Study of announced evacuation drill from a retail store

Study of evacuation from fire is always focused on evacuation models, but rarely on evacuation experiments. This paper presents the results acquired from an announced evacuation drill of XIN LIAN XIN Store in China. There are two floors and five emergency exits in the building. Most of the customers knew there would be an evacuation drill before they entered the store, but they did not know the exact beginning time. The video of the whole evacuation process was recorded using television cameras installed in the store. The customers who evacuated from the store were asked to complete a questionnaire by researchers positioned outside the five exits. Analysis of the videotapes provided information on total evacuation time and actual number of customers who evacuated from the store. Questionnaires present the information on customer characteristics, primary behavior at alarm, pre-movement time and exit choice. The analysis results show that pre-movement time is an important part of evacuation process. Strengthening detector, alarm equipments and staff training are very effective and necessary for fire safety in China. These data can also be used as input parameters for evacuation models in performance-based fire protection design or validating the evacuation models' accuracy.     

A Post-fire Survey on the Pre-evacuation Human Behavior

A delay in the pre-evacuation reaction may be one of the reasons causing occupants to be ‘trapped’ in a dangerous zone. Under fire situations, people are found to behave differently in that some may start evacuation immediately, some may ignore the fire alarms and engage in their activities and some others may participate in fighting the fire. These behavioral reaction patterns are influenced by some factors, such as occupant characteristics, building characteristics and fire characteristics. The purpose of this study is to investigate the pre-evacuation behavior of occupants under fire and explore the associations between these factors and the human behavior. To obtain the human behavioral information in real fire, a post-fire survey for a multi-storey office building fire in a major city in Mainland China was carried out with the assistance of local fire professionals. Some of the possible factors that might influence the occupants’ actions at recognitions and response stage were examined. It was reckoned that the behavioral reaction at recognition and response stage was mainly dependent on the human characteristics and building characteristics except the fire characteristics. The results also implied that pre-evacuation time was typically influenced by the occupant characteristics.     

Fire risk perception and building evacuation by vulnerable persons: Points of view of laypersons,fire victims and experts

Fire risk perception and its influence on building evacuation were studied in order to improve building evacuation processes. The sample adopted in this study consisted of (i) laypersons, mostly elderly; (ii) healthcare professionals working with vulnerable individuals who live with disability on an everyday basis, for their point of view on disabled persons; (iii) fire victims for their experience (persons who suffered burns in a fire).Qualitative research was used to study fire risk perception and to understand the attitudes and behaviours of individuals. The information was collected during interviews following a questionnaire that combined questions of a general nature, questions referring to the fire and questions focused on the experience of evacuating a building.Results of this inductive, exploratory and qualitative method showed differences between the analysis of experts, the point of view of laypersons and the experience of fire victims. They also showed that risk perception is influenced by psychological, social, physical, political (here regulatory and normative) and cultural factors. Fire risk perception is based on the individual-environment-risk paradigm. Among the factors characterising risk perception, we noted the preponderant role of trust emerges, as well as that of the human environments (daily and emergency), the physical environment (building) and the climate of safety in which the event takes place. These different dimensions of fire risk perception show that it is a combination of psychometric and cultural paradigms. Building evacuation is seen as a psychological process involving both emotion and cognition.The resulting model aims to improve the understanding of a building evacuation process and to provide tools to anticipate crises.     

公路隧道滞留人员密度和疏散时间预测研究

为研究公路隧道突发火灾事故下滞留人员的密度与疏散时间,结合火灾应急响应时间与处置要求,引入交通波传播理论,考虑交通流状态、人员组成、车辆组成等因素,提出滞留人员密度计算方法,并以人员密度、大巴车疏散时间等为参数,构建人员疏散时间预测模型,分析不同交通流条件下的疏散时间,通过实例计算与数值仿真,验证了模型的有效性。结果表明：基于交通波理论提出的滞留人员密度计算方法,能准确地计算出隧道突发火灾事故后的人员密度分布,符合真实场景中的非均匀分布特征;采用人员疏散时间预测模型,能快速预测公路隧道人员疏散所需时间,预测结果与仿真结果基本一致。     

