Special Issue on State-of-the-Art Fire Research in China and 30th Anniversary of SKLFS

In May 1987, a severe forest fire in the Greater Khingan Mountains of Heilongjiang Province burnt over 17,000 km² and caused over 200 deaths, shocking the entire nation of China. This wildfire incident emphasized the pressing need to enhance fire safety measures and sparked discussions about establishing a national fire research center in China, given the growing concerns regarding fire safety and the imperative for advanced research in this field. With the strong advocacy of Prof. Weicheng Fan from the University of Science and Technology of China (USTC), the foundation for establishing a prestigious “State Key Laboratory of Fire Science (SKLFS)” was laid. Following meticulous planning and careful consideration, the construction of the laboratory received official approval and was established in 1989 at USTC, Hefei, marking a significant milestone in its establishment. The groundbreaking ceremony was held in the subsequent year of 1990 when Premier Peng Li inscribed the laboratory’s name.

Over the next decade (1991–2000), SKLFS made a firm commitment to enhancing its infrastructure and research equipment as well as strengthening its disciplinary framework. Professor Weicheng Fan placed great emphasis on international collaboration, as evidenced by his partnership with Prof. Toshisuke Hirano and Prof. Victor K. Bulgakov in the establishment of the Asia-Oceania Association for Fire Safety Science and Technology (AOAFST) in 1991. The laboratory’s progress was propelled by the support and recognition it garnered from influential institutions. For example, it was praised by the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) in 1992 for “Building while Opening up.” This endorsement validated the significance and potential impact of the program in advancing fire science research in China. In 1995, following years of diligent effort and meticulous preparation, SKLFS successfully underwent a rigorous national review. This thorough evaluation process affirmed the laboratory’s readiness and capability to conduct cutting-edge research in fire science. In 1996, the laboratory was chosen as part of the highly esteemed Project 211 under the Ninth Five-Year Plan. This selection elevated the laboratory’s status and provided additional resources and support to expedite its development. A momentous occasion occurred in 1997 when a fully equipped large-scale space fire experimental hall was inaugurated through collaboration with the Hong Kong Polytechnic University. Premier Peng Li provided an inscription for this collaborative project. The same year, SKLFS received the Second Prize of the National Teaching Achievement Award, which further acknowledges its exceptional contributions and remarkable accomplishments in fire safety education (with Prof. Weicheng Fan as the first recipient). In 1998, SKLFS was authorized to confer a master’s degree in “Safety Technology and Engineering.” This milestone represented a significant advancement in its academic offerings. Subsequently, in 1999, the laboratory was designated the National Knowledge Innovation Project Pilot Project and the “985” Key University Construction Project. In 2000, the laboratory again obtained authorization to grant doctoral degrees in “Safety Technology and Engineering,” further solidifying its position in safety education and research.

Subsequently, in 2001–2007, SKLFS established its presence nationally through its outstanding research outputs. In 2001, the laboratory received prestigious accolades, including the first prize of the National Teaching Achievement Award and the second prize of the National Science and Technology Progress Award (both with Prof. Weicheng Fan as the first recipient). In the same year, the lab director, Prof. Weicheng Fan, was elected as an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, marking a significant milestone. Furthermore, approval for the 973 Project “Fundamentals of Fire Dynamics Evolution and Control” underscored the laboratory’s pivotal role in advancing fire science research. The laboratory achieved notable milestones, such as receiving the National Prize for International Scientific and Technological Cooperation in 2002 (Prof. Toshisuke Hirano). In 2003, the SKLFS received a National Patent Gold Medal (with Prof. Weicheng Fan as the first recipient) and was recognized as an ‘Advanced Collective’ under the State Key Laboratory Program in 2004. The laboratory was awarded the second prize of the National Science and Technology Progress Award in 2006 for its significant contribution to fire risk assessment research, with Prof. Weicheng Fan as the first recipient.

