Evacuation Simulation

You can perform evacuation simulation either locally using Fenix+ 3 Classic or remotely using Fenix Server.

Evacuation simulation for projects created with the demo version of the program is carried out over the Internet on the developer’s server. Such projects shall comply with a number of requirements (for more information, see the email with the download link for the demo version of the program).

Fenix+ 3 Classic implements the individual model of human flow to simulate the evacuation of people from a building.

The movement of the human flow is based on three principles:

1. People evacuate through exits using the shortest route.
2. People avoid obstacles in their ways.
3. People avoid collision with other people.

In the aspeact of running evacuation simulation, Fenix+ 3 Classic provides the following options:

• It is not necessary to separate a building into sections

• You can simulate evacuation from multi-level buildings

• Simulation results for each scenario are stored in separate text files, which can easily be opened in another program to obtain additional information

• You can visualize simulation results and see how people evacuate from the building in the step by step mode

Scenario Requirements

To successfully perform evacuation simulation, the scenario shall comply with the following requirements:

1. The scenario shall have at least one person and one exit that is not blocked. If there are no exits in the scenario, then people cannot evacuate; if there are no people in the scenario, then there is no one to evacuate. In both cases, evacuation is not possible.
2. Evacuation simulation parameters are specified correctly (for more information, see Evacuation Simulation Parameters). If the evacuation simulation parameters are not configured correctly, then some people may not evacuate.
3. Bottom levels of all objects on the scene are aligned with each other. If bottom levels of objects are not aligned, then some people may not evacuate.
4. All objects are aligned horizontally. If not all objects are aligned horizontally, then some people may not evacuate.

Alignment of bottom levels of the objects on the scene

People can evacuate using horizontal levels as well as stairways and ramps, which connect one horizontal level to another.

To go from one horizontal level to another, people use a stairway or ramp, which connects these two levels (even if there is only 1 mm difference between them).

The horizontal levels that people can use are determined by the following objects on the scene:

• Floor. A person can move in any part of the horizontal level determined by the level of the floor.

• Exit. A person can move in any part of the horizontal level determined by the bottom level of the exit. The exception can be levels determined by the upper levels of slabs and landings.

• Slab and landing. A person can move only within the outlines of slabs and landings on horizontal levels determined by the upper levels of slabs and landings.

In addition, people can evacuate using horizontal levels in case, there are no obstacles in their ways.

A stairway connects two horizontal levels when its upper and bottom levels is aligned with those horizontal levels.

Examples of alignment of bottom levels of the objects on the scene

• One-flight stairway connecting two floors.

1. The bottom level of the stairway is aligned with the level of the floor.
2. The upper level of the stairway is aligned with the level of the upper floor.

• A two-flight stairway connecting two floors.

1. The bottom level of the lower flight should be aligned with the level of the floor.
2. The upper level of the lower flight should be aligned with the upper level of the landing or slab.
3. The bottom level of the upper flight should be aligned with the upper level of the landing or slab.
4. The upper level of the upper flight should be aligned with the level of the upper floor.

• A single-flight stairway connecting the floor and the exit, “raised” above the floor.

1. The bottom level of the stairway should be aligned with the level of the floor.
2. The upper level of the stairway should be aligned with the bottom level of the exit.

Horizontal alignment of bottom levels of the objects

• The upper and bottom edges of the stairway can be anywhere on the floor.

• The upper and bottom edges of the stairway shall be located in the outline of the slab or landing, or touch them along the their entire length. If there is a gap between the edges and the landing, then people will not be able to overcome it.

Evacuation Simulation Parameters

Evacuation routes

In some cases (for example, if there is a turnstile on the evacuation route), it may be necessary to set up specific parameters of the evacuation routes.

To set up the evacuation route parameters, do the following:

1. Click Simulation | Evacuation Simulation Parameters.
2. Switch to the Evacuation Routes tab.
3. Select the desired scenario.
4. Enter the desired parameter values.
5. Click Apply.

