Mr. Dillon applies his knowledge of fire protection engineering and fire science to the analysis and investigation of fires, explosions, other thermal events, and product liability issues. Mr. Dillon specializes in fire protection engineering; fire performance of materials; full-scale fire reconstruction, flammability and heat transfer testing; thermal test instrumentation; evaluation of fire protection, fire alarm, and life safety systems; standard fire test methods; fire dynamics; fire and smoke modeling; and the ignition of liquid and solid fuels. He routinely performs origin and cause investigations of fires and explosions, as well as analyses of fire protection and alarm systems to determine code compliance and mechanisms of failure.
Mr. Dillon’s research has focused on the prediction of material performance using bench-scale test results; ignition and flame spread of solid fuels; heat release rate measurements from a variety of fuels and compartment configurations; full-scale heat flux mapping of intermediate sized fire exposures; the development of material properties from small-scale test methods; and the modeling fire growth and material reaction to fire.
Mr. Dillon is knowledgeable in numerous fire test methods and is a member of several ASTM and NFPA committees involved in the development and revision of several fire test methods and standards. He has extensive experience in conducting standard fire test methods and interpreting the results of fire tests. He designs and conducts custom fire tests and experiments in support of fire investigations and product liability issues including the design of data acquisition methodologies and data analysis.
Prior to joining Exponent, Mr. Dillon was employed as a fire research engineer with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) Fire Research Laboratory (FRL). He has performed numerous small- and large-scale fire tests and simulations to assess the ignition and growth of fires. He also provided engineering analyses, technical assistance, and scene support to ATF Certified Fire Investigators and the ATF National Response Team in the areas of ignition and flame spread, fire modeling, fire performance of materials, fire growth, and fire dynamics. He specialized in the design and execution of standard and nonstandard fire tests in support of fire investigations and research projects, fire testing methods and large-scale heat release rate calorimetry. He has also implemented engineering calculation methods and computer fire models to interpret fire development and conducted engineering analysis of building fire protection and alarm systems.
Dillon SE, Carpenter AR, Ogle RA. Comparative fire risk of motor vehicle fires: Gasoline vs. ethanol. American Institute of Chemical Engineers, 42nd Annual Loss Prevention Symposium, New Orleans, LA, April 7–9, 2008.
Hammins A, Bundy M, Dillon S. Characterization of candle flames. J Fire Protection Eng 2005; 15(4):265–286. Society of Fire Protection Engineers, Bethesda, MD, 2005.
Dillon SE, Hammins A. Ignition propensity and heat flux profiles of candle flames for fire investigation. Proceedings, 2003 Fire and Materials Conference, San Francisco, CA, Interscience Communications Limited, London, January 2003.
Janssens ML, Dillon SE, Allwein S. Characterizing the thermal environment of the cone calorimeter for analyzing ignition data of materials. Proceedings, 9th Interflam Conference, Edinburgh, Scotland, Interscience Communications Limited, London, pp. 125–135, September 17–19, 2001.
Dillon SE, Janssens ML, Garabedian AS. A comparison of building code classifications and results of intermediate-scale fire testing of stored plastic commodities. Conference Proceedings of the Ninth Interflam Conference, Edinburgh, Scotland, Interscience Communications Limited, London, pp. 593–604, September 17–19, 2001.
Janssens ML, Dillon SE, Allwein S. Burning characteristics of heptane and methanol pool fires. Proceedings, Fire and Materials Conference, San Francisco, CA, 2001, Interscience Communications Limited, London, January 2001.
Grenier AT, Janssens ML, Dillon SE. Predicting fire performance of interior finish materials in the ISO 9705 Room/Corner Test. Proceedings, Fire and Materials Conference, San Francisco, CA, Interscience Communications Limited, London, January 2001.
Dillon SE, Janssens ML, Hirschler MM. Using the cone calorimeter as a screening tool for the NFPA 265 and 286 room test procedures. Proceedings, Fire and Materials Conference, San Francisco, CA, Interscience Communications Limited, London, January 2001.
Janssens ML, Dillon SE. Balanced approach to the fire performance evaluation of interior finish materials. NISTIR 6588, S.L. Bryner (ed), November 2000, U.S./Japan Government Cooperative Program on Natural Resources (UJNR), Fire Research and Safety, 14th Joint Panel Meeting, Vol. 1, Proceedings, San Antonio, TX, March 1–7, 2000.
Beyler CL, Hunt SP, Lattimer BY, Iqbal N, Lautenberger C, Dembsey N, Barnett J, Janssens MJ, Dillon SE, Grenier A. Prediction of ISO 9705 room/corner test results. Volumes I and II, CG-D-22-99, United States Coast Guard, Washington, DC, November 1999.
Spearpoint MJ, Dillon SE. Flame spread model progress: Enhancements and user interface. NIST GCR 99-782, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD, November 1999.
Dillon SE, Quintiere JG, Kim WH. Discussion of a model and correlation for the ISO 9705 room-corner test. Proceedings, 6th International Symposium, Fire Safety Science, University of Poitier, France, M. Curtat (ed), International Association for Fire Safety Science, pp. 1015–1026, July 5–9, 1999.
Dillon SE, Quintiere JG, Messa S, Rosa D. Wall and ceiling heat flux measurements in a room-corner test. NISTIR 6242, October 1998, National Institute of Standards and Technology Annual Conference on Fire Research, Book of Abstracts, Gaithersburg, MD, November 2–5, 1998.
Dillon SE. Analysis of the ISO 9705 room-corner test: simulations, correlations, and heat flux measurements. Masters Thesis, University of Maryland, NIST GCR 98-756, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD, August 1998.
Dillon SE, Kim WH, Quintiere JG. Determination of properties and the prediction of the energy release rate of materials in the ISO 9705 room-corner test. NIST GCR 98-753 and NIST GCR 98-756 (Appendices), National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD, July 1998.
Dillon SE, Milke J. Thermal and structural response of light steel frame wall assemblies exposed to fire using the SAFIR finite element model. National Institute of Standards and Technology, 2nd International Conference on Fire Research and Engineering, Gaithersburg, MD, August 10–15, 1997.