FDS Fundamentals Course

A clear and accessible introduction to Fire Dynamics Simulator

FDS Fundamentals is a base-level course designed for those who are starting with Fire Dynamics Simulator and want a guided, structured path to their first simulations.

This course is designed to replace fragmented learning with a single, guided path that takes you from zero to your first complete FDS simulation.

The course focuses on clarity and progression: each concept is introduced step by step, with all passages explained in a logical order. The objective is to make FDS approachable and usable, even for those with no prior experience.

What This Course Focuses On

  • Understanding the basic concepts behind FDS
  • Learning what FDS is designed to do
  • Becoming familiar with its structure and workflow
  • Running your first simulations without confusion

After completing the course, you will be able to set up, run, and visualize a complete basic FDS simulation independently.

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Course Content

1. Introduction to Fire Dynamics Simulator

  • What FDS is and what it can measure
  • Key concepts behind FDS
  • Computational meshes
  • Short test to consolidate the basics

2. How to Run FDS

  • Installing FDS and Smokeview
  • Running FDS jobs correctly

Note on operating systems
Detailed examples are shown on Windows.
The same workflow applies to macOS and Linux, with minor interface differences.

3. Creating Your First FDS Simulation

  • Setting up the environment
  • Base FDS input file structure
  • Computational domain definition
  • Test run of the simulation
  • Simulation duration
  • Openings
  • Combustion setup
  • Output definition

4. Basic Output Review

  • Temperature slice files
  • Device results (&DEVC)
  • Heat Release Rate (HRR)
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Who This Course Is For

  • Students approaching FDS for the first time
  • Engineers and professionals new to fire modeling
  • Anyone who wants a clear starting point with FDS

Instead of navigating documentation, examples, and tutorials separately, the course follows a single, structured workflow.

Note on operating systems
Detailed examples are shown on Windows.
The same workflow applies to macOS and Linux, with minor interface differences.

Access the Course →