Internationally, the laboratory made significant progress by successfully hosting the 8th International Symposium on Fire Safety Science in 2005 and contributing to the global discourse on fire safety. The election of Academician Weicheng Fan as Vice President of the Forum of International Fire Research Institutions in 2006 further solidified the laboratory’s growing influence on the international stage. Domestically, an important milestone was reached in 2006 with the completion of two major reports by the Basic Research Management Center of the Ministry of Science and Technology. The first report, titled “Report on State Key Laboratories’ Operation Analysis and Development—Achievements” (China Basic Science, Vol. 1, No. 1, 2006), provided a comprehensive overview of State Key Laboratories’ achievements over the past two decades. In this report, SKLFS was recognized for its pioneering research work and transformative impact in the fire science field. Furthermore, in 2007, ‘Safety Science and Engineering’ was designated as a national key discipline, reaffirming SKLFS’s pivotal role in shaping China’s future fire safety.

Throughout the timeline of laboratory development, particularly in the past 15 years (2008–2023, refer to Fig. 1), there has been a continuous enhancement in the laboratory’s performance, with its influence expanding domestically and globally. The laboratory has undertaken numerous significant national projects, garnered multiple national honors and awards, and achieved remarkable progress in discipline construction. In 2008, it was incorporated into the key disciplines of the “Eleventh Five-Year Plan” and the “211 Project,” while also being selected for the third phase of the Ministry of Education’s prestigious “985 Project.” Furthermore, in 2009, the laboratory successfully established a postdoctoral station specializing in mining engineering. In 2010, the laboratory was honored with the first prize of the National Science and Technology Progress Award. In 2011, the laboratory’s “Research on Key Basic Issues of Major Fire Prevention and Control in Urban High-rise Buildings,” which is part of the 973 Project on Fire Safety, received approval for implementation. A doctoral program in “Safety Science and Engineering” was also established. In 2012, following its second-place ranking nationwide in the third round of discipline evaluations, the laboratory officially obtained accreditation for its doctoral program in “Safety Science and Engineering”. In 2014, the laboratory established the esteemed “Large-scale Fire International Joint Research Center” and was granted recognition with a second prize at the National Technical Invention Award. In 2015, another significant achievement was made by establishing the influential “Thermal Safety Technology National Local Joint Engineering Research Center”, leading to another second-prize win at the National Science and Technology Progress Award.

Figure 1

Development history of SKLFS

In 2016, SKLFS received the International Scientific and Technological Cooperation Award of the People’s Republic of China as well as the China Government Friendship Award (Prof. Katharina Kohse-Hoeinghaus). In 2017, the laboratory’s discipline of “Safety Science and Engineering” was designated as a national “Double First-Class” construction discipline, achieving an A+ rating in the fourth round of national discipline evaluations. Moreover, it received the second prize of the National Natural Science Award (with Prof. Yuan Hu as the first recipient). Additionally, Prof. Longhua Hu was elected Vice Chairman of the International Association for Fire Safety Science (IAFSS) the same year.

In 2018, the laboratory was once again awarded the second prize of the National Natural Science Award (with Prof. Fei Qi as the first recipient). In 2020, the laboratory’s “Large-scale Fire Safety Basic Research Innovation Team” was selected as a key innovation team in the Ministry of Science and Technology’s “Innovation Talent Promotion Plan”. In 2021, the laboratory’s “Large-scale Fire Prevention and Control Discipline Innovation Intelligence Base” was chosen for the annual “Higher Education Discipline Innovation Intelligence Plan”. The safety engineering program was recognized as a national first-class undergraduate program construction site in the same year. In 2022, SKLFS received the China Government Friendship Award for the second time (Dr. Koyu Satoh).

In 2023, the current director of SKLFS, Prof. Naian Liu, was elected as the Chairman of both the International Association for Fire Safety Science (IAFSS) and the International FORUM of Fire Research Directors. Additionally, the laboratory achieved an outstanding A+ rating in the fifth round of national discipline evaluations. Furthermore, we are proud to announce that our National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) Innovation Group Project has been approved, validating the exceptional research capabilities of our fire safety engineering team.

