Search results

1 – 10 of 472
Article
Publication date: 29 January 2020

Jian-Ping Wang, Mei-Ru Wang, Jian-Lan Zhou, Qing-Jun Zuo and Xun-Xian Shi

The purpose of this study is to develop optimal evacuation plan to provide valuable theoretical and practical insight in the fire evacuation work of similar structures, by…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to develop optimal evacuation plan to provide valuable theoretical and practical insight in the fire evacuation work of similar structures, by proposing a systematic simulation-based guided-evacuation agent-based model (GAM) and a three-stage mathematical evacuation model to investigate how to simulate, assess and improve the performance efficiency of the evacuation plan.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors first present the self-evacuation and guided-evacuation models to determine the optimal evacuation plan in ship chamber. Three key performance indicators are put forward to quantitatively assess the evacuation performance within the two fire scenarios. The evacuation model in tower is built to obtain the dividing points of the three different fire evacuation plans.

Findings

The study shows that the optimal evacuation plan determined by the GAM considering social relationships effectively relieves the congestion or collision of evacuees and improves the evacuation uniformity. The optimal evacuation plan not only solves the crush caused by congestion or collision of evacuees but also can greatly shorten the evacuation time for passenger ship fire.

Originality/value

This study establishes the GAM considering the interactive evacuee characteristics and the proportion of evacuees guided by the crew members to make the optimal evacuation plan more time-efficient. The self-evacuation process is simulated to assess the performance of the guided-evacuation strategies, which are used to verify the effectiveness and feasibility of the optimal evacuation plan in this research.

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 13 February 2020

John A. Kearby, Ryan D. Winz, Thom J. Hodgson, Michael G. Kay, Russell E. King and Brandon M. McConnell

The purpose of this paper is to investigate US noncombatant evacuation operations (NEO) in South Korea and devise planning and management procedures that improve the efficiency of…

3109

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate US noncombatant evacuation operations (NEO) in South Korea and devise planning and management procedures that improve the efficiency of those missions.

Design/methodology/approach

It formulates a time-staged network model of the South Korean noncombatant evacuation system as a mixed integer linear program to determine an optimal flow configuration that minimizes the time required to complete an evacuation. This solution considers the capacity and resource constraints of multiple transportation modes and effectively allocates the limited assets across a time-staged network to create a feasible evacuation plan. That solution is post-processed and a vehicle routing procedure then produces a high resolution schedule for each individual asset throughout the entire duration of the NEO.

Findings

This work makes a clear improvement in the decision-making and resource allocation methodology currently used in a NEO on the Korea peninsula. It immediately provides previously unidentifiable information regarding the scope and requirements of a particular evacuation scenario and then produces an executable schedule for assets to facilitate mission accomplishment.

Originality/value

The significance of this work is not relegated only to evacuation operations on the Korean peninsula; there are numerous other NEO and natural disaster related scenarios that can benefit from this approach.

Details

Journal of Defense Analytics and Logistics, vol. 4 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2399-6439

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 24 May 2013

Syed Ashraf Tashrifullahi and Mohammad A. Hassanain

The objectives of this article are to present the findings of a case study conducted to determine the optimal emergency egress time for the main library of King Fahd University of…

Abstract

Purpose

The objectives of this article are to present the findings of a case study conducted to determine the optimal emergency egress time for the main library of King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, using an evacuation simulation model; discuss the importance of the use of evacuation simulation models to architects, fire protection engineers and facilities managers; and demonstrate the importance of using an evacuation simulation model in understanding evacuation performance and conducting building safety assessment.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors have reviewed the published literature in the field of evacuation analysis considering level of service (LOS) as a significant factor; studied the input requirements of the evacuation simulation model EVACNET4 and estimated the same for the library facility at King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals; and examined selected results and validated the same using FPETool.

Findings

The study revealed that the evacuation times obtained using both EVACNET4 and FPETool for the library are different and vary 49 seconds in magnitude.

Originality/value

Risk to life as a result of fire in buildings is a key concern for facility managers, architects and insurance companies. This study could be of practical help to fire protection engineers and facilities managers from the viewpoint of emergency evacuation planning in specific facilities, and to architects during the process of designing the spatial layout of the library facility, where even minor changes in the layout can have large impacts on egress time.

Article
Publication date: 11 March 2022

Zhai Longzhen and ShaoHong Feng

The rapid evacuation of personnel in emergency situations is of great significance to the safety of pedestrians. In order to further improve the evacuation efficiency in emergency…

Abstract

Purpose

The rapid evacuation of personnel in emergency situations is of great significance to the safety of pedestrians. In order to further improve the evacuation efficiency in emergency situations, this paper proposes a pedestrian evacuation model based on improved cellular automata based on microscopic features.

Design/methodology/approach

First, the space is divided into finer grids, so that a single pedestrian occupies multiple grids to show the microscopic behavior between pedestrians. Second, to simulate the velocity of pedestrian movement under different personnel density, a dynamic grid velocity model is designed to establish a linear correspondence relationship with the density of people in the surrounding environment. Finally, the pedestrian dynamic exit selection mechanism is established to simulate the pedestrian dynamic exit selection process.

