Variable guidance for pedestrian evacuation considering congestion, hazard, and compliance behavior
Journal
Transportation Research Part C: Emerging Technologies
Journal Volume
85
Pages
664-683
Date Issued
2017
Author(s)
Abstract
A methodology for optimizing variable pedestrian evacuation guidance in buildings with convex polygonal interior spaces is proposed. The optimization of variable guidance is a bi-level problem. The calculation of variable guidance based on the prediction of congestion and hazards is the upper-level problem. The prediction of congestion provided the variable guidance is the lower-level problem. A local search procedure is developed to solve the problem. The proposed methodology has three major contributions. First, a logistic regression model for guidance compliance behavior is calibrated using a virtual reality experiment and the critical factors for the behavior are identified. Second, the guidance compliance and following behaviors are considered in the lower-level problem. Third, benchmarks are calculated to evaluate the performance of optimized variable guidance, including the lower bound of the maximum evacuation time and the maximum evacuation time under a fixed guidance. Finally, the proposed methodology is validated with numerical examples. Results show that the method has the potential to reduce evacuation time in emergencies. © 2017 Elsevier Ltd
Other Subjects
Benchmarking; Hazards; Logistic regression; Bi-level problems; Congestion; Critical factors; Dynamic network; Logistic Regression modeling; Mixed integer programming; Pedestrian evacuations; Pedestrian simulation; Integer programming; benchmarking; computer simulation; guideline; hazard assessment; model validation; numerical model; optimization; pedestrian; traffic congestion
Type
journal article