• Fire Science and Engineering
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• v.31 no.5
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• pp.7-11
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• 2017

The purpose of this study is to recognize the necessity for the management of the available materials in cases of arsons and to prevent arson gaining an understanding of the combustion characteristics of the flammable materials and combustion accelerants in arson cases. We investigated and analyzed the statistical data on arsons and selected flammable materials (wood, paper, synthetic textiles, synthetic resins), and combustion accelerants (gasoline, diesel, solvent) that are frequently used in cases of arson. We conducted a thermogravimetric analysis to assess the thermal properties of the flammable materials. Also, we conducted burning and flame spread rate tests for the purpose of comparing and analyzing the combustion characteristics of the flammable materials and combustion accelerants.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.34 no.5
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• pp.231-239
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• 2021

Detection of fire accelerants from fire residues is critical to determine whether the case was arson or accidental fire. However, to develop a standardized model for determining the presence or absence of fire accelerants was not easy because of high temperature which cause disappearance or combustion of components of fire accelerants. In this study, logistic regression, random forest, and support vector machine models were trained and evaluated from a total of 728 GC-MS analysis data obtained from actual fire residues. Mean classification accuracies of the three models were 63 %, 81 %, and 84 %, respectively, and in particular, mean AU-PR values of the three models were evaluated as 0.68, 0.86, and 0.86, respectively, showing fine performances of random forest and support vector machine models.

• Fire Science and Engineering
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.40-48
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• 2012

Fire patterns have been used to determine the origin and cause of fires in every setting imaginable. However, it is very difficult to identify fire patterns and causes from the fire-damaged remains of a devastated structure. If someone was killed by the fire, it is possible to identify fire patterns by analyzing the Hb-CO concentration in charred bodies of deceased as well as the pace of the fire. For example, a low level of Hb-CO concentration in the charred bodies indicate a rapid fire with accelerants and the death was caused by severe heat and thick toxic fumes. However, a high level of Hb-CO concentration in the charred bodies demonstrates that the fire was slow and/or there was a flameless form of combustion. Thus, it is possible to identify fire patterns through analyzing the level of Hb-CO concentration on the dead from the fire. In this study, the Hb-CO concentration in the charred bodies was from 3 % at the case of gas burning oneself to death to 93 % at the death caused by smoldering fire.

• Proceedings of the Korea Institute of Fire Science and Engineering Conference
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• 2011.11a
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• pp.373-377
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• 2011

Fire patterns have been used to determine the origin and cause of fires in every setting imaginable. However, it is very difficult to identify fire patterns from the fire-damaged remains of a devastated structure. If someone was killed by the fire, it is possible to identify fire patterns by analyzing the concentration of carbon monoxide-hemoglobin in the body of deceased as well as the pace of the fire. For example, a low level of carbon monoxide-hemoglobin in the body of the dead indicates a rapid fire with accelerants and the death was caused by severe heat and thick toxic fumes. However, a high level of carbon monoxide-hemoglobin in the body of the dead demonstrates that the fire was slow and/or there was a flameless form of combustion. Thus, this study identifies fire patterns through analyzing the level of carbon monoxide-hemoglobin concentration on the dead from the fire.

• Fire Science and Engineering
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.64-72
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• 2014

Flammable liquids residues in fire debris and pyrolysis products of flammable materials were analyzed by using Gas detecting tube, Gas Chromatograph/Mass Spectrometers (GC/MS), and Pyrolyzer. Comparison studies between chemical components detected in debris fired with and without Flammable liquids were performed. Though Flammable liquids were not present in debris, Gas detecting tube colors were also changed. Chemical components produced from conventional combustions were different from those produced from pyrolysis. Due to the difference of the reaction conditions between combustions and pyrolysis, different chemical products were produced. Petrochemical products of PVC wood-linoleum block could produce ignitable chemicals, such as toluene, ethylbenzene, undecane, and dodecane. So, for better fire investigation more consideration of those chemicals will be porformed.