Findings

The proposed method is applied to single-exit space evacuation, multi-exit space evacuation, and space evacuation with obstacles, respectively. Average speed and personnel evacuation decisions are analyzed in specific applications. The method proposed in this paper can provide the optimal evacuation plan for pedestrians in multiple exit and obstacle environments.

Practical implications/Social implications

In fire and emergency situations, the method proposed in this paper can provide a more effective evacuation strategy for pedestrians. The method proposed in this paper can quickly get pedestrians out of the dangerous area and provide a certain reference value for the stable development of society.

Originality/value

This paper proposes a cellular automata pedestrian evacuation method based on a fine grid velocity model. This method can more realistically simulate the microscopic behavior of pedestrians. The proposed model increases the speed of pedestrian movement, allowing pedestrians to dynamically adjust the speed according to the specific situation.

Details

Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management, vol. 30 no. 8
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0969-9988

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 9 November 2015

Muizz O. Sanni-Anibire and Mohammad A. Hassanain

The purpose of this paper is to present an integrated approach to fire safety assessment, through combining the outcomes of a checklist tailored to the requirements of the…

1184

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to present an integrated approach to fire safety assessment, through combining the outcomes of a checklist tailored to the requirements of the International Building Code (IBC), and an evacuation simulation tool (EVACNET4), applied to a student housing facility as case study.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors reviewed relevant literature and previous studies pertaining to fire safety assessment and management. An assessment checklist was developed according to the requirements of the IBC. EVACNET4 simulation tool was utilized to model the evacuation of the facility under review. The results derived from the aforementioned steps were correlated to identify potential corroborating or conflicting issues pertaining to the safe evacuation of building occupants in the occurrence of a fire incident.

Findings

Fire safety provisions were found to be adequate, and the building can be evacuated safely in about 190 seconds, should a fire occur. The architectural design aspects of the exit doors which might cause potential bottlenecks were identified.

Originality/value

A completely fire safe building does not exist, and thus more integrative approaches to fire safety assessment and management will reduce to the least extent possible fire risks. A holistic fire safety management of campus housing is of paramount interest to the campus community, and the building industry at large.

Details

Structural Survey, vol. 33 no. 4/5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0263-080X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 22 July 2021

Meysam Soltaninejad, Amir Faraji and Esmatullah Noorzai

The purpose of this study is to introduce and evaluate the effect of critical success factors (CSF) in rescue operations in burning buildings by calculating the partial least…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to introduce and evaluate the effect of critical success factors (CSF) in rescue operations in burning buildings by calculating the partial least squares structural equation modeling of PLS-SEM.

Design/methodology/approach

To do this, success criteria (SC) and CSF in the literature, which are related to the topic, articles, standards and relevant books, will be identified and then evaluated through the extended PLS-SEM model.

Findings

The results show that technological factors, awareness, resources and safety play an effective role in successful performance management in fire accidents.

Research limitations/implications

Appropriate use of these factors will promote incident management and decrease casualties and financial loss in the event of accidents.

Originality/value

Fire-fighting is of great importance, especially in tall and complex buildings. In recent years, extended studies have been carried out regarding fire accident management in terms of CSFs in the category of rescue and firefighting. However, attention has not been paid to the relation and severity of impact between SC and CSF by researchers in addition to the identification of the most important criteria during rescue operations.

Details

Facilities , vol. 39 no. 13/14
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0263-2772

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 9 December 2020

Akbar Adhiutama, Rony Darmawan, Shimaditya Nuraeni, Noorhan Firdaus Pambudi and Nur Budi Mulyono

The lack of studies about the relevance of disaster awareness factors and disaster evacuation as a part of disaster responses especially for fire cases in an academic environment…

Abstract

Purpose

The lack of studies about the relevance of disaster awareness factors and disaster evacuation as a part of disaster responses especially for fire cases in an academic environment in Indonesia has triggered this study to explore the disaster awareness factors and evacuation experiment without emergency alarm for case study students in the classroom. The relevance of disaster awareness factors in transforming into practical action and decision in a disaster evacuation need to be examined to study the relevance of both phases in disaster.

Design/methodology/approach

This research conducted a quantitative approach by studying questionnaires from 162 respondents collectively divided into five groups to examine the student disaster awareness factors randomly from those groups. The qualitative approach was implemented through the evacuation experiments that were conducted twice to analyze the disaster evacuation performance. The analysis for the relevance is conducted by comparing the result of the questionnaire study and the evacuation experiment.

Findings

According to the questionnaire study, generally, the students are highly confident with their hazard knowledge in disaster awareness except that half of them are doubtful about appropriate steps in a disaster. The experiment without explosive sound showed that they have slower responses in the critical moment of evacuation. The response in the experiments showed relevance with several disaster awareness factors

Research limitations/implications

This study has explored the relevance of disaster awareness factors with disaster response in a campus building. In the part of reducing risk during fire disaster, this research shows the importance of social interaction and hazard knowledge during the disaster.

