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    <title>Transport Research International Documentation (TRID)</title>
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    <atom:link href="https://trid.trb.org/Record/RSS?s=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" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml" />
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    <language>en-us</language>
    <copyright>Copyright © 2026. National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.</copyright>
    <docs>http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss</docs>
    <managingEditor>tris-trb@nas.edu (Bill McLeod)</managingEditor>
    <webMaster>tris-trb@nas.edu (Bill McLeod)</webMaster>
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      <title>Transport Research International Documentation (TRID)</title>
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      <link>https://trid.trb.org/</link>
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    <item>
      <title>Examination of Aircraft Interior Emergency Lighting in a Postcrash Fire Environment</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/2713589</link>
      <description><![CDATA[This report describes the effectiveness of emergency interior lighting in a wide-body aircraft test fuselage subjected to elevated temperatures and dense smoke generated by an external fuel fire and interior materials fire. Photometric measurements show significant smoke stratification. The dense smoke at the ceiling can reduce the effectiveness of emergency lighting sources in the upper one third of the aircraft cabin in the very early stages of a cabin fire, while temperatures are survivable in the lower two thirds of the cabin. Placing emergency lighting sources at or below the height of the passenger seat armrest can increase the time span over which the lights are effective.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 30 Jun 2026 10:54:15 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/2713589</guid>
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    <item>
      <title>Effects of guidance patterns and visibility on evacuation route choice: A virtual reality study</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/2711686</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Limited visibility caused by fire smoke poses a substantial risk to occupant evacuation, yet the effectiveness of evacuation guidance systems under realistic smoke-limited visibility remains insufficiently understood. Using an integrated virtual reality and eye-tracking framework, this study developed a controlled experimental environment for evacuation route-choice analysis, with visibility calibrated using the Landolt C method. The effects of different guidance patterns – no guidance, auditory-only, visual-only, consistent auditory-visual, and conflicting auditory-visual – under reduced visibility were examined in terms of guidance compliance, perception and decision-making efficiency, and visual perception mechanisms in route choice. Results show that the effectiveness of visual guidance declines markedly as visibility decreases, with compliance dropping to 78.7% under low visibility (2 m). In contrast, auditory guidance maintains consistently high effectiveness, with compliance exceeding 96% across all visibility conditions; however, it exerts strong negative interference with visual guidance effectiveness at subsequent junctions. Compared with auditory guidance, visual guidance yields higher perception efficiency but is associated with longer decision-making times. Additionally, perception and decision-making efficiency are lowest under the low-visibility conditions. Eye-tracking analyses further reveal that visibility primarily affects the probability of perceiving visual guidance, whereas auditory guidance influences route choice by altering both search behavior and compliance with visual cues. These findings elucidate the perceptual and behavioral mechanisms underlying auditory and visual guidance in evacuation route choice under limited visibility. The results provide empirical evidence for guided evacuation modeling and support the design of integrated evacuation guidance systems that account for varying visibility conditions.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Fri, 26 Jun 2026 13:59:51 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/2711686</guid>
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    <item>
      <title>How social influence and exit signage shape pedestrian risky exit choices during evacuation</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/2702971</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Effective evacuation depends on how individuals integrate environmental risk information and external cues when selecting an exit route. This study examines how social influence and exit signage jointly shape pedestrians’ decisions when choosing between a clear exit and a smoke-filled exit. Using an online, video-based experimental survey, 182 participants provided valid data and completed a total of 741 exit-choice trials in which they chose between a clear exit and a lightly smoky exit. Each participant completed multiple trials in a repeated-measures design, in which evacuation signage and crowd movement cues were manipulated within subjects so that exit signage and pedestrian movement independently or jointly directed movement toward the smoky exit or provided conflicting guidance. Mixed-effects logistic regression revealed a strong baseline preference for the smoke-free exit. Misleading exit signage substantially increased the likelihood of choosing the smoky exit, and this effect was further amplified when signage and crowd movement were aligned. Social influence cue alone also increased smoky exit choices, although its influence was weaker than that of signage. When signage and social influence cue conflicted, exit choices reverted toward baseline levels, indicating that contradictory information reduced reliance on external cues. At the individual level, higher perceived risk was associated with a lower likelihood of choosing the smoky exit, whereas stronger conformity tendencies predicted greater responsiveness to social and informational cues. Together, these findings show how formal guidance and social behavior interact to shape smoky exit choices under uncertainty, with implications for the design and deployment of evacuation signage in smoke-affected environments.