Abstract:

In order to examine the effects of typical optimization measures on the efficiency and safety of evacuating bottlenecks, evacuation tests incorporating pedestrian characteristics were conducted. The test encompassed 28 distinct cases, representing different combinations of optimization measures and pedestrian traits. Parameters such as evacuation time, speed, and local occupant density were measured across all conditions. Our findings reveal that the efficacy of bottleneck optimization measures is influenced by factors such as bottleneck width, the presence of luggage, and fixed evacuation directions. Practical implementation needs a tailored approach, integrating pedestrian characteristics and site-specific control strategies. Specifically, introducing a column in front of the bottleneck significantly benefits pedestrians without luggage, leading to a 15.30% reduction in density during bottleneck navigation with narrower widths, thereby enhancing safety, and concurrently improving evacuation efficiency by 13.18% in scenarios with wider bottleneck widths. Meanwhile, introducing a rail is preferable for pedestrians carrying luggage with wider bottleneck widths, especially when combined with a fixed evacuation direction, significantly enhancing evacuation efficiency by 21.90% while maintaining safety. Among the three bottleneck configuration alterations, incorporating a funnel-shaped passage preceding the bottleneck stands out as the most effective optimization measure, resulting in a notable 9.59% reduction in density, thereby enhancing safety, along with a simultaneous 9.14% decrease in evacuation times. It is noteworthy that the implementation of a straight channel or the combination of a straight channel and a funnel-shaped passage may yield negative impacts on both safety and efficiency.

Key words: evacuation bottleneck, evacuation experiment, optimization measure, instantaneous velocity, local density