Research on spatial information transmission efficiency and capability of safety evacuation signs. (15th July 2023)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Fan, Ruiwen; Dai, Zhangyin; Tian, Shixiang; Xia, Ting; Huang, Congbao
• Is Part Of: Journal of building engineering. Volume 71(2023)
• Publication Date: 2023-07-15
• Subjects: Safety evacuation signs -- Simulation experiments -- Fire drills -- Spatial direction information -- Transfer efficiency and capability; Building -- Periodicals; 690.05
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jobe.2023.106448
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2352-7102

Abstract

Abstract: Fires in buildings are among the high-frequency disasters experienced in urban areas. Improving the efficiency of emergency evacuation during fires can effectively reduce casualties. Safety evacuation signs offer indispensable spatial direction information for emergency evacuation, and the spatial relationship between safety signs and evacuees affects response times as well as evacuation efficiency. The research presented in this paper took two kinds of safety evacuation signs—namely, hangtag-type and embedded—as the research object, and a simulation experiment and fire drill were designed to gauge the transfer efficiency and capability of the spatial direction information they conveyed. The results show that the space angle of the hangtag-type safety evacuation sign was inversely proportional to the transfer efficiency and capability of the spatial direction information, and a fire drill confirmed this conclusion. When the spatial angle of the embedded safety evacuation sign was 5° the transfer efficiency and capability of the spatial direction information increased, the participants in the fire drill took less time, on average, to escape, and a higher percentage chose unfamiliar exits. In addition, three-dimensional safety evacuation signs were designed on the basis of the research results, and their functional structure was improved, which can make fire emergency evacuation more efficient. Highlights: Researches the information transfer efficiency and capability of safety evacuation signs. Proposes a formula for calculating the visible area of safety evacuation signs. Demonstrates that route selection is affected by the spatial angle of safety evacuation signs. Designs a safety evacuation sign with a three-dimensional spatial structure.