Stairwell Evacuation from Buildings: What We Know We Don’t Know (original) (raw)

Abstract

Occupant descent down stairwells during building evacuations is typically described by measureable engineering variables such as stairwell geometry, speed, density, and pre-evacuation delay. In turn, predictive models of building evacuation use these variables to predict the performance of egress systems for building design, emergency planning, or event reconstruction. This paper provides a summary of literature values for movement speeds and compares these to several new fire drill evacuations. Movement speeds in the current study are observed to be quite similar to the range of literature values. Perhaps most importantly though, the typical engineering parameters are seen to explain only a small fraction of the observed variance in occupant movement speeds. This suggests that traditional measures form an incomplete theory of people movement in stairs. Additional research to better understand the physiological and behavioural aspects of the evacuation process and the difference between fire drill evacuations and real fire emergencies are needed.

Key takeaways

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  1. Traditional engineering parameters explain only 13% of variance in occupant movement speeds during evacuations.
  2. Fire drill data can approximate real emergency responses, depending on exposure to fire cues.
  3. Proulx found pre-evacuation delays averaging 50s in three office buildings, with some reports at 150s.
  4. Stairwell width impacts movement speed, but significance varies with occupant density and building height.
  5. Physiological and behavioral factors may significantly influence evacuation speed, warranting further research.

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References (21)

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FAQs

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What factors significantly impact occupant movement speeds during building evacuations?add

The study identifies firefighter counterflow, distance travelled, and stair width as significant factors impacting occupant movement speeds, together accounting for only 13% of the variance.

How do pre-evacuation delays affect building evacuation efficiency?add

Evacuation initiation delays averaged 150 seconds, impacting speed as occupants face more congestion the longer they wait to evacuate.

What role does stairwell width play in evacuation scenarios?add

Stairwell width had a minor impact on movement speeds observed, particularly at higher occupant densities, indicating its variable importance.

Are fire drill data reliable indicators of real emergency evacuations?add

Fire drill data may approximate real emergencies for populations not exposed to smoke or fire cues, but discrepancies exist based on conditions.

What physiological factors influence evacuation speeds beyond engineering parameters?add

Physiological and behavioral factors account for the majority of variance in occupant speeds, emphasizing limitations of the engineering-focused approach.