A Review of Building Evacuation Models - NIST Virtual Library

maximum value. Lastly, the lower diagonal score is 0.7 x (1.0 m/s x 0.8) = 0.56. In the lower
diagonal case, there is only one other occupant in the current and potential cells, other than the
green occupant, so the speed is decreased to 80 % of its maximum value. The highest score of
0.56 is given to the lower diagonal, so the bottom diagonal cell is chosen.
The choice of an occupant’s route is influenced by both distance and the degree of difficulty
specified for the doors and windows by the user. Occupants can, however, stray from the
minimum distance path to avoid high crowded areas. Also, a specified behavior may lead the
occupants to a specific part of the building before evacuation will begin.
Output: The output consists of detailed information about each person in the simulation at
every time step. Also included is route information, fire conditions in certain rooms in the
building, summary of every Monte Carlo run, evacuation time, and a pictorial output (at any time
throughout the simulation).
Use of fire data: CRISP3 has its own zone-based fire model.
Import CAD drawings: Yes, CAD drawings can be imported into the model. The user must
specify the heights of the floor plan and ceilings at different points on each floor plan. If CAD
plans are not used, the user must create a build file which specifies the building geometry by
inputting:
• x,y coordinates of the building layout, such as rooms, stairs, vents
• Height of ceiling and vents
• Connections between rooms and between stairs
The user also specifies the type and location of detection system (in the detection input file) and
if the stand-alone evacuation model in used, the occupants are alerted at the start of the
simulation if no delay time is added. Also, the x,y coordinates of any obstacles on each floor
must be listed in a separate obstacle input file.
Visualization capabilities: 2-D and 3-D capabilities (Josephine)
Validation studies: CRISP’s use has been frequently documented by BRE in such projects as
office buildings, a large exhibition hall, and an airport terminal. These were done in order to
conclude available safe egress time (ASET) versus required safe egress time (RSET) conditions,
main factors in the evacuation (exit routes, width of doors, etc.), and worst scenarios, to name a
few.
An evacuation of a 3-story office building 79 , housing 202 civil service staff, was performed in
1996, and subsequently modeled in CRISP to develop and improve the model for use in office
buildings. Similar to validation efforts for the WAYOUT model, questionnaires were
administered to the staff after the drill to obtain information on workplace, location at time of
alarm, and any emergency roles and actions taken when responding to alarm. Respondents
consisted of 22 designated emergency staff, one wheelchair user, and 118 staff with no
emergency responsibility. In the actual evacuation of the building, all staff, except the
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