision making. Three meters spacing between dwellings, however, may not be possible due to the socio-cultural-political-economic issues associated with informal settlements. This is one of the first papers to demonstrate FDS models against full-scale ISD experiments.
Large-scale urban conflagrations in informal settlements are a frequent global event, however there is a lack of experimental research and knowledge within literature on how informal settlements ...fires spread to support local or national intervention strategies. This paper, therefore, presents results and analysis of a full-scale fire spread experiment of a mock 20 dwelling test settlement with a 4 by 5 layout aimed at understanding settlement-scale fire spread behaviour. A “fire line” scenario was created by simultaneously igniting four dwellings in a row, and then allowing the fire to propagate through the settlement to replicate fire disasters involving large numbers of homes. Results highlight the critical hazard posed by the close proximity of neighbouring dwellings (1–2 m), with wind playing a primary role in directing and driving the spread process. Even with a relatively mild wind speed of 15–25 km/h, the fire spread through the entire mock settlement within a mere 5 min. Following ignition of a given dwelling, flashover is reached very quickly, with the temperatures reaching more than 1000°C within 1 min, and downwind neighbour structures igniting less than a minute thereafter. The results suggest that multi-dwelling effects are not dominant in these types of fires, but may become meaningful at a larger scale when branding and topography play a role. Findings show that on a global scale fire behaviour is analogous to a wildfire with a continuous fire front moving through an area, although individual dwellings still do follow the distinct phases of enclosure fires, except that collapse occurs more rapidly than in formal structures. This experiment represents one of the larger urban fire tests conducted to date, and the largest informal settlement fire experiment.
Abstract Introduction To evaluate the applicability of a modified Clavien classification system (CCS) in grading postoperative complications of transurethral resection of bladder tumours (TURB). ...Materials and methods A series of patients undergoing monopolar TURB from April 2011 to March 2012 at five Italian centers were enrolled. All complications occurring within the first 30-day postoperative period were prospectively recorded and graded according to the CCS. Results Overall, 275 patients were included. Median age was 71 (63/78) years; median BMI was 28 (25.4/30.8) Kg/m2 , median tumour size was 2 (1–3) cm; median number of tumour lesions was 1 (1–3). Median operative time was 30 (20/45) min. Fifty-seven complications were recorded in 43 patients. Overall postoperative morbidity rate was 16%. Most of the complications were not serious and classified as Clavien type I (42 cases; 74%) or II (8 cases, 14%). Higher grade complications were scarce: CCS IIIa in 1 case (2%) and CCS IIIb in six cases (10%). No TURB related death was reported. Six patients were re-operated due to significant bleeding or clot retention on postoperative days 2–7. On univariate (73.5 ± 38 versus 36.7 ± 21.6 min) and multivariate analysis longer operative time was an independent predictor of complications (OR: 1.06 per min, 95%CI 1.04–1.08, p = 0.001). Conclusions A modified CCS can be used as a standardized tool to objectively define the complications of TURB which confirms to be a safe procedure with a low surgical morbidity. This tool can be used to aid in patient counselling and to facilitate scientific assessment.
Objectives
Bladder cancer is the fourth more frequent tumour in men. Radical cystectomy is considered the standard treatment for muscle invasive bladder cancer (MIBC). However, its role in elderly ...patients is still debate. Management of MIBC in the elderly population is considered an important issue in urological practice for the continuous ageing of the European population. Aim of our study is to evaluate the feasibility and relatively morbidity and mortality of radical cystectomy in octogenarian patients affected by MIBC.
Methods
From 2005 to 2009, we performed in octogenarian patients (83–92 years), affected by MIBC, 30 radical cystectomy with mono or bilateral extraperitoneal terminal ureterocutaneostomy in regional anaesthesia (spinal anaesthesia). Pre-operative patients’ characteristics were evaluated with the American Society Anaesthesiologists score (ASA); peri- and post-operative complications were also recorded. Patients were revaluated at 3–6–9 months post-operatively with physical examination, serum analysis and ultrasound kidney scan.
Results
Radical cystectomy was always performed, median surgical time was 100 min (range 80–120 min), median blood replacement was 750 ml, and the overall morbidity rate was 13%. One patient died post-operatively. Median hospital stay was 8 days (range 5–12 days). Twenty-nine patients were alive at 9 months of follow-up.
Conclusion
Extraperitoneal radical cystectomy with ureterocutaneostomy could represent a feasible option, associated with a limited mortality and mobility, in the management of MIBC in octogenarian patients.
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