Pablo Cristian Tissera

A Hybrid Simulation Model to Test Behaviour Designs in an Emergency Evacuation

The paper shows a computer simulation in order to specify and implement a simulation model that allows to investigate behavioural dynamics for pedestrians in an emergency evacuation. We present a hybrid model where the dynamics of fire and smoke propagation are modelled by means of Cellular Automata and for simulating people behaviour we are using goal oriented Intelligent Agents. The model consists of two sub-models, called environmental and pedestrian. We have prototyped a methodology that is able to model some of the frequently observed human behaviours in evacuation exercises. The decision making-process is determined by the current behaviour. The set of behaviours are included in an engine of behaviour associated to each agent. This hybrid model along with the computational methodology allows us building an artificial environment populated with autonomous agents, which are capable of interacting with each other. Furthermore, in order to test some human behaviours, we developed simple exercises where the model is applied to the simulation of evacuation processes.

Evacuation Simulation Supporting High Level Behaviour-based Agents☆

Abstract Computer based models describing pedestrian behaviour in an emergency evacuation play a vital role in the development of active strategies that minimise the evacuation time when a closed area, with a relatively small number of fixed exits, must be evacuated for a large number of people. The proposed model has a hybrid structure where the dynamics of fire and smoke propagation are modelled by mean of Cellular Automata and for simulating peoples behaviour we use Intelligent Agents. Each agent will possess certain psychological, physiological and social characteristics and based on information that is capable of receiving from its sensors, it may perceive what is happening around, and then take a decision that will reflect its ability to cope with the emergency evacuation, called in this work, behaviour. The simulation model consists of two sub-models, called pedestrian and environmental. As part of the pedestrian model, we have prototyped a methodology that is able to model some of the frequently observed human behaviours in evacuation exercises. In order to test the developed behaviours, we choose simple exercises where the model is applied to slightly different situations of an evacuation due to a potential hazard, such as fire, smoke or some kind of collapse.