Highlighting Design Strategies for Enhancing Fire Safety in a Glass Manufacturing Factory: A Case of a Proposed Glass Manufacturing Factory, Aba

Ken-Nnamdi; Divine; Okonkwo; Moses Madubueze; Agu; Arinze Matthew; Irouke; Vitalis Maduabuchi

doi:10.56201/ijemt.vol.12.no5.2026.pg91.103

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Highlighting Design Strategies for Enhancing Fire Safety in a Glass Manufacturing Factory: A Case of a Proposed Glass Manufacturing Factory, Aba

Ken-Nnamdi, Divine, Okonkwo, Moses Madubueze, Agu, Arinze Matthew, Irouke, Vitalis Maduabuchi

Abstract

The operational architecture of high-heat industrial facilities, particularly in the glass manufacturing sector, necessitates a rigorous integration of advanced fire safety strategies to mitigate risks inherent in continuous thermal processes. This research evaluates architectural design strategies for enhancing fire safety in a proposed glass manufacturing factory in Aba, Nigeria, focusing on the synergy between passive fire protection and performance-based design . Adopting a descriptive-analytical qualitative research design, the study utilizes case study evaluations and document analysis of global (Cristalchile) and local (Glassforce, IGI) benchmarks. Findings identify the glass melting furnace as the hazardous epicenter and molten glass breakouts as the primary catastrophic risk. Qualitative analysis confirms that Class EI fire-rated glass and epoxy-based intumescent coatings provide a critical 120-minute safety window, essential in regions with unreliable active suppression systems. Evaluations reveal that the Nigerian National Building Code (2006) is inadequate for high-hazard industrial occupancies. Furthermore, Systematic Layout Planning can reduce worker travel distance by 52%, significantly improving Available Safe Egress Time . The study concludes that an effective safety strategy must adopt a performance-based paradigm prioritizing architectural resilience. Key recommendations include constructing refractory diking, installing dual-rated glazing, applying intumescent coatings to steel, and architecturally decoupling critical infrastructure. Integrating real-time AI-powered diagnostic monitoring and supplementing local codes with international standards like NFPA 101 are vital for sustainable industrial growth and business continuity in the Aba industrial corridor.

Keywords

Fire SafetyGlass ManufacturingPassive Fire ProtectionPerformance-Based DesignAbaSystematic Layout PlanningIndustrial ArchitectureRefractory Diking .

References

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Highlighting Design Strategies for Enhancing Fire Safety in a Glass Manufacturing Factory: A Case of a Proposed Glass Manufacturing Factory, Aba

Abstract

Keywords

References

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