A study of evacuation model based on personnel vision change

Abstract

This paper proposes a new model for characterizing the emergency evacuation process of people during a disaster. This model considers the change of visual field based on a cellular automata model combined with a behavioral heuristic model. Using the behavioral heuristic model, the dynamic field parameters related to the change of visual field are first established. Then, new judgment rules are developed for personnel encountering obstacles by combining the characteristics of the new field of view. Finally, an analytical comparison is made between the proposed model and the traditional evacuation model in terms of the changes in the fields of view and the number of evacuees. The results show that the level of path service determines the efficiency of evacuation. It is also seen that herd mentality acts as a hindrance in cases where the personnel are dependent while otherwise acting as a facilitator. It is also shown that the evacuation time increases by the number of evacuees up to a certain threshold. Beyond that threshold the evacuation time fluctuates within a certain range by increasing the number of evacuees is not affected by changes in the field of view. The new model is also faster than the social force model, easier to calculate on a large scale, and more realistic than the traditional cellular model.