A Simplified Aggregate Approach to Design Effective Escape Routes for Buildings

In this paper, a specific methodology to define effective escape routes using evacuation time as selection criterion is shown. Feasible solutions are generated and compared in terms of evacuation time computed by means of an aggregate model. The proposed aggregate approach can be easily implemented and allows a prompt first attempt evaluation in case of the lack of commercial software or tools suitable to perform advanced and more sophisticated simulations. Results obtained from simulations are compared with data recorded from an experimentation on a test site conducted in a primary school located in an Italian town; an application of the whole procedure, consisting in designing escape routes for an existing school, is also presented.