Simulation analysis of emergency evacuation in university dormitory buildings using Pathfinder

University dormitories have high occupant density and complex internal layouts, which create serious challenges for evacuation during fires or other emergencies. Traditional evacuation drills are costly, difficult to repeat, and involve safety risks. Mathematical models often ignore real pedestrian behavior and building features. Therefore, computer simulation is necessary to study evacuation across occupancy and design conditions. This study uses the Pathfinder software to analyze how pedestrian density, exit locations, and internal stairway designs affect evacuation time in a typical six-story women’s dormitory. The goal is to provide clear design recommendations to improve campus safety management and emergency planning.

The evacuation process was simulated using the Pathfinder pedestrian evacuation software. The building model was built using exact architectural data: each floor measures 75.6 m×12.6 m, is 3 m in height, and contains standard four-person rooms. All simulated pedestrians were assigned identical physical traits and walking speeds (1.45 m/s, height 1.599 m, shoulder width 35.4 cm) to represent female college students. Five occupancy levels were tested: 20%, 40%, 60%, 80%, and 100%. The simulation systematically evaluated two primary architectural variables: exit placement and internal dormitory staircase configuration. Three exit layouts were tested: exits positioned opposite the staircases, at the building’s central axis, and along the lateral sides. Additionally, four internal staircase arrangements within the dorm rooms were examined, varying in location (between paired beds, adjacent to each bed, or near the room exit) and width. Key performance indicators, including total evacuation time, average staircase congestion duration, and dynamic pedestrian flow rates at exits, were quantitatively analyzed.

The results show that building occupancy largely determines how building design affects evacuation. When the occupancy rate is 60% or lower, changing exit locations or stairway layouts has little effect on total evacuation time because low crowd density naturally prevents serious delays. However, when the rate exceeds 60%, design choices become crucial. For exit locations, placing exits directly opposite the main stairways gives the shortest evacuation time and the most stable pedestrian flow. Placing exits in the center of the building reduces the time that stairways remain crowded, making the evacuation process more stable. Placing exits on the sides causes uneven crowds and local blockages. For internal room stairways, the layout matters most when the building is full. Putting one small stairway between each bed gives the fastest room evacuation. The common design of sharing one stairway between two beds is the slowest. Adding width to the stairways helps at medium occupancy levels, but placing the stairways in better positions is more effective than only widening them.

This study shows that the dormitory evacuation rate depends on crowd density and building design. In crowded conditions, placing exits opposite the main stairways reduces total evacuation time and keeps pedestrian flow steady. Center exits help prevent stairway blockages. Inside dorm rooms, giving each bed its own small stairway works better than the traditional shared design. These results provide practical guidance for architects and campus safety managers on improving exit placement, avoiding bottlenecks, and updating emergency plans. Future studies should incorporate realistic human behaviors, such as panic and group movement, to improve simulation accuracy and support the development of more effective evacuation systems for university buildings.