ABSTRACT This SpringerBrief focuses on the use of egress models to assess the optimal strategy fo... more ABSTRACT This SpringerBrief focuses on the use of egress models to assess the optimal strategy for total evacuation in high-rise buildings. It investigates occupant relocation and evacuation strategies involving the exit stairs, elevators, sky bridges and combinations thereof. Chapters review existing information on this topic and describe case study simulations of a multi-component exit strategy. This review provides the architectural design, regulatory and research communities with a thorough understanding of the current and emerging evacuation procedures and possible future options. A model case study simulates seven possible strategies for the total evacuation of two identical twin towers linked with two sky-bridges at different heights. The authors present the layout of the building and the available egress components including both vertical and horizontal egress components, namely stairs, occupant evacuation elevators (OEEs), service elevators, transfer floors and sky-bridges. The evacuation strategies employ a continuous spatial representation evacuation model (Pathfinder) and are cross-validated by a fine network model (STEPS). Assessment of Total Evacuation Systems for Tall Buildings is intended for practitioners as a tool for analyzing evacuation methods and efficient exit strategies. Researchers working in architecture and fire safety will also find the book valuable.
Evacuation model capabilities are rapidly improving, allowing the simulation of ever more complex... more Evacuation model capabilities are rapidly improving, allowing the simulation of ever more complex scenarios in different types of environments. The definition of the best evacuation modelling approach for safety assessment is a key point for optimizing engineering work and ensuring the desired safety conditions. In the present thesis, a wide comparison between modelling approaches has been provided for the study of road tunnel evacuations. The models employed are FDS+Evac, buildingEXODUS, Gridflow, STEPS, Pathfinder and Simulex while the calculations provided in the Society of Fire Protection Engineering handbook have been used to compare the results of the computational models to the hydraulic method. Models have been used individually and a new framework has also been presented, namely the multi-model approach. The predictive capabilities of the modelling approaches employed have been tested for both hypothetical evacuation scenarios and a set of new tunnel experiments performed a...
To date, there is no standard Verification and Validation (V&V) protocol for the evaluation of ev... more To date, there is no standard Verification and Validation (V&V) protocol for the evaluation of evacuation model predictions. This paper is intended to open a discussion on the main issues associated with the definition of a standard procedure for the V&V of building fire evacuation models. Examples of such issues are discussed, namely 1) the definition of tests able to investigate the capability of evacuation models of representing emergent behaviours, 2) a discussion on the methods employed to study the uncertainty caused by the use of distributions or stochastic variables in evacuation modelling, 3) the definition of the acceptance criteria of a standard V&V protocol.
Road tunnel fires are non-recurrent events which have led the researchers to investigate on the b... more Road tunnel fires are non-recurrent events which have led the researchers to investigate on the best risk analysis methodology. At the moment, the European Directive 2004/54/EC on minimum safety requirements for tunnels in the Trans-European road network gives only general statements. Consequently, practitioners have often difficulties to define the best way to ensure the desired safety conditions inside tunnels. The Directive also gives the designer the possibility to use innovative safety methods and procedures which provide an equivalent or higher level of protection than current technologies. The study of the evacuation process requires the analysis of many factors and processes related to Human Behaviour, such as pre-movement times (e.g. reluctance to leave the vehicle), interactions between occupants, interactions between occupants and smoke, herding behaviours, way-finding, etc. IRAM - described in the Italian Guidelines for Road tunnel Safety design of 2009 - as well as a se...
La progettazione di una infrastruttura necessita sempre l’attenzione da parte dei progettisti all... more La progettazione di una infrastruttura necessita sempre l’attenzione da parte dei progettisti alle categorie disabili. Queste categorie sono di solito prese in considerazione dal punto di vista del concetto di accessibilità , intesa come il grado in cui un ambiente è a disposizione di quante più persone possibili, comprese le persone con disabilità . Guardando il problema dal punto di vista della sicurezza degli edifici, l'attenzione deve essere focalizzata su un altro punto di vista: la valutazione del concetto di “egressibilità ” uguale (definita come "lo stesso livello di sicurezza" per tutti gli utenti. A tal fine, i modelli computazionali di evacuazione attualmente disponibili sono strumenti utili per valutare le condizioni di sicurezza di un infrastruttura esistente o in fase di progetto e ottimizzare la gestione delle emergenze. Purtroppo, spesso mostrano i loro punti deboli quando si cerca di simulare le persone disabili. Devono essere presi in considerazione alcu...
ABSTRACT This SpringerBrief focuses on the use of egress models to assess the optimal strategy fo... more ABSTRACT This SpringerBrief focuses on the use of egress models to assess the optimal strategy for total evacuation in high-rise buildings. It investigates occupant relocation and evacuation strategies involving the exit stairs, elevators, sky bridges and combinations thereof. Chapters review existing information on this topic and describe case study simulations of a multi-component exit strategy. This review provides the architectural design, regulatory and research communities with a thorough understanding of the current and emerging evacuation procedures and possible future options. A model case study simulates seven possible strategies for the total evacuation of two identical twin towers linked with two sky-bridges at different heights. The authors present the layout of the building and the available egress components including both vertical and horizontal egress components, namely stairs, occupant evacuation elevators (OEEs), service elevators, transfer floors and sky-bridges. The evacuation strategies employ a continuous spatial representation evacuation model (Pathfinder) and are cross-validated by a fine network model (STEPS). Assessment of Total Evacuation Systems for Tall Buildings is intended for practitioners as a tool for analyzing evacuation methods and efficient exit strategies. Researchers working in architecture and fire safety will also find the book valuable.
