Citation

Li Z, Xu WA. Safety Sci. 2020; 124: e104575.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2020, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.ssci.2019.104575

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Considering the differences in the individual characteristics of pedestrians and the influence factors of buildings, we proposed a safety evacuation model for limited spaces. Evacuation efficiency, bottleneck area density, escape route characteristics, and similar factors were analyzed on the basis of different exit widths and operating doors.

RESULTS indicated that at an exit width of 1.1 m, the evacuation time was at a low-rising shock steady state with a normal crowd size. Therefore, the exit width of 1.1 m was the most advantageous in terms of evacuation time and construction cost. The aisle center was used more than the sides. The movement of pedestrians to the middle position affected the traffic capacity of the aisle. In comparison with outward-opening doors, inward-opening doors had a definite advantage in terms of evacuation efficiency, area density, and space utilization. When inward-opening doors are used, the escape path is consistent with the exit direction. The aisle width was reduced under the outward-opening door condition, and a bottleneck was formed. The escape route of pedestrians under the outward-opening door condition resembled the letter "Z". Our experiment did not directly test the behavior in real evacuations but emphasized the role of different designs in real human decision making in a virtual environment. Our findings may be useful in identifying topics for future studies on real human crowd movement, exit design, and facility layout.

Language: en

Keywords

Cellular automata model; Exit design scheme; Individual utility; Limited-space buildings; Pedestrian evacuation; Traffic safety