某地铁火灾人员疏散分析

采用人员疏散软件,模拟火灾工况下人员安全疏散所需要的时间。采用CFD技术分别模拟计算列车中部起火和头部起火两种情况下烟气层高度、温度及浓度的变化。在此基础上,根据人员安全疏散准则,对地铁人员疏散危险性进行分析,为地铁排烟系统的合理设计和人员疏散方案的制定提供参考依据。     

高层建筑电梯楼梯协同疏散的仿真实验研究

近年来高层建筑逐渐增多,但高层建筑普遍存在逃生线路长,火灾严重性大的问题。为了缩短高层建筑在消防疏散中的疏散时间,降低高层建筑火灾发生后的事故严重程度,利用疏散软件Pathfinder分析了高层建筑中使用电梯楼梯协同疏散的可行性。结果表明:高层建筑电梯可以作为协同疏散的辅助工具,增加一部电梯比单纯增加电梯最大运行速度要更加有效;设置每层电梯都使用总人数的固定比例进行疏散的时候,楼梯资源不易被充分利用;当设置n层及n层以上每层总人数的不同比例使用电梯进行向下疏散,存在最佳疏散楼层N11及最佳疏散比例20%,最后一个通过电梯疏散完毕与最后一个通过楼梯疏散完毕的人员仅相差2.7s,此方法可以为相关高层建筑火灾疏散策略的决策提供一定的参考依据。实验结果说明了电梯疏散的教育和培训很重要,在高层建筑中合理使用电梯进行疏散可以很大程度减少总疏散时长。     

Unannounced Evacuation Experiment in a High-Rise Hotel Building with Evacuation Elevators: A Study of Evacuation Behaviour Using Eye-Tracking

Past studies suggest that people are often reluctant to use occupant evacuation elevators in case of fire. However, existing research is scarce and current knowledge is based on questionnaire studies and laboratory experiments. An unannounced evacuation experiment was therefore performed on the 16th floor of a 35-floor high-rise hotel building. Sixty-seven participants took part and eye-tracking glasses were used to collect data on exit choice and eye fixations. Three different scenarios were studied, including two different hotel room locations on the floor and a variation of guidance system for one of these locations, i.e., flashing green lights next to the evacuation sign at the elevators. Results suggest that people typically choose the elevator for evacuation, even if their hotel room was located closer to the evacuation stair. Flashing green lights next to an evacuation sign made people look more at this sign. However, in spite of looking more at the sign, the flashing light was not shown to significantly improve compliance with the sign. Also, the results suggest that a detector activated self-closing fire door without vision panels to the elevator lobby made it more difficult to find the evacuation elevators in an emergency.

     

Way finding during fire evacuation; an analysis of unannounced fire drills in a hotel at night

Findings in earlier studies on fire evacuation and way finding suggest that building features have influence on evacuation behaviour. For example, way finding is believed to be strongly dependent on the lay-out of the building and seems to be hardly dependent on (escape) route signs. Though some aspects are investigated, it is not discussed at great length. In particular there is little insight in how persons find their escape route, and how this process can be supported with lay-out and design measures has been hardly examined. Thus, there is need for insight in the decision-making processes which evacuees pass through. In this paper are the results presented of 83 evacuation experiments in a hotel building at night. The main focus of the study is on way finding during fire evacuation. In the evacuation experiments we investigated the possible influence of smoke and low placed exit signs on the human fire response performance. The experiments are carried out with a traditional research method, namely the registration and evaluation of unannounced fire drills. The study is conducted as part of the validation of a new research method that makes use of serious gaming. The results of the study suggest that smoke has influence on the route choice: when no smoke is perceptible the majority of the participants escape via the main exit and when smoke blocks the route towards the main exit, the majority of the participants escape via the fire exit. Furthermore, low placed exit signs appear to have a positive influence on the use of the nearest fire exit. The personal feature of prior knowledge of the surroundings (or type of surroundings) is also found to have a positive influence on the use of the nearest fire exit. Self-assessments and interviews after a fire evacuation are found to be a disputable method for research on human behaviour in fire. A real-time observation of the people's behaviour during evacuation is considered to give more reliable results.     

