Gerges, M; Penn, S; Moore, D; Boothman, C and Liyanage, C (2018) Multi-storey residential buildings and occupant's behaviour during fire evacuation in the UK: Factors relevant to the development of evacuation strategies. International Journal of Building Pathology and Adaptation, 36(3), pp. 234-253. ISSN 23984708
Abstract
Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to investigate human behaviour during fire evacuations in multi-storey residential buildings through a focus on the challenges and obstacles that occupants face. In addition, the paper aims to study all the various behaviours that are relevant to the evacuation strategies/plans in the UK of multi-storey buildings in large cities. Design/methodology/approach: A literature review was conducted to identify the factors occupants face and also the decision making of occupants regarding the methods of egress. A mixed methods research was adopted using interviews and a questionnaire survey. The findings from the interviews and survey are benchmarked against the information gathered from the literature review. Findings: The paper identifies various challenges that occupants face when evacuating a multi-storey residential building. In terms of the decision-making process, the research results evidence that occupants could be given more information on the evacuation procedures within their specific building. The paper also finds that occupants remain reluctant to use a lift during evacuation in fire event, irrespective of any signage clearly stating that is appropriate to do so in the context of modern lift technology. Originality/value: This paper contributes to the body of knowledge available on the evacuation of multi-storey buildings located in large cities within the UK, outlining the potential areas for future research, focussed on providing an insight of the behavioural decisions made by the occupants make when evacuating a building in the event of a fire.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | decisions; egress; evacuation; human behaviour; lifts; multi-storey |
| Index terms: | residential building, mixed method, decision-making process, decision-making, methodology, questionnaire, evidence, body of knowledge, interview, face, literature review, strategy, survey, human behaviour |
| Subjects: | data analysis and analytics, knowledge management, psychology, health behaviours and lifestyles, evaluation and assessment methods, data collection methods, construction type, decision analysis, management, research methods |
| Topics: | Organizational Design, Construction Technology, Risk Management, Research Practice, Information Management, Business Strategy |
| Descriptive scope: | 5 PCTEA |
N.B. Descriptive scope is a count of how many of the five facets of empirical research are indicated by the words used in title, abstract and keywords. It is not intended as a judgement on the research; merely a count of the kind of word we would expect to indicate Phenomenon, Concepts, Theoretical framing, Empirical techniques, Analytical techniques. If all five are present, then a code of “5 PCTEA” will indicate this. If you feel the coding for this record is questionable, we welcome discussion around the terms we matched or the way we categorized them. The facet you would expect may not be coded, or a facet may be coded inappropriately. This can also bear on a larger question, of which facets should be treated as defining in construction management research. Please get in touch, and we will look at it. More details here