167 - CFD for consequences and fire growth with Jonathan Hodges

In this episode we talk with Jonathan Hodges of the Jensen Hughes on his experience with using advanced modelling in the realm of fire safety engineering. Jonathan sheds light on how the modelling is used at various Jensen Hughes offices around the world, highlighting interesting differences they see across their practice. The core of the talk revolves around using CFD for modeling the consequences of fires, versus using it to assess the fire growth. While the first one is a commonly practiced in offices across the world, the growth part is kind of a challenge. We go into how CFD can help us develop better fire scenarios, and how they can be further improved through an influx of experimental data. In the final part of the talk we are looking ahead, as we explore the transformative potential of AI-driven CFD surrogate modeling and GPU-based solvers, including the possibility conducting real-time CFD simulations without the prohibitive computational costs—this could soon be a reality. As we discuss these innovations, it becomes clear how they could impact fire safety engineering globally, providing deeper insights into fire dynamics and more robust engineering solutions. ----The Fire Science Show is produced by the Fire Science Media in collaboration with OFR Consultants. Thank you to the podcast sponsor for their continuous support towards our mission.