Simulate Fire Evacuation from a Hospital Building Using PyroSim and Pathfinder Models

Abstract

This study aims to evaluate the available safe egress time (ASET) under fire scenarios in a hospital building using PyroSim, determine the required safe egress time (RSET) using Pathfinder, and propose improvements to evacuation routes for enhancing evacuation safety. Fire scenarios were simulated in a three-story hospital building using PyroSim to analyze fire development and smoke propagation, while Pathfinder was used to simulate occupant movement during evacuation. Key parameters, including temperature (THCP), fractional effective dose (FED), visibility, and smoke layer height (LH), were evaluated together with ASET and RSET concepts. The results indicate that in scenarios without effective fire control measures, environmental conditions rapidly reach untenable levels, particularly due to smoke and toxic gas accumulation. As a result, ASET is significantly shorter than RSET, indicating unsafe evacuation conditions. Evacuation simulation results also show that evacuation time is influenced by occupant characteristics and environmental constraints. Evacuation safety is primarily governed by fire-induced environmental conditions, especially smoke and visibility. Improvement measures such as sprinkler systems can significantly enhance evacuation safety.