Performance-based Analysis of Means of Egress using Pathfinder Program Case Study: Mixed Use Building (Shopping Mall and Office)

Abstract

This research aims to study fire evacuation simulation of building occupants using the Pathfinder program in an 18-story shopping mall and office building, with a total floor area of 18,100 square meters. The building is classified as a high-rise and special large-scale building, accommodating a total of 1,758 occupants. The objective is to analyze the performance-based evacuation capacity of the escape routes in the case study building and to propose guidelines and methods for occupant evacuation during a fire emergency. In the fire evacuation simulation, the researcher defined five fire scenarios, each including a delay in the initiation of occupant evacuation. The results from all scenarios showed that evacuation time varied depending on the fire's location. The scenario with the longest evacuation time was Scenario 2, which took 1,108 seconds (or 18.29 minutes). The shortest evacuation time occurred in Scenario 1, at 822 seconds (or 13.41 minutes). Scenarios 3, 4, and 5 took 859 seconds (14.18 minutes), 883 seconds (14.42 minutes), and 856 seconds (14.45 minutes), respectively. The similarity in evacuation times across these three scenarios indicates the efficiency of the escape routes, particularly when the fire occurs near evacuation pathways or stairwells, which directly influences evacuation time. In all five scenarios, the evacuation times complied with legal requirements, remaining within the one-hour limit. Therefore, the findings from this research can be used for planning safe and efficient fire evacuation procedures for building occupants in emergency situations, ensuring maximum safety.