ABSTRACT This SpringerBrief focuses on the use of egress models to assess the optimal strategy fo... more ABSTRACT This SpringerBrief focuses on the use of egress models to assess the optimal strategy for total evacuation in high-rise buildings. It investigates occupant relocation and evacuation strategies involving the exit stairs, elevators, sky bridges and combinations thereof. Chapters review existing information on this topic and describe case study simulations of a multi-component exit strategy. This review provides the architectural design, regulatory and research communities with a thorough understanding of the current and emerging evacuation procedures and possible future options. A model case study simulates seven possible strategies for the total evacuation of two identical twin towers linked with two sky-bridges at different heights. The authors present the layout of the building and the available egress components including both vertical and horizontal egress components, namely stairs, occupant evacuation elevators (OEEs), service elevators, transfer floors and sky-bridges. The evacuation strategies employ a continuous spatial representation evacuation model (Pathfinder) and are cross-validated by a fine network model (STEPS). Assessment of Total Evacuation Systems for Tall Buildings is intended for practitioners as a tool for analyzing evacuation methods and efficient exit strategies. Researchers working in architecture and fire safety will also find the book valuable.
Evacuation model capabilities are rapidly improving, allowing the simulation of ever more complex... more Evacuation model capabilities are rapidly improving, allowing the simulation of ever more complex scenarios in different types of environments. The definition of the best evacuation modelling approach for safety assessment is a key point for optimizing engineering work and ensuring the desired safety conditions. In the present thesis, a wide comparison between modelling approaches has been provided for the study of road tunnel evacuations. The models employed are FDS+Evac, buildingEXODUS, Gridflow, STEPS, Pathfinder and Simulex while the calculations provided in the Society of Fire Protection Engineering handbook have been used to compare the results of the computational models to the hydraulic method. Models have been used individually and a new framework has also been presented, namely the multi-model approach. The predictive capabilities of the modelling approaches employed have been tested for both hypothetical evacuation scenarios and a set of new tunnel experiments performed a...
To date, there is no standard Verification and Validation (V&V) protocol for the evaluation of ev... more To date, there is no standard Verification and Validation (V&V) protocol for the evaluation of evacuation model predictions. This paper is intended to open a discussion on the main issues associated with the definition of a standard procedure for the V&V of building fire evacuation models. Examples of such issues are discussed, namely 1) the definition of tests able to investigate the capability of evacuation models of representing emergent behaviours, 2) a discussion on the methods employed to study the uncertainty caused by the use of distributions or stochastic variables in evacuation modelling, 3) the definition of the acceptance criteria of a standard V&V protocol.
Road tunnel fires are non-recurrent events which have led the researchers to investigate on the b... more Road tunnel fires are non-recurrent events which have led the researchers to investigate on the best risk analysis methodology. At the moment, the European Directive 2004/54/EC on minimum safety requirements for tunnels in the Trans-European road network gives only general statements. Consequently, practitioners have often difficulties to define the best way to ensure the desired safety conditions inside tunnels. The Directive also gives the designer the possibility to use innovative safety methods and procedures which provide an equivalent or higher level of protection than current technologies. The study of the evacuation process requires the analysis of many factors and processes related to Human Behaviour, such as pre-movement times (e.g. reluctance to leave the vehicle), interactions between occupants, interactions between occupants and smoke, herding behaviours, way-finding, etc. IRAM - described in the Italian Guidelines for Road tunnel Safety design of 2009 - as well as a se...
La progettazione di una infrastruttura necessita sempre l’attenzione da parte dei progettisti all... more La progettazione di una infrastruttura necessita sempre l’attenzione da parte dei progettisti alle categorie disabili. Queste categorie sono di solito prese in considerazione dal punto di vista del concetto di accessibilità , intesa come il grado in cui un ambiente è a disposizione di quante più persone possibili, comprese le persone con disabilità . Guardando il problema dal punto di vista della sicurezza degli edifici, l'attenzione deve essere focalizzata su un altro punto di vista: la valutazione del concetto di “egressibilità ” uguale (definita come "lo stesso livello di sicurezza" per tutti gli utenti. A tal fine, i modelli computazionali di evacuazione attualmente disponibili sono strumenti utili per valutare le condizioni di sicurezza di un infrastruttura esistente o in fase di progetto e ottimizzare la gestione delle emergenze. Purtroppo, spesso mostrano i loro punti deboli quando si cerca di simulare le persone disabili. Devono essere presi in considerazione alcu...
ABSTRACT This SpringerBrief focuses on the use of egress models to assess the optimal strategy fo... more ABSTRACT This SpringerBrief focuses on the use of egress models to assess the optimal strategy for total evacuation in high-rise buildings. It investigates occupant relocation and evacuation strategies involving the exit stairs, elevators, sky bridges and combinations thereof. Chapters review existing information on this topic and describe case study simulations of a multi-component exit strategy. This review provides the architectural design, regulatory and research communities with a thorough understanding of the current and emerging evacuation procedures and possible future options. A model case study simulates seven possible strategies for the total evacuation of two identical twin towers linked with two sky-bridges at different heights. The authors present the layout of the building and the available egress components including both vertical and horizontal egress components, namely stairs, occupant evacuation elevators (OEEs), service elevators, transfer floors and sky-bridges. The evacuation strategies employ a continuous spatial representation evacuation model (Pathfinder) and are cross-validated by a fine network model (STEPS). Assessment of Total Evacuation Systems for Tall Buildings is intended for practitioners as a tool for analyzing evacuation methods and efficient exit strategies. Researchers working in architecture and fire safety will also find the book valuable.
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