Human exit choice in crowded built environments: Investigating underlying behavioural differences between normal egress and emergency evacuations

Abstract

Egress behaviour of pedestrians in crowded complex confined spaces is investigated in this study. Despite recent methodological progress in the development of simulation tools for predicting crowd egress and evacuation, little is known based on empirical data about the underlying rules that govern exit wayfinding of pedestrians in multi-exit places. Particularly, fundamental differences between behavioural features of emergency and non-emergency egress have not been fully explored by previous studies. Stated-choice data was collected in face-to-face interviews with passengers as they exited a major railway station in Melbourne. Participants were asked what exit decision they would have made ..