An analysis of evacuation travel paths on stair landings by means of conditional probabilities

Published

February 20, 2014

Author(s)

Enrico Ronchi, Paul A. Reneke, Erica D. Kuligowski, Richard D. Peacock

Abstract

This paper provides the analysis of a data-set about people movement on stair landings collected during an evacuation drill performed in a six-storey office building in the United States. The evacuation drill was filmed and occupant’s behaviours on stair landings were analysed. 215 individual travel path trajectories and the corresponding time spent in the landings were collected. Data are presented using a probabilistic approach, i.e. the probability of different occupant travel paths are calculated in relation to different conditions. Two conditions have been analysed: 1) crowding conditions on the landings, and 2) the type of interactions between occupants (e.g., merging flows, deference/overtaking behaviours, etc.). Results show that a higher number of people on stair landings causes an increase in the probability for 1) longer travel paths and 2) usage of the outer boundaries on the stair/landing connections. In the case of a low occupant load and non-homogenous merging streams (a higher number of people entering the landing from the stairs than the door), floors tend to be emptied from the top to the bottom.

Citation

Fire Safety Journal

Volume

65

Pub Type

Journals

Download Paper

DOI Link

Keywords

building evacuation, merging flows, pedestrian movement, travel paths, conditional probabilities

Citation

Ronchi, E. , Reneke, P. , Kuligowski, E. and Peacock, R. (2014), An analysis of evacuation travel paths on stair landings by means of conditional probabilities, Fire Safety Journal, [online], https://doi.org/10.1016/j.firesaf.2014.02.001 (Accessed October 8, 2025)