Setting up Conditions

Before setting up Conditions, you need to plan ahead and articulate precisely the operational measure(s) you want to model. This will help you specify the analyses whose results will be part of the condition or conditions you select. Depending on the conditions you need to set up, you may have to use a combination of Analyses Objects, Environment Maps and Analyses (Environment Maps handle fire metrics, such as temperature, visibility and so on).

Note: Analysis Objects and Analyses use the same icons and interface as described in Setting up analyses.

An example of an operational measure might be: ‘If visibility in a corridor falls below a certain threshold during an evacuation, the corridor's Exit should be closed'. This can be achieved by using an Environment Map, Analysis Zone, and an Exit with conditional availability.

In order to use the Visibility metric, you need a slice file produced in FDS (Fire Dynamics Simulator) software (see Exporting a model for use with FDS ). This slice file must then be associated with Environment Maps. Next you need to place the appropriate Analysis Objects in the relevant areas of the model.

For further information about Analysis Objects and how to use them, see About Analysis Objects. and the rest of that section. All such Analysis Objects are stored on LEGION Model Builder’s Conditions Layer and all Analyses appear on the ‘Data’ tab of the Object Directory.

Once you have placed your Analysis Objects, you need to set up one or more Analyses. For full instructions on setting up analyses, see Setting up analyses. . If you don't set up Analyses, your Conditions tab won't contain any metrics for you to use.

The following procedure assumes that you have set up at least one analysis and have also placed the object, a Direction Modifier for example, that will use the Conditions. This procedure explains how to set up a condition of visibility falling below 2 metres in a particular zone. Available metrics depend on the kind of analyses you have set up.

Note: Any errors in the syntax of your conditional statements will be highlighted. There are example statements on the ‘Conditions’ tab as a guide.

To set up a Condition:

Complete steps 1 to 5 of Setting Direction Modifier parameters .
To use conditions, check the box labelled use condition.
This makes the ‘Conditions’ tab and the associated ‘Restrictions’ available.
If you chose Event Profile or Availability Profile from the Time Scope list, select an option from the left-hand drop-down list:
- AND – the condition will apply only when the Scope settings and the conditional settings are both ‘true’.
- OR – the condition will apply when either the Scope settings or the conditional settings are ‘true’.
Click on the Condition tab.
If you have already created Condition Objects, which you would like to use, select the 'Condition Object' option and choose a condition from the drop-down list. You can now click OK to finish and save your condition settings. If you do not have any Condition Objects, either create them as described in Creating Condition Objects , or continue from step 6.
To add a condition, select a metric from the drop-down list (in this example, Visibility) and click the Add button.
This places the metric into the space below the dialog.
Add a condition to the end of the metric, for example < 2.00, so that it reads Analysis #001::Visibility Map::Area <2.00
Place square brackets around the condition (these are essential for the condition to be accepted).
To add a further condition, type Add and press Enter.
Select a metric from the drop-down list and click the Add button.
Add a condition to the end of the metric as required and as with all conditions, ensure that it is enclosed in square brackets.
If you want to apply restriction to these conditions, click on the Parameters tab and follow the instructions in Restrictions .

Otherwise, click OK to confirm and save these settings.

Tip: If you want to quickly identify any Analyses used by Conditions, type the command listconditionalanalyses.