Modeling Human Evacuating Behavior in Limited Space Based on Cellular Automata Model

The study of evacuation for buildings with limited space is an important part of improving evacuation efficiency and preventing stampedes. A building evacuation model was proposed based on cellular automata simulation considering different crowd states. Different flow sizes under layout environments with the same facilities as well as evacuation efficiency, bottleneck area density, and escape routes choice under the orderly and disorderly distribution conditions have also been analyzed. The results show that the initial disorderly distribution state is superior to the orderly distribution state in terms of the evacuation efficiency index. The former provides evacuees with maximum room for the corridor and the exit, with the overall evacuation density being lower than that of the latter. Evacuation along the central corridor provides more room compared to that of the two flanks, which explains why evacuees prefer to occupy the central area when space is limited, and this is detrimental to the moving capacity.