Abstract
In case of evaluating whether an architectural planning is adequate for users, it needs to consider users' behaviour under two cases of environment condition. One case is the normal condition, and the other is abnormal condition such as fire, earthquake or other disaster. In this paper, a fire evacuation model, which is one of the case under the abnormal condition, is proposed in order to estimate building layouts from the view of users' security. This model predicts users' behaviour evacuating from building on fire and estimates the safety zone or floor planning of stairs or exit. One of typical exhibition hall of the department store is examined as an example of simulation of this model using computer. There are two remarkable characteristics in this model. The first one is that the process of users' evacuation is separated in two segments. First segment is one from the occurence of fire till users' perception of fire and the second segment is from perception of fire till the successful finish of evacuation or failure of evacuation. The second characteristic is in the process of the way of users' evacuation from fire. Each indivisual decide his behaviour according to his situation which is brought by his own character and his psychological state at that time. Representing the floor plan into square grids, it became possible to examine thoroughly the relationship between users' evacuation and the layout of showcase, column, exit, etc. By using this model, the users' psychological state and the users' real action can be simulated. So this model will help to comprehend the human evacuation process which had been difficult to understand.
