Evacuation model

Thes models have been under development since the late 1970s and they are now widely to assess the time required to evacuate buildings, cities or wider regions.

These models emphasise traffic flow, route optimisation and infrastructure capacity – addressing the logistical challenges of moving large populations over significant distances.

[16][17] At the microscopic scale, each individual is modelled as an independent agent with unique characteristics such as speed, decision-making abilities, and interactions with others, making this approach ideal for detailed simulations of small spaces like buildings.

[18] Macroscopic models, on the other hand, treat people as a collective flow, using principles similar to fluid dynamics to represent large crowds or populations in more general terms, often applied to large-scale evacuations such as citywide scenarios.

[23][27] Network-based models abstract the environment into nodes and links, where movement is simplified to navigating from one point to another along predefined paths, commonly used in large-scale scenarios like transportation networks.

[3] Their primary application is to ensure compliance with building codes and safety standards, particularly in structures where prescriptive fire regulations may not be easily met.

[15] Event planners and security personnel also rely on evacuation models to ensure the safety of large crowds during mass gatherings, enabling them to plan efficient exits in case of emergencies.