Ensuring safety against fires in overcrowded urban areas
In recent years, there have been numerous disasters on a scale and of a variety never experienced before, including the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center in New York City and the subway arson fire in Daegu, Korea.
We are conducting research on predicting the development of fire, spread of smoke and the concentration of toxic gas in underground facilities on fire in an attempt to strongly support firefighting, rescue and evacuation efforts. Research is also being carried out on protective clothing for firefighters that utilizes nanotechnology to improve the safety of fire fighters and their ability to perform firefighting activities.
In addition, effort is being put into elucidating the phenomena of fire whirls, which can occur during widespread urban fire such as the Great Hanshin Earthquake disaster.