The analysis of escape routes and pedestrian movement are fundamental elements within an overall fire safety strategy. Simplistic quantitative methodologies are available in some engineering Standards, e.g. NFPA 130: Standard for Fixed Guideway Transit and Passenger Rail Systems is used routinely to model passenger evacuation from underground railway stations and tunnels. For \u2018non-standard\u2019 situations, such as complex multi-level buildings for example, a more sophisticated modelling approach is required.<\/p>\n
We have access to sophisticated software packages which incorporate robust and dynamic routing algorithms. These codes allow automated routing of passengers through space simulation packages for the movement and escape of large numbers of individuals through complex geometries. We are also able to link egress models to CFD simulations, using state-of-the-art technology. This allows us to evaluate whether evacuation is possible while conditions for evacuees are still tenable.<\/p>\n