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CourseCivil, Rail & Smart Cities Applications open

Course in Fire Safety in Tunnels

Online course of 300 hours in fire safety in tunnels, structured in 6 modules covering fire dynamics, passive and active protection, evacuation and self-rescue, and risk analysis and emergency management, with an assigned technical tutor.

Duration300 hours · 3 months
ModeOnline
LanguageEnglish
Start datesSet by the faculty
AwardSEIUM Institute certificate
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Learning outcomes

What you will be able to do

01

Analyse fire dynamics in tunnels.

02

Design passive protection measures.

03

Select active protection systems.

04

Plan evacuation and self-rescue.

05

Carry out risk analyses and fire simulations.

06

Draw up self-protection plans.

07

Design the fire safety of a tunnel.

Profile

Who it's for

  • Fire protection engineers.
  • Tunnel safety specialists.
  • Tunnel operations managers.
  • Fire modellers.
  • Emergency coordinators.
  • Risk analysis consultants.
  • Engineering or science graduates seeking to enter the road infrastructure sector.
Standards & tools

What you'll work with

  • Directive 2004/54/EC (EU minimum safety requirements for tunnels in the trans-European road network)
  • Real Decreto 635/2006 (Spanish minimum safety requirements for road tunnels)
  • Regulation (EU) 1303/2014 (TSI on safety in railway tunnels)
  • NFPA 502 (standard for road tunnels, bridges and other limited access highways)
  • EN 1363-1 (fire resistance tests: general requirements)
  • EN 1992-1-2 (Eurocode 2: structural fire design)
  • EN 14972-1 (fixed firefighting systems: water mist systems)
  • FDS
  • Pathfinder
  • PyroSim
  • Ansys Fluent
Syllabus

6 modules

  1. 1.1Major historical tunnel fires
  2. 1.2Mont Blanc, Tauern and Gotthard
  3. 1.3Fire dynamics in confined spaces
  4. 1.4Heat release rate curves
  5. 1.5Combustion products and toxicity
  6. 1.6Smoke behaviour
  7. 1.7Electric vehicles and new risks
  8. 1.8Dangerous goods
  9. 1.9Road tunnels versus railway tunnels
  10. 1.10Case study: analysis of the Mont Blanc tunnel fire
  1. 2.1Fire resistance of linings
  2. 2.2Explosive spalling of concrete
  3. 2.3Polypropylene fibres
  4. 2.4Protective boards and mortars
  5. 2.5RWS and hydrocarbon fire curves
  6. 2.6Fire resistance tests
  7. 2.7Compartmentation and cross-passages
  8. 2.8Materials of tunnel equipment
  9. 2.9Protection of cables and equipment
  10. 2.10Lab: spalling analysis on test specimens
  1. 3.1Automatic fire detection
  2. 3.2Linear heat detection cable
  3. 3.3Video detection
  4. 3.4Water mist fire suppression systems
  5. 3.5Hydrants and fire hose cabinets
  6. 3.6Smoke control
  7. 3.7Emergency lighting
  8. 3.8Evacuation signage
  9. 3.9System reliability
  10. 3.10Practical exercise: design of a detection system
  1. 4.1Human behaviour in fires
  2. 4.2Evacuation times
  3. 4.3Emergency exits and their spacing
  4. 4.4Cross-passages
  5. 4.5Pressurised refuges
  6. 4.6Communication with users
  7. 4.7Accessibility for people with disabilities
  8. 4.8Evacuation in railway tunnels
  9. 4.9Evacuation simulation
  10. 4.10Workshop: evacuation model with Pathfinder
  1. 5.1Quantitative risk analysis
  2. 5.2Design fire scenarios
  3. 5.3CFD fire modelling
  4. 5.4Self-protection plan
  5. 5.5Coordination with emergency services
  6. 5.6Emergency drills
  7. 5.7Control centre
  8. 5.8Safety inspections
  9. 5.9Regulatory requirements
  10. 5.10Case study: emergency plan for a road tunnel
  1. 6.1Description of the tunnel
  2. 6.2Fire scenarios
  3. 6.3Proposed passive protection
  4. 6.4Proposed active protection
  5. 6.5Evacuation strategy
  6. 6.6Scenario simulation
  7. 6.7Emergency plan
  8. 6.8Budget
  9. 6.9Report and presentation
  10. 6.10Final project: final review with your tutor
Methodology, software & labs

How you'll learn

Training is 100% online on the SEIUM campus, with downloadable material, recorded classes and an assigned technical tutor. There are no fixed timetables: you progress at your own pace within each intake, so the programme fits around your job.

Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original standards and applied exercises. The working software is FDS, Pathfinder, PyroSim and Ansys Fluent, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Cases are studied on real procedures such as CFD fire simulation, evacuation modelling and spalling tests on specimens. Assessment is continuous by module, plus the final project.

Standards covered: Directive 2004/54/EC, Real Decreto 635/2006, Regulation (EU) 1303/2014, NFPA 502, EN 1363-1, EN 1992-1-2, EN 14972-1.

Assigned technical tutor:every module ends with a deliverable that your tutor marks individually.
Standards-based learning:guided reading of Directive 2004/54/EC, Real Decreto 635/2006 and Regulation (EU) 1303/2014 applied to real cases, not as a theoretical annex.
Industry software:FDS, Pathfinder, PyroSim and Ansys Fluent, in free, academic or evaluation versions.
Final project:the fire safety design for a tunnel, from fire scenarios and protection measures to evacuation strategy and emergency plan, reviewed by your tutor.
Flexible format:100% online, no fixed timetables, compatible with full-time work.
Capstone project

Build it end to end

Your final project follows the real engineering workflow, step by step, reviewed by your tutor.

Define fire scenarios
Describe the tunnel and set the design fire scenarios.
Specify passive protection
Propose lining protection against spalling and compartmentation measures.
Specify active protection
Design detection, suppression and smoke control systems.
Plan the evacuation
Develop the evacuation strategy and simulate the scenario.
Final project
A complete tunnel fire safety design with emergency plan and budget, reviewed by your tutor.
Career opportunities

Where this takes you

Fire protection engineerTunnel safety specialistTunnel operations managerFire modellerEmergency coordinatorRisk analysis consultant
Admissions & scholarships

Requirements

  • No prior qualification is required.
  • An internet connection and a computer capable of running the programme software.
  • English sufficient to read technical standards.

Ready to start?

Send your application today. Our admissions team replies within 72 hours with your study plan and funding options.

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FAQ

Frequently asked questions

The programme totals 300 hours over 3 months. You set your own pace within each intake, and your tutor helps you plan the workload around your job.

You work with FDS, Pathfinder, PyroSim and Ansys Fluent, using free, academic or evaluation versions. Your tutor indicates the free alternative wherever one exists.

A SEIUM Institute certificate, awarded on passing the continuous assessment and the final project. It is SEIUM's own qualification, not an official state degree; its recognition depends on the programme completed and the regulations of each country.

Yes. Modules passed are recognised in a higher programme in the same area (postgraduate diploma or master's). Ask about the recognition policy when you enrol.

No prior qualification is required; you need a computer able to run the programme software and English sufficient to read technical standards.

Start dates are set by SEIUM's faculty for each intake. Our admissions team will confirm the next available date when you apply.

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