Modeling of Safe Evacuation Conditions at the Construction Site for Building Type “I”

Abstract

To ensure the safety of construction site personnel and to improve the efficiency of emergency safety evacuation of site personnel, this study analyzes the risk reasons for fire accidents and the characteristics of combustion fires on construction sites. Based on a refined BIM model, a numerical simulation of the fire situation is performed using PyroSim (2019 version) software on a construction site. In the Pyrosim fire simulation model, fire scenarios with distinct construction stages and fire source locations are set up to simulate, compare, and analyze the varying pattern of each fire product in various fire scenarios. Using this information with the Pathfinder (2019 version) simulation model, a coupled simulation test of fire evacuation is conducted to assess the safety of evacuating individuals in each fire scenario. The results show that flammable materials in open spaces are more risky to burn than in confined spaces. After optimizing the utilization of safety exits and the density of people in the second simulation, it was found that the required safety evacuation time was reduced to 267 s, which is lower than the available safety evacuation time of 318.5 s for each scenario. All fire scenarios meet the safe evacuation criteria. The study results can provide a theoretical basis for developing fire response strategies for construction units and contribute to site safety management.