About FRI3D — Common Questions

Common questions about FRI3D — what it is, getting started, supported formats, licensing, and more. Click a question to expand the answer.

What is FRI3D?

FRI3D (Fire Risk Investigation 3D) is a comprehensive fire safety analysis software that enables engineers and safety professionals to perform detailed fire risk assessments, smoke analysis, and thermal analysis on 3D building models. It integrates with various fire simulation engines including FDS (Fire Dynamics Simulator) and CFAST.

How do I get started with FRI3D?

To get started with FRI3D:

1. Download and install FRI3D from the official website
2. Obtain a license (see licensing documentation)
3. Import your building model (IFC, OBJ, STEP formats supported)
4. Set up fire scenarios and analysis parameters
5. Run simulations and visualize results

For detailed step-by-step instructions, see our Getting Started Guide.

What file formats does FRI3D support?

FRI3D supports multiple CAD and BIM formats:

• IFC (Industry Foundation Classes) — recommended for BIM-based fire analysis
• STEP/IGES — for mechanical equipment and plant design
• OBJ/glTF/GLB — for visualization and context models
• Native CAD formats — when supported by your installation

For more details, see our Import Documentation.

What fire simulation engines does FRI3D use?

FRI3D integrates with several fire simulation and probabilistic risk analysis (PRA) engines:

• FDS (Fire Dynamics Simulator) — for detailed computational fluid dynamics (CFD) fire simulations
• CFAST — for zone model fire and smoke simulations
• RiskSpectrum PSA — for Probabilistic Risk Analysis computations
• CAFTA — for Probabilistic Risk Analysis computations
• SAPHIRE — for Probabilistic Risk Analysis computations

Each engine is suited for different types of analysis. See our Monitor documentation for details.

Can I import models from Revit or other BIM software?

Yes! FRI3D supports IFC format, which is the standard for BIM interoperability. You can export your models from:

• Revit
• ArchiCAD
• Tekla
• Other IFC-compatible BIM software

Make sure to properly tag fire-relevant elements (fire barriers, openings, equipment) in your BIM software before export. See our IFC Import Guide for best practices.

How do I set up a fire scenario?

To set up a fire scenario in FRI3D:

1. Import or create your 3D building model
2. Define compartments and fire barriers
3. Use the Scenario Inspector to set fire sources, ignition points, and heat release rates
4. Configure boundary conditions and ventilation
5. Select your simulation engine (FDS, CFAST, etc.)
6. Run the simulation

For detailed instructions, see our Scenario Configuration Guide.

What system requirements does FRI3D have?

FRI3D is a 64-bit Windows application. In brief:

• Operating system: Windows 10 version 1809 (64-bit) or later, or Windows 11
• RAM: 8 GB minimum, 16 GB recommended for large models
• Graphics: an OpenGL 4.3-capable GPU with current drivers (a dedicated NVIDIA GPU is needed only for 3D fire/smoke visualization)
• Storage: 3 GB free for installation (plus space for simulation results)
• Processor: 64-bit multi-core

See the Get started page for the full system requirements.

How do I visualize simulation results?

FRI3D provides multiple visualization options:

• 3D visualization: interactive 3D views of fire, smoke, and temperature
• Time-based animations: watch fire progression over time
• Contour plots: temperature, smoke density, and other metrics
• Zone visualizations: for CFAST zone model results

See our Visualization documentation for more details.

Can I export results for reports?

Yes, FRI3D supports exporting results in various formats:

• Screenshots and images of visualizations
• Data exports (CSV, Excel) for quantitative analysis
• Video exports for presentations
• Integration with reporting tools

Results can be used in fire safety reports, regulatory submissions, and presentations.

What kind of reports can I generate from FRI3D?

FRI3D can auto-generate reports based on your scenario runs. A default report format is provided based on prior regulatory guidance, and custom reports tailored to the guidelines of an individual regulatory organization can also be generated.

Is FRI3D suitable for nuclear power plant fire analysis?

Yes, FRI3D is widely used for nuclear power plant fire safety analysis. It supports:

• NUREG-1934 Appendix A and B methodologies
• Fire PRA (Probabilistic Risk Assessment) workflows
• Integration with PRA tools like FRANX, SAPHIRE, and RiskSpectrum
• Detailed fire modeling for critical plant areas

See our Nuclear Fire Analysis tutorials for examples.