应急避难区对高层建筑安全疏散的影响

为提高突发火灾、恐怖袭击等紧急情况下高层建筑人员疏散的效率和安全性,减少直接通过消防楼梯进行高层建筑人员安全疏散的时间,避免因疏散中出现拥挤踩踏而造成的不必要人员伤亡,在合理选取疏散模型和设定各种疏散场景的基础上,对上海金茂大厦的部分楼层进行了高层建筑人员疏散仿真实验,并对模拟结果进行了分析和探讨。研究结果论证了在高层建筑内设置应急避难区对安全疏散缓冲的重要作用,明确了科学合理设置避难层应当注意的细节问题。     

基于人员疏散特征的商场火灾应急管理策略研究

分析商场火灾特点并进行商场火灾风险分析。以广东省茂名市某商场为原型,建立基于 Dijkstra 算法的商场疏散模型,计算疏散时间,分析影响应急疏散的关键因素,从商场环境布局与管理、人员疏散指挥、火灾应急演练等三个方面优化商场火灾应急管理策略。研究结果表明：商场三个楼层的最短疏散时间分别为 83.1、85.5、145.6 s,采取优化措施后示例区域的平均疏散时间减少了 8.9 s,优化率 18.6%。研究可为商场应急管理和公共安全建设提供理论支持。     

大型办公楼性能化消防设计评估

分析某大型办公楼建筑结构功能的基础上,提出采用性能化方法对其消防设计进行评估,并通过烟气以及人员疏散模拟,对大型办公楼的安全性进行评估,得出大型办公楼防火设计方案的可行性,并进一步提出相关防火强化措施.     

医院灭火应急疏散预案的制作与演练

2005年12月15日，吉林省辽源市中心医院发生重特大火灾事故，37人死亡、46人重伤、49人轻伤；2006年12月4日，安徽省巢湖市第一人民医院发生特大火灾事故，造成直接财产损失700多万元……导致这些火灾事故发生的原因是多方面的，没有制定符合本单位实际的灭火应急疏散预案或有预案但未能适时组织演练，便是其中一个重要原因。     

基于时间着色Petri网的建筑火灾疏散系统建模与仿真

为缓解建筑火灾疏散时间长且效率低问题,基于时间着色Petri网的理论,针对某建筑的结构特点进行建模并进行性能分析。通过算法计算与分析,合理规划不同类型人员的不同疏散通道选择,并对模型进行时间模拟仿真,提高建筑内人员疏散效率。提出带有建筑火灾疏散因素的管理疏散方法,增加相关的颜色集和时间戳,并在原模型中融入算法计算,模拟火灾疏散时间,并提出不同类别人员疏散引导的方案。达到疏散用时更短、效率更高、伤亡率更低的目标。实验结果表明,相比于其他模型,融入管理疏散算法的时间着色Petri网模型,人员平均疏散时间降低6.9 s,具有较高疏散效率。     

含内天井的高层建筑火灾烟气流动数值模拟

研究设有内天井的高层建筑烟气流动及火灾蔓延特征,分析其对防火分区和安全疏散的影响。采用性能化消防设计的方法,对某设置74.65 m、55.95 m双内天井的一类高层建筑,建立火灾发展模型、设计火灾场景,用CFD火灾模拟软件进行数值模拟。结果表明:该建筑利用内天井自然排烟时,各火灾场景均能满足各层人员疏散的性能指标,而在内天井四周环廊上设置挡烟垂壁则影响烟气的顺畅排出,缩短了危险来临时间,增大了火灾的危害性。提出内天井式建筑宜利用烟囱效应优先采用自然排烟方式,烟气控制宜疏堵结合,以疏导为主的设计理念。     

大型商业步行街的人员安全疏散案例研究

商业步行街作为一种新型建筑,其人流量较大,电气线路错综复杂,严重威胁人员安全疏散.本文以某大型商业步行街为例,根据建筑特殊防火设计理念进行了分析,分别采用FDS模拟软件建立烟气流动模型,模拟不同火灾场景下的烟气流动情况,采用Building EXODUS软件对该建筑进行人员安全疏散模拟及计算,根据火灾发生时各层的温度、...     

