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2014 | Buch

Assessment of Total Evacuation Systems for Tall Buildings

verfasst von: Enrico Ronchi, Daniel Nilsson

Verlag: Springer New York

Buchreihe : SpringerBriefs in Fire

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SUCHEN

Über dieses Buch

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.

Inhaltsverzeichnis

Frontmatter
Chapter 1. Introduction
Abstract
Building codes such as the International Building Code (IBC 2012) establish the minimum requirements for the safe design of a high-rise building. Nevertheless, additional life safety measures are often necessary to mitigate the risks that arise from the complexity of these types of buildings and the possible difficulties in fire-fighting and rescue operations.
Enrico Ronchi, Daniel Nilsson
Chapter 2. Method
Abstract
The method employed in this study is the application of evacuation modelling techniques. The initial phase of the study is therefore the selection of the appropriate egress models to simulate the total evacuation of high-rise buildings. In particular, the model case study includes the simulation of a combined use of egress components such as stairs and elevators. A recent review (Ronchi and Nilsson 2013b) identified two models having different modelling approaches that are suitable for testing the effectiveness of egress strategies in high-rise buildings. These models are Pathfinder (Thunderhead Engineering 2012) (a continuous model) and STEPS (Mott MacDonald Simulation Group 2012) (a fine network model).
Enrico Ronchi, Daniel Nilsson
Chapter 3. Limitations
Abstract
This study focuses on the application of evacuation models to test the efficiency of seven different total evacuation strategies in high-rise buildings. The questions prompted about the suitability of different components and strategies for high-rise buildings are strongly dependent on the characteristics of the building under consideration. In the present work, although the model case study includes the combination of several egress components, the authors acknowledge that a single case cannot be representative of all the possible high-rise building configurations. The selection of the model case study was deliberately made in order to give a vast range of applicability to the findings of this study. For this reason, the characteristics of the model case study have been selected to be representative of today’s buildings. Nevertheless, there was the necessity to impose certain features that may significantly affect the results (e.g., building use, number of floors, egress components, etc.).
Enrico Ronchi, Daniel Nilsson
Chapter 4. Model Case Study
Abstract
The model case study consists of two towers, each made of 50 floors, with a total height of 207 m (678 ft). The building use is business, i.e., the model is an office building. The high-rise building consists of a lobby (floor 1) and a total of 46 floors designated to office use (from floor 3 to floor 48). The remaining floors are designated for mechanical, electrical and plumbing equipment (MEP floors).
Enrico Ronchi, Daniel Nilsson
Chapter 5. Discussion
Abstract
Egress modelling has been successfully employed to perform a study on the effectiveness of different evacuation strategies in the case of high-rise building evacuations. The cross comparison between the results provided by the models for the simulation of different egress components allows understanding the range of variability of the results. The analysis of the results has therefore led to a relative comparison between different strategies for total evacuation.
Enrico Ronchi, Daniel Nilsson
Chapter 6. Future Research
Abstract
The analysis of the egress modelling results shows that there is a need to further investigate human factors associated with the use of combined egress components, e.g. messaging strategies for encouraging elevator usage. This would significantly improve the effectiveness of the strategies employing a combination of stairs and elevators. In a more general sense, there is a need to analyse more in depth the behaviours of the evacuees in relation to multiple egress components available for the evacuation and analyse the methods to inform evacuees on the appropriate actions to perform. The simulation work showed that the most effective strategies for this 50 storey building (the sole use of OEEs and the use of sky-bridges and transfer floors) are hypothetical strategies that are generally not implemented in today’s high-rise buildings. This also confirms previous findings by Kinsey (2011) which highlighted that the use of transfer floors produced the most efficient evacuation strategies due to the reduced waiting time period to use elevators. The exclusion of those strategies may be due to a lack of understanding regarding the behaviours of building occupants in the case of non-conventional strategies. An example is that some occupants may be afraid of height, leading them to avoid the use of sky-bridges. In this context, there is a need to investigate several variables such as the occupant level of training, the availability of staff, the type of population (e.g. different percentages of people with disabilities and types of disabilities, etc.), occupant loads, etc.
Enrico Ronchi, Daniel Nilsson
Chapter 7. Conclusion
Abstract
The present study employed egress modelling tools to investigate the effectiveness of different evacuation strategies for high-rise buildings. Two evacuation strategies resulted as the most efficient, i.e. the sole use of Occupant Evacuation Elevators and the strategy employing a combined use of vertical (stairs and elevators) and horizontal egress components (transfer floors and sky-bridges). The effectiveness of the strategies employing a combined use of elevators and stairs is dependent on the information provided to the evacuees. In fact, if no appropriate information is provided to the occupants, a significant percentage of evacuees may re-direct their movement to stairs after a maximum time waiting for elevators. The study highlighted the need for further studies on the behaviours of the occupants in the case of a combined use of egress components in relation to different building configurations and egress component layouts.
Enrico Ronchi, Daniel Nilsson
Backmatter
Metadaten
Titel
Assessment of Total Evacuation Systems for Tall Buildings
verfasst von
Enrico Ronchi
Daniel Nilsson
Copyright-Jahr
2014
Verlag
Springer New York
Electronic ISBN
978-1-4939-1074-8
Print ISBN
978-1-4939-1073-1
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-1074-8