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Author
Averill, J. D. | Reneke, P. A. | Peacock, R. D.
Title
Required Safe Egress Time: Data and Modeling.
Coporate
National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD
Book or Conf
Performance-Based Codes and Fire Safety Design Methods. 7th International Conference. Sky is the Limit. Proceedings and Case Studies. April 16-18, 2008, Society of Fire Protection Engineers, Bethesda, MD, Auckland, New Zealand, 301-311 p., 2008
Keywords
performance based codes | fire safety | safety engineering | regulations | egress | fire data | fire models | computation | evacuation | occupants | people movement | exit signs | computational fluid dynamics | databases
Identifiers
Required Safe Egress Time (RSET); Available Safe Egress Time (ASET); distributions of data; mean descent speeds for occupants during 3 building evacuations; model theory
Abstract
This paper identifies sources of uncertainty in RSET (required safe egress time) calculations, with focus on data and modeling. A model for efficiently calculating the range of egress solutions for a particular design is presented. Three recommendations for future research are proposed. First, future data collections and model inputs should utilize distributions. Second, future data collections should focus on emergency evacuation data rather than fire drill data. Finally, modeling output should utilize cumulative distribution functions to visualize the range of egress solutions.