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 18 Jun 2026 16:34:45 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/2702971</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>A novel causal inference method of exit choice behaviour analysis for passenger ships during emergency evacuation</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/2676864</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Due to the complex internal layout of passenger ships, the large number of passengers, and the presence of designated assembly points, route selection during evacuation onboard ships has increasingly become a crucial factor affecting the overall evacuation process. However, variations in passengers’ risk perception and the heterogeneity of passenger groups often lead to marked differences in exit choice behaviour. To clarify the relationship between passengers’ exit choice behaviour and influencing factors, the Double Machine Learning (DML) method is employed in this study with optimisation of the nuisance function applied to identify key factors affecting exit choice from a causal inference perspective. First, 1380 valid questionnaires are collected from passengers on ferry routes in the Bohai Bay area, covering essential dimensions such as individual attributes, behavioural preferences, and evacuation decision-making. Second, feature selection and model optimisation are conducted based on this dataset to construct a nuisance function with optimal average out-of-sample prediction performance. Finally, the DML approach is employed to conduct a causal effect analysis of exit choice behaviour, allowing for the systematic identification of key influencing factors. The findings indicate that alarm response and decision-making under congested conditions are identified by the DML as having significant causal impacts on exit choice. It is shown that relying solely on correlational analysis may lead to strategic misjudgements, whereas the application of causal inference enables more accurate identification of priority intervention targets.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 09 Jun 2026 14:43:22 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/2676864</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Naïve Subject Testing – Suite Emergency Passage Features</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/2686617</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Applicants for type design approval are working to support their airline customers by installing passenger suites that include doors between the passenger and exit.  To install these doors, an exemption to 25.813(e) is required in which one of the conditions of the exemption is that the applicant must show the emergency passage feature (EPF) is simple and obvious to open.  Applicants achieve this showing by completing a naïve subject test.  The test method currently being used combines test parameters from the naïve subject test for evacuation specified in Part 25 Appendix J, the naïve subject test for life vest donning specified in TSO-C13, and the naïve subject test for floor proximity markings outlined in AC 25.812-1 and AC 25.812-2a.  The test method has several variables involved that are debated amongst regulators and applicants on how they should be controlled.  As a result, the test is run inconsistently, and variations in how the test is performed has led to an unlevel playing field amongst applicants, delays in certification testing by seat suppliers, and conflicting design approvals.   ]]></description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 01 Apr 2026 10:17:47 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/2686617</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>MAXIMIZING PEDESTRIAN SAFETY AND EFFICIENCY: SOCIAL FORCE MODELING OF BOTTLENECK EFFECTS IN EVACUATION THROUGH UNIDIRECTIONAL HALLWAYS</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/2646033</link>
      <description><![CDATA[This research employs the Social Force Model to investigate how pedestrians move during evacuations in unidirectional hallways, with a focus on bottleneck dynamics and crowd behavior. The results reveal the optimal distances at bottlenecks that enhance safety, efficiency, and pedestrian flow, facilitating smoother evacuation processes. These findings are instrumental in designing improved evacuation routes, enhancing infrastructure planning, and refining emergency preparedness measures. By analyzing pedestrian interactions and movement limitations, this study lays the groundwork for creating safer evacuation protocols, optimizing corridor layouts, and reducing risks in high-density pedestrian settings. The insights gleaned have significant applications for emergency responders, architects, and urban planners, aiming to develop more efficient and robust evacuation infrastructures. This research underscores the importance of incorporating data-driven strategies into safety planning to enhance pedestrian safety, mitigate potential bottlenecks, and strengthen emergency response capabilities.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Mon, 23 Mar 2026 15:20:58 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/2646033</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Effect on Egress of Furniture in Egress Pathways</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/2620734</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Cabin Safety Branch (AIR-624) requires validated methods to assess how new cabin furniture (e.g., obliquely oriented seats, business-class pods, lie flat seats) placed adjacent to aisles or emergency exits that affects emergency egress, ditching, and water survival outcomes. The research will (a) quantify impacts on individual and group evacuation times and behaviors, (b) identify injury and entrapment risks, and (c) develop objective test methods and acceptance criteria to inform certification guidance and updates to relevant policy. Deliverables are required by FY28 to support pending manufacturer requests for novel cabin layouts that may be in or near certification planning.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 12 Nov 2025 11:59:40 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/2620734</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Evaluation of Tunnel Fire Factors Under Combined Smoke Exhaust</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/2600584</link>
      <description><![CDATA[With the advancement of smart construction technologies, numerous high-altitude long road tunnels have been constructed in various countries in recent years. This has brought tunnel fire safety in special environments into focus as an important challenge. This study, using Pyrosim and Pathfinder software, focuses on the design parameters of personnel egress and smoke extraction systems in high-altitude tunnel fires. Through orthogonal experiments and numerical simulations, the key factors influencing available safe egress time (ASET) and required safe egress time (RSET) are systematically analyzed. In accordance with the fire safety egress principles for road tunnels, where ASET must be greater than RSET, the study proposes a set of optimal smoke extraction design parameter combinations for different altitudes. The results indicate that in natural smoke extraction mode, the influencing factors are ranked as follows: longitudinal ventilation velocity?>?smoke vent spacing?>?altitude?>?smoke vent area. In mechanical smoke extraction mode, the order of influence is as follows: smoke vent wind speed?>?smoke vent spacing?>?altitude?>?smoke vent area?>?longitudinal ventilation velocity. The study also finds that as altitude increases, the egress speed of personnel decreases, leading to longer egress times to safe areas for trapped individuals. Different types of evacuees also significantly affect egress speed. These findings provide valuable insights for the design and operational management of smoke extraction facilities in road tunnels.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 18 Sep 2025 15:40:46 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/2600584</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Emergency Exit Operation and Location: Type III Exits Data Management Plan</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/2548913</link>
