Design of Evacuation Systems for Elevator Evacuation in High-Rise Buildings

Daniel Nilsson; Axel Jönsson

doi:10.20965/jdr.2011.p0600

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JDR Vol.6 No.6 pp. 600-609

(2011)

doi: 10.20965/jdr.2011.p0600

Paper:

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Design of Evacuation Systems for Elevator Evacuation in High-Rise Buildings

Daniel Nilsson and Axel Jönsson

Department of Fire Safety Engineering and Systems Safety, Lund University, Box 118, SE-221 00 Lund, Sweden

Received:

July 30, 2011

Accepted:

December 9, 2011

Published:

December 1, 2011

Keywords:

fire evacuation, human behavior, high-rise buildings, evacuation elevators, evacuation systems, theoryof affordances

Abstract

As tall buildings are becoming more common there is a need to examine alternative evacuation strategies. In response to this many new high-rise buildings are equipped with evacuation elevators. Traditionally, elevators have not been used for evacuation and people have been instructed to avoid using them in fire emergencies. It might therefore be quite challenging to get people to use elevators for evacuation. If evacuation elevators are to be perceived as an attractive option people must be given appropriate information and guidance. In the following paper, previous research is examined in order to identify the information required to convince people to use evacuation elevators. In addition, a theory that can aid the design of evacuation systems, i.e., the tools for conveying the information, is presented and applied. Finally, a research strategy for developing and testing new evacuation systems is presented.

Cite this article as:

D. Nilsson and A. Jönsson, “Design of Evacuation Systems for Elevator Evacuation in High-Rise Buildings,” J. Disaster Res., Vol.6 No.6, pp. 600-609, 2011.

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References

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This article is published under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 Internationa License.

[1] [1] Skyscraperpage.com,
available at http://skyscraperpage.com/diagrams/?searchID=200,
06-07-2011.

[2] [2] Skyscraperpage.com,
available at http://skyscraperpage.com/diagrams/?searchID=200&offset=50,
06-07-2011.

[3] [3] A. Ariff, “Review of Evacuation Procedures for the Petronas Twin Towers,” Proc. of the CIB- CTBUH Conf. on Tall Buildings, Kuala Lumpur Malaysia, pp. 35-42, 2003.

[4] [4] I. Hall, “Efficiant evacuation of tall buildings in fires using lifts,” University of Manchester, UK, 2010.

[5] [5] R. W. Bukowski, “Protected Elevators and the Disabled,” National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD, 2005.

[6] [6] E. Heyes, “Human Behaviour Considerations in the Use of Lifts for Evacuation from High Rise Commercial Buildings,” University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zeeland, 2009.

[7] [7] D. Nilsson, “Exit Choice in Fire Emergencies – Influencing Choice of Exit with Flashing Lights,” Department of Fire Safety Engineering and Systems Safety, Lund University, Sweden, 2009.

[8] [8] P. Rohlén, “Lastbilsbrand i Södra länken – Årstatunneln 2008-06-16 [Truck fire in Södra länken – Årsta tunnel 16-06-2008],” Brandskyddslaget, Stockholm, 2008.

[9] [9] J. J. Gibson, “The ecological approach to visual perception,” Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston, 1978.

[10] [10] E. F. Chapman, “Elevator Design for the 21st Century: Design Criteria for Elevators When Used as the Primary Means of Evacuation During Fire Emergencies,” J. of applied fire science, Vol.1, No.4, pp. 339-347, 1992.

[11] [11] E. D. Kuligowski and R.W. Bukowski, “Design of Occupant Egress Systems for Tall Buildings,” Proc. of the CIB World Building Congress 2004, CIB HTB T3S1 Design for Fire Safety, Toronto, Canada, pp. 1-11, 2004.

[12] [12] B. M. Levin and N. E. Groner, “Human factors considerations for the potential use of elevators for fire evacuation of FAA air traffic control towers,” National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD, 1994.

[13] [13] E. Heyes and M. J. Spearpoint, “Lifts for evacuation – Human behaviour considerations, Proc. 4th Int. Conf. on Human Behaviour in Fire, Interscience Communications Ltd, 13-15 July 2009, Cambridge, UK, pp. 73-84, 2009.

[14] [14] G. Proulx, E. Heyes, G. Hedman, J. Averil, J. Pauls, D. McColl, and P. Johnson, “The Use of Elevators for Egress – Discussion panel,” Proc. 4th Int. Conf. on Human Behaviour in Fire, Interscience Communications Ltd, 13-15 July 2009, Cambridge, UK, pp. 97-108, 2009.

[15] [15] N. Groner, “A situation awareness requirements analysis for the use of elevators during fire emergencies,” Proc. 4^th Int. Conf. on Human Behaviour in Fire, Interscience Communications Ltd, 13-15 July, 2009, Cambridge, UK, pp. 61-72, 2009.

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[20] [20] D. Nilsson and A. Johansson, “Social influence during the initial phase of a fire evacuation – Analysis of evacuation experiments in a cinema theatre,” Fire Safety Journal, Vol.44, No.1, pp. 71-79, 2009.

[21] [21] R. Fahy and G. Proulx, “Human behavior in theWorld Trade Center evacuation,” Fire Safety Science: Proc. of the 5th Int. Symposium, Melbourne, Australia, pp. 713-724, 1997.

[22] [22] FEMA, “World Trade Center Building Performance Study,” Federal Emergency Management Agency, Washington DC, 2002.

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[24] [24] J. Averill, D. S.Mileti, R. D. Peacock, E. D. Kuligowski, N. Groner, G. Proulx, P. A. Reneke, and H. E. Nelson, “Occupant Behavior, Federal Building and Fire Safety Investigation of the World Trade Center Disaster: Occupant Behavior, Egress, and Emergency Communications,” NIST NCSTAR 1-7, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD, 2005.

[25] [25] R. Fahy, “World Trade Center Evacuations, Presentation at Lund University,” Sweden, April 12, 2011.