Study on the optimization for emergency evacuation scheme under fire in university building complex.

Area of Science:

• Building and Fire Safety Engineering
• Urban Planning and Disaster Management
• Computational Social Science

Background:

• University building complexes present unique evacuation challenges due to high occupant density and varied building types.
• Existing fire emergency evacuation schemes often lack detailed simulation, particularly concerning occupant safety awareness and stair evacuation speeds.
• Optimizing evacuation strategies is crucial for mitigating risks in large-scale campus environments.

Purpose of the Study:

• To simulate and optimize fire emergency evacuation schemes for a university building complex in Northwest China.
• To assess the impact of occupant safety awareness and measured stair evacuation speed on evacuation efficiency.
• To develop a method for regional evacuation path planning tailored to campus environments.

Main Methods:

• Utilized Building Information Modeling (BIM) technology for detailed campus modeling.
• Employed Pathfinder simulation software to model and analyze evacuation scenarios.
• Integrated occupant safety awareness and measured stair evacuation speeds into simulations.

Main Results:

• The optimized evacuation scheme reduced overall evacuation time by 15-20% compared to the original plan.
• Evacuation times varied significantly based on occupant distribution, with nighttime (sleeping) being fastest and lunchtime slowest.
• Identified specific periods of high risk due to student dispersion and potential safety exit congestion.

Conclusions:

• Fire emergency evacuation plans must consider building distribution, campus utilization patterns, and occupant behavior during different times.
• Tailoring evacuation strategies to specific periods can prevent safety exit congestion and improve refuge accessibility.
• The study provides a valuable methodology for optimizing regional evacuation path planning in complex environments.