A simulation model for emergency evacuation time of a library facility using EVACNET4

The objectives of this article are to present the findings of a case study conducted to determine the optimal emergency egress time for the main library of King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, using an evacuation simulation model; discuss the importance of the use of evacuation simulation models to architects, fire protection engineers and facilities managers; and demonstrate the importance of using an evacuation simulation model in understanding evacuation performance and conducting building safety assessment. The authors have reviewed the published literature in the field of evacuation analysis considering level of service (LOS) as a significant factor; studied the input requirements of the evacuation simulation model EVACNET4 and estimated the same for the library facility at King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals; and examined selected results and validated the same using FPETool. The study revealed that the evacuation times obtained using both EVACNET4 and FPETool for the library are different and vary 49 seconds in magnitude. Risk to life as a result of fire in buildings is a key concern for facility managers, architects and insurance companies. This study could be of practical help to fire protection engineers and facilities managers from the viewpoint of emergency evacuation planning in specific facilities, and to architects during the process of designing the spatial layout of the library facility, where even minor changes in the layout can have large impacts on egress time.