Work

Elevator-assisted evacuation planning and microscopic simulation

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: As high-rise and super high-rise buildings proliferate globally, elevator-assisted evacuation has emerged as a viable strategy for enhancing evacuation efficiency during emergencies. This study develops a synchronously updated cellular automaton (CA) evacuation model that integrates a dedicated elevator movement sub-model, simulating cabin dynamics including acceleration, deceleration, and passenger boarding/alighting processes. The model incorporates synchronous updating and probabilistic conflict-resolution mechanisms to represent pedestrian interactions and decision-making during evacuation realistically. Through a case study of the 4 68-meter-tall Greenland 468 T1 Tower in Chengdu, China, the model is used to evaluate and compare multiple elevator-staircase coordination strategies, including staircase-only, fixed-ratio, and optimized multi-zone evacuation schemes. Results show that an efficiently coordinated elevator-assisted evacuation strategy can reduce total evacuation time by approximately 35% compared to a staircase-only scenario. These findings provide practical insights for evacuation planning and highlight the significant potential of integrated elevator-staircase systems to enhance life safety in supertall buildings.

Source: Physica A Statistical Mechanics and its Applications

DOI: 10.1016/j.physa.2026.131461

Authors: Hongpeng Qiu, Wei Xie, Eric Wai Ming Lee

Institutions: City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Sichuan University

Language: English

Topic: Evacuation and Crowd Dynamics

Subfield: Ocean Engineering

Field: Engineering

Domain: Physical Sciences

SDG: Sustainable cities and communities

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $3,550