Effect of the Effective Clear Width of Door in a Modular Classroom on Evacuation Time

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to measure and analyze the change in evacuation time according to the effective clear width of the entrance door of a modular classroom using an evacuation simulation program. In order to measure the evacuation time in this manner, a scenario was constructed to analyze the change in evacuation time owing to the increase in the effective clear width of the entrance. On the one hand, an entrance door width exceeding 140 cm did not affect the evacuation time. On the other hand, the evacuation took the longest when the door width was much narrower (60 cm). As the effective clear width of the entrance to the modular classroom increases, the evacuation time decreases. If the modular classroom is occupied by many students, it is necessary to establish a separate rule for the effective clear width of the entrance in the Rule on the Standard for Evacuation and Fire Structure of Buildings.