A Review of Building Evacuation Models - NIST Virtual Library

In both cases, STEPS has given the
more conservative result. This
comparison has that STEPS can
reproduce similar evacuation times
when compared with NFPA 130. It is
not clear what this type of validation
exercise shows.
Special features:
Manual exit block/obstacles – Yes,
the user can enter blockages at
specific points throughout the floor
plan.
21, p. 130-32
Figure A.7: Case Study 2
Defining groups – Yes.
Disabilities/slow occupant groups – Yes.
Delays/pre-movement time – Yes, this is specified by the user.
Elevator use – Yes.
Impatience/drive variables – There is an impatience factor of 0 to 1 and represents how prepared
the occupants are to queue at the target. The patient people will wait longer before moving to
another target. This coefficient affects the queuing time calculation for the occupant.
Route choice of the occupants/occupant distribution – The route choice is varied by the score of
target or is user-defined.
Limitations: One of the limitations of this model is the fact that occupants move only according
to availability of next grid cell. There is no limit on the number of floors to use. However, the
real strain on the computer comes from the number of grid cells and the number of people
specified in the model. If the user has a particularly fast computer, there is no limit.
A-15