Validation of EvacuatioNZ Model for High-Rise Building Analysis

Type of content
Theses / Dissertations
Publisher's DOI/URI
Thesis discipline
Fire Engineering
Degree name
Master of Engineering in Fire Engineering
Publisher
University of Canterbury. Civil Engineering
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Language
Date
2007
Authors
Tsai, Wei-Li
Abstract

This thesis covers a variety of analytical approaches that validate the use of the EvacuatioNZ model on high-rise building analysis. Through performing a number of sensitivity analyses, several model deficiencies as well as functional limitations were improved upon and part of the model developments are continued based on the previous research done by two Master's students at the University of Canterbury. In this thesis, data from three evacuations were considered for different validating aspects. These evacuations were, a hypothetical 21-storey hotel building located in the United States of America, which was previously simulated using Simulex and EXIT89; a trial evacuation that was carried out in a 13-storey office building located in Canada; and a fire drill conducted at a 21-storey office building located in Australia. Overall, the results indicated that the EvacuatioNZ is able to produce reasonable predictions of the total evacuation time regardless of the number of floors involved. The component testing also showed satisfactory outcomes regarding the involvement of disabled occupants, complexity of node configurations, and different pre-movement time distributions. However, the current model still has a number of limitations that need to be verified and tested. These include the preferred route function and the connection problem for long stairs. Further research should also be carried out on the use of the Evacuation model on other types of building structures so as to increase the confidence level of utilizing the EvacuatioNZ model for general applications.

Description
Citation
Keywords
Human behaviour in fire, egress simulation, network model, high-rise buildings
Ngā upoko tukutuku/Māori subject headings
ANZSRC fields of research
Rights
Copyright Wei-Li Tsai