EvacuSafe: A real-time model for building evacuation based on Dijkstra's algorithm

Abstract

Building evacuation strategies directly affect the success of an emergency response plan in reaction to a disastrous event in a building. Evacuation alternatives result from applying time delays or altering path planning in the evacuation strategy. The best strategy for evacuation depends on the characteristics of the building, circumstances of the particular emergency, and reactions of the evacuees during the emergency. A real-time evacuation management model that identifies the fire hazard, contemplates possibilities, foresees consequences, and eventually proposes the best strategy of evacuation during the emergency can reduce the risk of a failed evacuation. In this paper, a real-time model is proposed, whose main goal is to discover the safest strategy of path-planning at every instant of time during an evacuation. The model focuses on fire emergencies, as they are the dominant cause of fatalities in buildings compared to other types of natural and manmade disasters. The proposed model first defines a risk factor for each compartment based on the location of the fire and any potential blockages caused by structural collapse or door malfunction. The lowest risk path is then calculated based on a modified Dijkstra's algorithm. The model is developed and implemented such that it conforms to the Active Dynamic Signage System (ADSS). Herein, a model is designed to monitor the building in real-time and in case of any unexpected event, changes to the evacuation strategy are communicated to occupants using ADSS. The case study shows that the proposed model for real-time evacuation management can significantly enhance the safety level of evacuation compared to the conventional shortest path evacuation plan.