An Agent-based Model for Emergency Evacuation from a Multi-floor Building

This extended abstract presents an agent-based model to enable simulations to be performed of evacuations from a multi-floor building, thus including the movement in staircases. In the model, agents select exits and staircases based on familiarity level with the building layout, spatial distance to exits, preference to evacuate via the main entrance/exit, and visibility of exits and staircases. The agentbased model has been validated using the empirical findings of an evacuation drill in the staircase of a four-floor building. The novel contribution of this research is the development of a more realistic agent-based model aimed at providing decision support for the layout design of buildings and evacuation behavioral management in emergency evacuation. That is, the agent-based model mimics people's natural movement in staircases, and involves agents' exit and staircase selection, and movement on floors. Simulations have been performed to investigate the effect on evacuation time of (i) number of agents and their familiarity with the building layout, and (ii) exit selection of agents.