Measurements, emission characteristics, and control methods of fire effluents generated from tunnel asphalt pavement during fire: a review.

ABSTRACT

Tunnels are widely used in high-grade roads, particularly in mountainous areas; however, tunnel fires often result in severe economic losses and casualties. The fire effluents produced from asphalt pavement have attracted significant research attention. The main objective of this study is to assimilate information on various aspects of bituminous mixture emissions during fires. In this study, the fume emissions of bitumen and bituminous mixtures during combustion are comprehensively reviewed and summarized. First, the test methods for fire effluents produced by bitumen and bituminous mixtures after combustion are summarized. Second, the factors influencing the fume concentration and composition are determined. In addition, different methods to reduce the emission of fire effluents are compared, particularly for the suppression of toxic gas emissions. Then, reasonable suggestions are proposed to reduce the damage caused by hazardous gases to humans and the environment. This review is beneficial for comprehensively understanding the fume emission behaviour and future research on the smoke suppression of highway tunnel asphalt pavements during fires.