Simulation control

When the Interrupt simulation, when people remain in the high-density flow for a long time option is selected, the program automatically interrupts simulation in case people are located in the high-density human flow longer than the specified period of time.

You can specify the critical density of the human flow and define the maximum time period during which people can be located in the high-density human flow.

When the evacuation simulation is interrupted, you can analyze evacuation results and make necessary changes to the scenario, so that people spend less time in the high-density human flow.

Starting and Stopping Evacuation Simulation

To start evacuation simulation, open the Simulation Control tab, select Evacuation for a desired scenario and click the button.

To quicly start evacuation simulation, click the button and then click Evacuation simulation.

You can run evacuation simulation for multiple scenarious simultaneously.

Fenix+ 3 Classic allows to run evacuation simulation using Fenix Server (for more information, see Running Simulation With Fenix Server).

To stop evacuation simulation, click the button.

Before starting the simulation, the program will check the scenario for errors that may affect the evacuation simulation (for more information, see Checking a Project for Errors).

If critical errors are detected in the scenario, an error panel will be displayed at the bottom of the program window.

If there are critical errors in the scenario, the program cannot perform evacuation simulation.

You should eliminate all critical errors. Only after that the program can perform evacuation simulation.

The program can also detect non-critical errors in the scenario, so that it is possible to perform evacuation simulation but the simulation results can be incorrect. If such errors are detected in the scenario, a corresponding warning message will appear.

In this case, you can ignore the warning and try to perform simulation without eliminating errors, or revise errors and only after that perform simulation.

In the Fenix+ 3 Classic, the evacuation simulation process has the following statutes:

Not calculated — evacuation simulation for the scenario has never been performed, or you have made changes to the scenario so that you need to repeat evacuation simulation.

Running — evacuation simulation is currently running for the scenario.

Done — evacuation simulation for the scenario has been successfully performed.

Error — an error occurred during the evacuation simulation that did not allow to complete the simulation. In this case, it is recommended to contact technical support. Before sending a request to technical support, make sure that there are no warning and error messages in the error panel.

Loop — a person or a number of people cannot choose the direction of the movement so that the program cannot complete simulation. If this error occurs, use recommendations provided in Problems That May Occur During the Evacuation Simulation.

Interrupted — evacuation simulation is interrupted due to the fact that people remained in the high-density flow for more than 6 min. This status is displayed only in case the corresponding option is selected in the evacuation simulation parameters (for more information, see Evacuation Simulation Parameters).

When you perform evacuation simulation using Fenix Server, the following additional statuses are possible:

Sending — the program sends the project to the server.

Verification — the project is verified that restrictions are observed on the server.

In queue — the project is waiting for the server to start simulation.

Archiving — the simulation results are being archived before the server sends them to the local computer.

Download — the archived simulation results are being downloaded to the local computer.

Extracting — simulation results are being extracted from the archive.

You can always visualize evacuation simulation results regardles of their status.

Evacuation Simulation Results

Evacuation simulation results are stored in the following folder:

“..\Project Directory\Results\Scenario Id\evac”

Where:

• Project directory — the directory where the project file is located;

• Scenario Id — the identifier of the scenario in the project.

The scenario identifier is not displayed anywhere in the program. To open the folder with the evacuation simulation results, you should double click Evacuation for a desired scenario on the Simulation tab.

The evacuation simulation results are stored in the following files:

• “result_info.xml” contains information about the program version used to perform simulation, total simulation time, and files with simulation results.

• “exits_summary.tsv” summary information on exits. It contains information on the total number of people evacuated through each exit, as well as the evacuation time of the first and the last person.

• “peoples_detailed_XXXXXX_X.tsv” stores detailed information on people. It contains information about the location, orientation, and flow density in the evacuation routes. There can be multiple files of this type. File names differ only in XXXXX_X, which indicates the time when the simulation is started and events are recorded.

