Evacuation Access Simulation during Earthquake Disaster in Vertical Public Housing, Rancacili Bandung as a Case Study

Abstract

In 2015 the local government relocated some residents from several squatter settlements on government land into Rusunawa Rancacili. Consequently, the relocation has affected occupant lifestyle changes as a form of adaptation in the vertical housing. This adaptation process usually has undesirable impacts. One example is the occupation of public circulation and corridors as personal storage by the occupants. This condition can reduce the space for the disaster evacuation process due to obstruction of public access. Therefore, a simulation is conducted to describe the evacuation possibilities using the actual occupation condition of the flats. The simulation compares the evacuation time required by the occupants in the ideal condition with the actual condition. This study focuses on identifying various factors that hinder the disaster process in the circulation area where obstacles exist. The simulation was conducted using the Agent-Based Modeling (ABM) method to describe occupant behavior during the evacuation process. Data were obtained through field observation surveys and interviews with Rusunawa Rancacili Block 2 residents. It is identified that the longer evacuation time is caused by the closure of exit access, the corridor obstacle with personal belongings, and the walking speed of the elderly group of occupants. The results of this study could provide a recommendation based on the design and operation management of public housing.