城市地下商业建筑中人员疏散模型的研究

在元胞自动机基本模型基础上,引入了社会力模型中的思想,开发了一种扩展元胞自动机新模型。新模型中引入了"危险度"和"视野"的概念,综合考虑了火源对人的行为的影响、人与人之间的摩擦力、墙和障碍物对人的排斥力,并且根据实际测量结果,对门和楼梯等主要疏散通道处,按人员密度的不同来确定疏散速度。新模型可以直观地看到人员的整个疏散过程,得到每个时刻的人员分布状况,从而找出逃生过程中不利于人员疏散的"瓶颈"位置。与基本元胞自动机模型比较,单房间内的仿真结果表明本模型具有较强的实用性。用新模型对某地下商业街内人员的疏散过程进行了模拟,分析了疏散过程的瓶颈和阻塞原因,并提出了相应的改进措施。     

不同隧道排烟模式对站台火灾人员疏散的影响

为探究站台火灾条件下不同隧道排烟模式对地铁人员疏散的影响,以岛式地铁站为研究对象,利用Pyrosim建立火灾模型,并分析4种隧道排烟模式下的楼扶梯入口风速、烟气温度、CO体积分数和能见度的分布。结果表明：单一隧道排烟模式均无法满足安全疏散要求;疏散时间360 s内,在人眼特征高度处,车站隧道排烟模式下的人员疏散经过区域的能见度不能满足疏散要求,CO体积分数、温度、楼扶梯口风速均满足安全疏散要求;3种区间隧道排烟模式下的楼扶梯口风速均无法满足人员安全疏散要求,区间隧道推拉式反向排烟模式最不利于疏散区域烟气散热,区间隧道双拉式排烟模式排烟效果最为显著;火灾烟气的3个潜在危险因素中,相比于温度和CO体积分数,满足能见度在安全范围内的难度更高。     

隧道火灾状况下利用联络通道疏散人群的可行性研究

利用PHOENICS模拟了两种纵向风速下隧道内火灾烟气的发展情况,分析了人员疏散方向离火源点不同距离处烟气的温度和浓度分布。提出了利用联络通道来疏散部分人群的方法,得出了使联络通道内无烟的纵向通风速度,为提出全面的地铁区问隧道火灾人员疏散模式提供有益参考。     

地下批发商场火灾危险性分析与对策措施

为研究地下批发商场的火灾危险性,选取某地下批发商场为研究对象,通过实地数据调查,设定3 种典型火灾场景,包括商铺火灾、楼梯间火灾、走道火灾。利用FDS 建立火灾模型,分析该地下批发商城的烟气流动情况,并根据火灾危险标准判定不同区域危险时间。以此为依据,利用Pathfinder 疏散软件进行人员疏散模拟。结果表明,发生火灾时,该地下批发商城人员无法安全疏散,结合商场现状与模拟情况,通过对安全隐患整改,确保火灾情况下人员安全疏散,以此提出火灾防控措施。     

Intelligent Space as a Framework for Fire Detection and Evacuation

This article discusses the application of Intelligent Space (iSpace) for fire related purposes. Both fire detection and fire evacuation are studied. It is shown that iSpace can improve current fire detection algorithms and offers a situation adaptable fire evacuation at the same time. As in future more and more factories and homes are expected to be of the iSpace concept, fire related application of iSpace is simply an addition of appropriate software and is therefore extremely easy and inexpensive.