Water Industry Process Automation & Control Monthly - April 2024
WINDSOR HOTEL MADRID
1. WINDSOR HOTEL MADRID
Franco Bontempi
Ordinario di Tecnica delle Costruzioni
Facolta’ di Ingegneria Civile e Industriale
Sapienza Universita’ di Roma
franco.bontempi@uniroma1.it
10. Built during 70’s
Offices and commercial use
106 metres high
32 storeys above ground
level
5 storeys underground
Outline of the structure
08/03/2023 Windsor 10
15. Spanish Fire Regulations
Main fire Protection
System
At time of Construction
(1970s Spanish Codes
At time of Fire
(Refurbishment in Process)
Fire compartmentation no Under construction
Fire stopping between
cladding & structure
no Under construction
Fire protection to
steelwork
no
17th floor & above: Not yet
commencement
(18th floor partly completed)
4th - 15th floor: Completed
(except 9 & 15th floors)
Fire protection to
concrete members
no no
Sprinkler system no Under construction
Fire alarm system yes yes
Dry riser system yes yes
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16. Updating works
Works carried out to update the building going
further than regulations in force:
• National regulations (1996)
• Regional regulations from Region of Madrid
(2003).
They consists in:
• Construction of an exterior staircase
• Renovation of electrical wiring
• Protection of metallic structure with fire
resisting material
• Sealing of concealed spaces
• Fire barriers in curtain-walls
• Renovation of smoke detectors
• Installation of new sprinkler system
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30. Outline of the fire
12 February
23:05 smoke alarm on 21st floor
23:05-23:21 Security staff goes to check alarm
and attempts to tackle fire
23:21 Call to fire brigade
23:25 Firemen arrive
23:25-00:00 Quick spreading of flames
00:00 Firemen leave the building
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31. Outline of the fire
13 February
01.00 four storeys were on fire
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32. Outline of the fire
02.00 flames almost all over the building
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33. 33
Outline of the fire
03.30 first collapse 04.00 fire revives
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34. 34
Outline of the fire
Metallic structure strongly
damaged.
Collapse of upper floors
supported by steel columns.
Unforeseenly fire spread
downwards very quickly.
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38. Outline of the fire
07.00 firemen in adjacent buildings
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39. Outline of the fire
14.00 fire is still active
17.00 automatic
hoses cooling the
building and its
surroundings are
closed
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40. The aftermath
Lower section
Bays adjacent to facades in bad
conditions
Next bays parallel to north facade
also badly damaged
Other areas: concrete columns
diversely damaged
Central core slightly damaged
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41. The aftermath
Upper section
Bays adjacent to facades almost
compleatly collapsed
Next bays parallel to north facade
also collapsed
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54. Primary contributor: detection
• Long response time of detectors to
give alarm
• Closed doors in the room where fire
started
• Lack of effective fire fighting
measures for first intervention
(automatic sprinklers, training of
security guards, …)
Secondary contributor:
Internal intervention
• Lack of water pressure for fire
brigade intervention
The fire initiation
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55. Primary Contributor
• Gap between curtain wall and floor
slab never fire stopped
• Smoke & flame pass through
breach of compartment:
➢ no fire doors
➢ no penetration seals
➢ no shaft protection
• Burning droplets allowed to pass
down. Fire started on floor 21, but
spread as far down as floor 2 !!!
Secondary contributor
• Glazed façade had no fire rating
• Windows failed at early stag
The fire spread & path
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56. Curtain wall → Vertical parapets
Mechanism of fire barrier parapet between the floors
Height in Windsor Tower: 1.5 m
The fire spread & path
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57. Curtain wall → Horizontal fire
barrier
➢ Chimney effect for fire spread upwards
➢ Falling pieces for fire spread downwards
The fire spread & path
57
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98. COSE – STRUTTURE - SISTEMI
THINGS – STRUCTURES - SYSTEMS
PERSONE – COMPORTAMENTI
PEOPLE – HUMAN BEHAVIOR
COSA
WHAT
CHI
WHO
ROTTURA – COLLASSO - CRISI
FAILURE – COLLPASE - CRISIS
PERCHE’
WHY
SPIEGAZIONE – CAUSE
REASON - DISCLOSURE
CONOSCENZA
KONWLEDGE
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99. spiegazióne s. f.
[der. di spiegare; cfr. lat. explicationis]
1. L’atto, il fatto e il modo di rendere chiaro ciò che è
oscuro e difficile da comprendere: chiedere la s. di ciò
che non si è riusciti a capire; se non ti è ancora tutto
chiaro, ti darò un’ulteriore s.; la s. di un indovinello, di
una sciarada; un enigma di difficile spiegazione.
2. Ciò che serve a spiegare un fatto, cioè a giustificarlo, a
capirne le ragioni: non so darmi una s. del suo
comportamento; non riesco a trovare una s. alla sua
violenta reazione; la s. da lui fornita non ha convinto
nessuno; la s. di quanto è accaduto non può essere che
questa; per fatti come questi non c’è una s. plausibile.
08/03/2023 Windsor 99
100. Forensic Engineering: definitions
• Forensic Engineering is the application of
engineering methods in determination and
interpretation of causes of damage to, or failure
of, equipment, machines, or structures.
• Forensic Engineering is the application of the
art and science of engineering in matters which
are in, or may possibly relate to, the
jurisprudence system, inclusive of alternative
dispute resolution.
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