Quantification of behaviour for engineering design standards and escape time calculations

Occupant behaviour in fires depends upon interactions between the occupants, the building and the developing fire. Although reasonable calculation models exist for the estimation of movement time (the time required for occupants to flow out of the building), time required for behaviours taking place before the movement phase, collectively known as pre-movement time, are poorly described and quantified. A series of monitored evacuation studies and investigations of fire incidents in a range of different building types is described. Strategies for the application of behavioural data to design standards and escape time calculation methods are discussed. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.