Practical implications

The improvement of disaster evacuation procedures and training in a campus building is mandatory to reduce disaster risk based on the relevance of disaster awareness factors and disaster response in this study.

Originality/value

This study measures the relevance of disaster awareness factors performance of the students by comparing it to their actions and decisions in an experimental setting of fire building. The disaster awareness factor performance was measured by a questionnaire survey while the experiments were deployed to observe the performance of their actions and decisions during evacuation as part of the disaster response phase.

Details

International Journal of Emergency Services, vol. 10 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2047-0894

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 July 2002

S.M. Lo, Z. Fang, G.S. Zhi and K.K. Yuen

The spatial design of a building affects the movement of occupants. In complex buildings with a large population, such as places of assembly, the movement of people towards the…

2283

Abstract

The spatial design of a building affects the movement of occupants. In complex buildings with a large population, such as places of assembly, the movement of people towards the exits under emergency situations is a major concern. Ideally, people should leave the building smoothly under emergency situations. Traditionally the layout design is governed by the building fire codes. However, the building fire codes merely govern the design of the capacity of individual components, and do not guarantee that smooth egress will occur. Full‐scale egress exercises may be needed to examine the layout arrangement in order to understand the layout problem. However, such exercises may be time‐consuming, or may be impossible when the building has yet to be constructed. Therefore, the use of computer models to simulate the egress pattern can assist not only the building designer, but also the facility manager to plan the spatial arrangement as well as to manage the crowd flow during emergency situations. Discusses the use of a computer model for analysing building layout design.

Details

Facilities, vol. 20 no. 7/8
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0263-2772

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 29 November 2019

Morteza Asadi and Jalal Karami

The aim of this study was to determine the number of shelters, specify some optimal paths among building blocks towards shelters, and assign population to shelters.

Abstract

Purpose

The aim of this study was to determine the number of shelters, specify some optimal paths among building blocks towards shelters, and assign population to shelters.

Design/methodology/approach

Imperialist competition algorithm (ICA) and particle swarm optimization (PSO) were used to optimize the objectives of this study.

Findings

The optimal value for PSO objective function was with the number of function evaluations (NFE) of 5300 and the optimal value of ICA objective function was with NFE of 1062. Repetition test for both algorithms showed that imperialist competition algorithm enjoys better stability and constancy and higher speed of convergence compared to particle swarm algorithm. This has been also shown in larger environments. 92% of the existing populations have access to shelters at a distance of less than600 meters. This means that evacuation from the building blocks to shelters takes less than 8 minutes. The average distance from a block (for example, a residential complex) to an optimal shelter is approximately273meters. The greatest risk of route and shelter has been 239 and 121, respectively.

Research limitations/implications

To address these goals, four following objective functions were considered: a) minimization of the distance for getting all the people to shelters b) the lowest total risk of the discharge path c) minimization of the total time required to transfer people to shelters or hospitals if necessary, and d) the lowest total risk in shelters.

Social implications

Over the recent decades, the frequency of so-called ‘natural’ disasters has increased significantly worldwide and resulted in escalating human and economic losses. Among them, the earthquake is one of the major concerns of the various stakeholders related to urban planning.

Originality/value

In addition, the maximum time of discharge from the helter to the hospital has been 17 minutes, which means the presence of good access to selected shelters.

Details

International Journal of Disaster Resilience in the Built Environment, vol. 11 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1759-5908

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 14 November 2018

Evangelia Baou, Vasilis P. Koutras, Vasileios Zeimpekis and Ioannis Minis

The purpose of this paper is to formulate and solve a new emergency evacuation planning problem. This problem addresses the needs of both able and disabled persons who are…

435

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to formulate and solve a new emergency evacuation planning problem. This problem addresses the needs of both able and disabled persons who are evacuated from multiple pick-up locations and transported using a heterogeneous fleet of vehicles.

Design/methodology/approach

The problem is formulated using a mixed integer linear programming model and solved using a heuristic algorithm. The authors analyze the selected heuristic with respect to key parameters and use it to address theoretical and practical case studies.

Findings

Evacuating people with disabilities has a significant impact on total evacuation time, due to increased loading/unloading times. Additionally, increasing the number of large capacity vehicles adapted to transport individuals with disabilities benefits total evacuation time.

Research limitations/implications

The mathematical model is of high complexity and it is not possible to obtain exact solutions in reasonable computational times. The efficiency of the heuristic has not been analyzed with respect to optimality.

Practical implications

Solving the problem by a heuristic provides a fast solution, a requirement in emergency evacuation cases, especially when the state of the theater of the emergency changes dynamically. The parametric analysis of the heuristic provides valuable insights in improving an emergency evacuation system.

Social implications

Efficient population evacuation studied in this work may save lives. This is especially critical for disabled evacuees, the evacuation of whom requires longer operational times.

Originality/value

The authors consider a population that comprises able and disabled individuals, the latter with varying degrees of disability. The authors also consider a heterogeneous fleet of vehicles, which perform multiple trips during the evacuation process.

Details

Journal of Humanitarian Logistics and Supply Chain Management, vol. 8 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2042-6747

Keywords

1 – 10 of 472