Over the past three decades, Prof. Weicheng Fan, the SKLFS founder, has significantly contributed to advancing fire safety science and education in China. Professor Fan graduated from the University of Science and Technology of China (USTC) in 1965 and subsequently joined USTC as a faculty member. In 1987, he was promoted to professorship at USTC. For over 40 years, he has been actively involved in interdisciplinary research on fire safety science and engineering. Prof. Fan has pioneered numerous mathematical and physical models that elucidate the intricate interactions among flow dynamics, heat transfer phenomena, and combustion processes during fires. Additionally, he has developed innovative net modeling techniques for simulating fire smoke behavior. Furthermore, his theoretical models have significantly contributed to understanding special fire phenomena such as flashover, backdrafts, and fire whirls. Prof. Fan has authored a total of seven monographs, 230 research papers, and six authorized invention patents to date. He has made significant contributions to the field of fire safety technology, with his work being widely published in reputable journals such as Combustion and Flame, Combustion Science and Technology, Fire Safety Journal, among others. His innovative technologies have been successfully implemented in numerous large-scale and high-rise buildings across China. Today, many students of Prof. Fan have become the new-generation leaders of fire safety research in China and the world (see Fig. 2).

Figure 2

Prof. Weicheng Fan and his protégé

Additionally, he has been honored with the prestigious China National Award for Science and Technology Progress on three separate occasions. In recent years, Prof. Fan spearheaded the establishment of a comprehensive national emergency system for fires and other disasters in China. Recognizing his exceptional achievements, he was elected as an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering in 2001. Furthermore, in 2011, he received the esteemed First Prize of the China National Award for Science and Technology Progress.

Prof. Fan significantly contributed to advancing fire safety research in the Asia-Oceania regions. In collaboration with Prof. Toshisuke Hirano and Prof. Victor K. Bulgakov, he played a pivotal role in establishing the AOAFST in 1991. Furthermore, Prof. Fan served as the President of AOAFST for 6 years (1995–2000). Over time, AOAFST has rapidly evolved into the most prominent branch of IAFSS. Additionally, Prof. Fan held positions as an executive member of IAFSS and Deputy Chair of the International FORUM of Fire Research Directors, delivering nearly 30 invited/plenary speeches at symposiums within the fire safety community throughout his career. In recognition of his exceptional contributions and pioneering work in fire safety science and public safety technology, Professor Fan was honored with several prestigious awards, including the Lifetime Contribution Award from Asia-Oceania Association for Fire Safety Science and Technology in 2012, as well as being presented with an Honorary Doctorate Degree in Technology from Loughborough University, UK in July 2013. Most recently, he received the SJÖLIN Lifetime Contribution Award from the International FORUM of Fire Research Directors in 2018 (see Fig. 3).

Figure 3

Prof. Weicheng Fan, receiving The SJÖLIN Lifetime Contribution Award of the International FORUM of Fire Research Directors

In light of the pressing national fire safety needs and the evolving frontiers of global fire science, the laboratory remains steadfast in its commitment to advancing the understanding of fire dynamics and evolution while striving for excellence. Currently, the State Key Laboratory of Fire Science (Fig. 4) stands as a preeminent state-level research institution globally dedicated solely to fundamental understanding and research in the field of fire science. Over the years, the laboratory’s exceptional performance has been consistently recognized through four comprehensive assessments as a nationally designated key laboratory. Notably, it has received two outstanding ratings and two good ratings in rigorous evaluations conducted in 2003, 2008, 2013, and 2018, respectively, which attests to our unwavering dedication to scholarly rigor and innovation. Moreover, the laboratory has maintained its position as the leading international fire research institution for over ten consecutive years with regard to SCI paper publications, thus demonstrating its significant academic influence worldwide.

