On the occasion of building fires, the risk of smoke, which adversely influences escape
conditions, must be minimised. One way to reduce the risk is, for example, to pressurise
the escape route in order to limit the infiltration of smoke. Careful determination
of the design parameters of the pressurisation system is of great importance. This
study will propose a new leakage area for single-leaf smoke control doors based on
the analysis of the leakage area of the doors in the EN 12101-13 standard, estimating
the leakage rate through closed doors. This value is half the currently recommended
value, regardless of the opening direction. The determination of the leakage area
is supported by measurements in pressurised smoke-free lobbies with single-leaf smoke
control doors opening into and outwards from a pressurised space. The measurements
are performed using the fans of the lobbies’ pressurisation systems to provide the
required air volume. The suitability of this method has also been tested using blower
door assembly measurements. The newly proposed leakage area takes into account the
increased air tightness of the smoke control doors, thereby ensuring that the optimum
air volume to be supplied by the pressurisation system can be determined. The results
of this research suggest an appropriate leakage area value for designers when using
the calculation method proposed by the applicability of the investigated standard.