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Escape behavior in factory workshop fire emergencies: a multi-agent simulation

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Abstract

In this study, a multi-agent simulation is conducted to explore the relationship between fire escape survival rate and occupants’ risk preferences and stress capacity. The results indicate that, the escape survival rates for occupants with different risk preferences and stress capacities can be significantly different. More specifically, the simulation shows that the smaller the number of occupants is in a fire, the higher the survival rate can be expected. In addition, the simulation shows that the larger the number of individuals with stronger stress capacities is in a group, the higher the escape survival rate the group has. Moreover, the simulation shows that the more disperse the individuals’ risk preferences is in a group, the higher the escape survival rate the group has. Based on the simulation results, the paper proposes a framework of E-evacuation system to guide the rational escape and evacuation when enterprise workshop fire occurs. Suggestions for increasing escape survival rates during fires are provided.

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Acknowledgments

This study was supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (90924010) and Independent Innovation Research Fund of Wuhan University of Technology (2013-lv-002).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Management, Wuhan University of Technology, Hubei, 430070, People’s Republic of China

    Kefan Xie, Jia Liu & Yun Chen

  2. Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA, 23529, USA

    Yong Chen

Authors
  1. Kefan Xie
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  2. Jia Liu
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  3. Yun Chen
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  4. Yong Chen
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Correspondence to Yun Chen.

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Xie, K., Liu, J., Chen, Y. et al. Escape behavior in factory workshop fire emergencies: a multi-agent simulation. Inf Technol Manag 15, 141–149 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10799-014-0185-1

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