Figure 4

The gate, statue, and main building of SKLFS

The laboratory has undergone reorganization and will soon be renamed the State Key Laboratory of Fire Safety, focusing on addressing significant challenges in fire prevention and control in China. These challenges include urban fire prevention and control, forest and grassland fire prevention and control, fire safety in the energy industry, and safety engineering materials and equipment. The laboratory also aims to establish itself as a world-class discipline of safety science and engineering specializing in fire safety. In the future, it will evolve into a cutting-edge leading international research center for fire safety, encompassing the entire innovation chain of fire safety science and technology.

This special issue of Fire Technology is devoted to state-of-the-art fire research in China and saluting the 30th anniversary of SKLFS. It includes 23 papers with multidisciplinary contributions from different aspects of fire science and technology. In particular, the first 8 articles are invited review papers led by distinguished researchers from different institutes in China. Many authors are from SKLFS or its alumni.

The 1st paper reviews the fire safety engineering practice and recent advances in China, particularly the historical development of fire safety codes and performance-based design approaches over the last 30 years, written by researchers from The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Arup Shanghai, and China People’s Police University. The 2nd paper, led by Nanjing Tech University, reviews the development of higher education in fire safety science and engineering in China, including undergraduate and postgraduate programs, courses and teaching curricula. The 3rd paper, prepared by SKLFS, reviews different fire-extinguishing agents and strategies for controlling, suppressing and extinguishing lithium-ion battery fires. The 4th paper, led by Tongji University, reviews the recent challenges of tunnel fire in China and the new developments in evacuation strategies. The 5th paper reviews the latest developments in the pyrolysis kinetics, experimental methods and numerical modelling for the Flaming Ignition of Solid Combustibles, led by Nanjing Tech University and SKLFS. The 6th paper, led by Tsinghua University, reviews the human thermoregulation and injury evaluation in fire environments. The 7th paper, led by the research institutes of State Grid, reviews the fire safety issues in the power grid and provides new insights on the detection and suppression of electrical fires. The 8th review paper, led by SKLFS, overviews the progress, challenges and prospects in flame-retardant unsaturated polyester resins and provides an excellent guideline for developing new flame-retardant materials.

Among the remaining 15 original research articles, two papers look into the kinetics and flammabilities for insulated panel core material and flame-retardant Nomex, respectively. Three papers investigated the fundamental flame dynamics, from the flame spread behaviours to liquid-fuel flame soaked by inert porous media and the near-extinction dynamics before the transition to smouldering fire. Two papers discussed the latest fire suppression technology for liquid pool fire, namely the bio-resourced, superhydrophobic phytic acid and silicon-based dry water agent, as well as the compressed air/nitrogen foam. Three papers provide new insights into the compartment fire, including the numerical simulations of ventilation characteristics, the risk of the spilled flame for initiating a compartment-facade fire, and the use of mechanical ventilation for reducing fire smoke hazards in a ship engine room. There are four papers on tunnel fire research, indicating the recent massive tunnel construction in China and the associated urgent tunnel fire problems. The focus of these tunnel-fire papers covers the effect of fire source elevation on smoke spread behaviours, the effect of smoke screen on the smoke extraction of the vertical shaft, the effect of tunnel curvature on the ceiling temperature, the plug-holing dynamics with lateral smoke exhaust, and the effect of reduced pressure on smoke layer plug-holing behaviour in tunnel. The last paper is on wildland fire research, revealing the transition from surface fire to crown fire and how the crown height, moisture content and tree flower affect such a critical transition.

In summary, the papers in this special issue give a good picture of the fire research development in China over the last 30 years. These papers also highlight the unique challenges in fire safety along with the fast economic development in China, such as the unique fire engineering education system, electrical fire safety, and fire issues in long and complex tunnels. We hope that the special issue will encourage more international collaboration with the fire safety science and engineering communities in China. All papers include applications in the field and are likely to be of interest to both academics and practitioners.

The Guest Editors express gratitude to all authors, especially the authors of invited review papers, and all reviewers who made this special issue possible. We would also like to take this opportunity to thank Prof. Guillermo Rein, Editor-in-Chief of Fire Technology, for providing us with the opportunity to participate in this special issue.