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Study on emergency evacuation in underground urban complexes
Junjie Wei1,2, Qigen Deng1, Lixin Zhang3,4
1School of Safety Science and Engineering, Henan Polytechnic University, Jiaozuo, China.
Plos One
|December 30, 2022
Summary
Emergency evacuation from underground urban complexes (UUCs) is critical. Studies show bottlenecks at exits and checkouts; wider exits and clear rules improve safety, though herd mentality poses risks.
Area of Science:
- Urban planning and disaster management
- Civil engineering and crowd dynamics
- Public safety and emergency response
Background:
- Underground urban complexes (UUCs) are increasingly prevalent due to urbanization.
- The enclosed and complex nature of UUCs presents significant emergency evacuation challenges.
- Ensuring rapid and safe evacuation is crucial to minimize casualties.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze evacuation effectiveness in UUCs using simulation.
- To identify critical locations prone to evacuation bottlenecks.
- To evaluate various evacuation measures for UUCs.
Main Methods:
- Utilized Pathfinder evacuation simulation software.
- Employed a steering model to analyze pedestrian flow and path selection.
- Compared evacuation times and exit flow under different simulated measures.
Main Results:
- Bottlenecks frequently occur at stairway entrances/exits and supermarket checkouts.
- Congestion is severe at these critical nodes.
- Increasing exit width and establishing auxiliary channels improve evacuation efficiency.
- Rational evacuation rules are beneficial, but herd mentality introduces uncertainty.
- Diversion walls can help but may cause confusion.
Conclusions:
- Stairway entrances/exits and checkout counters are key bottleneck locations in UUCs.
- Physical modifications like wider exits and auxiliary channels are effective.
- Clear evacuation rules and understanding crowd behavior are vital for UUC safety.
- Findings inform improved emergency management strategies for UUCs.
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