• “peoples_summary.tsv” stores summary information on people. It contains information about all exits through which people are evacuated, the start time of evacuation, the total evacuation time, the total time spent in the high-density flow and the distance traveled by each person.

• “registrators_summary.tsv” stores summary information on detectors. It contains information about the total number of people passed through each detector, as well as the time when the first person and the last person passed through the detector.

• “scenarios_summary.tsv” contains information about the start time of the evacuation, the total time of the evacuation, the total time of the high density flow, the total number of people in the scenario and the total number of evacuated people.

• “immobile_rescue.tsv” contains infromation about assisted evacuation of non-mobile people by employees using stretchers.

• “PROJECT NAME.fnx” is a copy of the project, which includes only one scenario, whose results are stored in the same folder. The project extension may differ from “.fnx” (for more information, see Logical Structure of Project Folder).

You can open these files and view information with any text editor. Thus, you can view and analyze simulation results without using program tools.

We do not recommend editting files with simulation results. Otherwise, the program will not be able to download them and will have to perform the simulation again.

The program stores files with evacuation simulation results for a scenario untill you run a new simulation in this scenario. Changing evacuation simulation parameters, editing objects or moving people on the scene does not modify or delete files with evacuation simulation results. If you make changes to the scenario and close the project without running a new simulation, when you open the project again the program will display the evacuation results from the previous simulation that do not reflect the changes you have made to the scenario since that time.

Viewing general information on evacuation simulation results

To view general information on the evacuation simulation results, open the Simulation results tab and then switch to the Evacuation simulation results tab. As a result, the summary information on the current scenario, all exits and registering devices will be displayed.

Visualizing the fire dynamics simulation

To visualize the fire dynamics simulation, use the visualization panel.

To display the visualization panel, click the button on the additional toolbar.

The visualization panel is intended for visualization of evacuation as well as fire dynamics simulation results. To visualize the evacuation simulation results, select the Evacuation results option and click the button.

For more information on visualization panel, see Visualization Tab.

Evacuation Schemes

The Fenix+ 3 Classic allows to create evacuation schemes for all floors of the building.

Before you create the evacuation schеmes, perform the evacuation simulation in the scenario.

To display the evacuation schemes, click in the Scheme section on the visualization panel.

A typical evacuation scheme is illustrated in the picture below.

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The program allows you to configure evacuation schemes parameters. For this, click in the Scheme section on the visualization panel.

As a result, the following window will open.

In the Path width section, you can specify path width for evacuation flow in schemes.

In the Indicate number of occupants section, you can choose to indicate a number of occupants in the evacuation flow.

Editing these parameters also affects the way evacuation schemes are displayed in the report (for more information, see Report Structure).

Evacuation Flow Density Map

Fenix+ 3 Classic allows to display evacuation flow density maps for all floors in the building. Using these maps, you can learn about density of evacuation flow on the floors.

To display a density map for a certain floor, select a desired floor in the scenario browser and then click button in the Density map section on the visualization panel.

Before you create evacuation flow density maps, perform evacuation simulation in the scenario.

A typical evacuation flow density map is illustrated in the picture below.

You can estimate changes in the density of evacuation flow using color indicators on the map as follows: a dark blue color (unrestricted evacuation flow) - a light blue - green - yellow - red (dense evacuation flow).

The program allows you to configure density maps parameters. For this, click the button in the Density map section on the visualization panel.

As a result, the following window will open.

In the BG discard field, specify the range of the blue-green spectrum, which should not be displayed on the maps.

In the Cell size field, specify the cell size, which will be used when creating density maps.

We recommend you to change the cell size when you configure density maps parameters only for stairways.

In the Algorythm field, select the algorythm for creation of density maps. It is recommended to use the With visibility option, which is selected by default. If the nearest opton is selected, the density maps will be created with the accent on the places where the evacuation flow is highly dense.

To create density maps for landings, select the Transfer from landings to stairways.

Editing these parameters also affects the way evacuation schemes are displayed in the report (for more information, see Report Structure).