      <description><![CDATA[This project was an investigation of multiple transport category airplane Type III door dimension changes to evaluate its general impact on safety and egress speed. The goal was to provide rule makers with a generalizable result to address requests to modify airplane exits for the purpose of increasing the allowed number of passengers per door exit rating. Participants exited the door types in both an individual and group setting. There were 160 participants through six different Type III doors, of which three are currently in operation, and three are experimental. The doors that had a smaller step-up and step-down height had the fastest average egress times and the shortest range of egress times. The finding that a smaller step-up/step-down height results in a quicker egress may have implications for the certification of airplanes with Type III exits with smaller step-up/step-down heights than allowed by regulation.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 28 May 2025 16:18:21 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/2548913</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Emergency Exit Operation and Location: Type III Exits</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/2548911</link>
      <description><![CDATA[This project was an investigation of multiple transport category airplane Type III door dimension changes to evaluate its general impact on safety and egress speed. The goal was to provide rule-makers with a generalizable result to address requests to modify airplane exits for the purpose of increasing the allowed number of passengers per door exit rating. Participants exited the door types in both an individual and group setting. There were 160 participants through six different Type III doors, of which three are currently in operation, and three are experimental. The doors that had a smaller step-up and step-down height had the fastest average egress times and the shortest range of egress times. The finding that a smaller step-up/step-down height results in a quicker egress may have implications for the certification of airplanes with Type III exits with smaller step-up/step-down heights than allowed by regulation.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 28 May 2025 16:18:21 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/2548911</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Emergency Exit Operation and Location: Type III Exits (Group egress data dictionary) [supporting dataset]</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/2548912</link>
      <description><![CDATA[This project was an investigation of multiple transport category airplane Type III door dimension changes to evaluate its general impact on safety and egress speed. The goal was to provide rule makers with a generalizable result to address requests to modify airplane exits for the purpose of increasing the allowed number of passengers per door exit rating. Participants exited the door types in both an individual and group setting. There were 160 participants through six different Type III doors, of which three are currently in operation, and three are experimental. The doors that had a smaller step-up and step-down height had the fastest average egress times and the shortest range of egress times. The finding that a smaller step-up/step-down height results in a quicker egress may have implications for the certification of airplanes with Type III exits with smaller step-up/step-down heights than allowed by regulation.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 28 May 2025 16:18:21 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/2548912</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Emergency Exit Operation and Location: Type III Exits (Individual egress data dictionary) [supporting dataset]</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/2548910</link>
      <description><![CDATA[This project was an investigation of multiple transport category airplane Type III door dimension changes to evaluate its general impact on safety and egress speed. The goal was to provide rule makers with a generalizable result to address requests to modify airplane exits for the purpose of increasing the allowed number of passengers per door exit rating. Participants exited the door types in both an individual and group setting. There were 160 participants through six different Type III doors, of which three are currently in operation, and three are experimental. The doors that had a smaller step-up and step-down height had the fastest average egress times and the shortest range of egress times. The finding that a smaller step-up/step-down height results in a quicker egress may have implications for the certification of airplanes with Type III exits with smaller step-up/step-down heights than allowed by regulation.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 28 May 2025 16:18:21 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/2548910</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Development of a Revised Test Method for Evaluating the Performance of Evacuation Slide Materials During Exposure to Radiant Heat</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/2537000</link>
      <description><![CDATA[This report summarizes the research effort undertaken by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to develop an improved test methodology for determining the performance of aircraft evacuation slide materials when exposed to radiant heat. A laboratory- scale test method was previously developed by the FAA circa 1983, which used a pressurized cylinder apparatus on which a sample of evacuation slide material is mounted. The slide sample material was exposed to an electrically powered radiant heat source that simulated the heat flux typical of a fully-developed jet fuel fire. The purpose of the test was to determine the ability of an evacuation slide to maintain pressurization when the material was exposed to radiant heat, as past aircraft accidents had shown that evacuation slides were losing pressure prematurely during exposure to jet fuel fires. An adjustable voltage regulator was used to set the level of heat flux of the radiant heater before the test, as measured by the calorimeter. Once the heat flux was set, a test was conducted in which the slide material was exposed to the radiant heat source. During a test, it was possible for normal supply voltage fluctuations to increase or decrease the previously-set heat flux level of the radiant heater resulting in poor test repeatability. An improved test method in which the electrical power input to the radiant heater was continuously monitored and adjusted for the duration of the test. This ensures that fluctuations in supply voltage are accounted for, to prevent any variability in the heat flux level generated by the heater. In addition to the adjustable voltage regulator, the improved methodology also requires a digital amp meter to measure the amount of electrical current entering the radiant heater. Numerous trials were conducted to determine the repeatability of different radiant heaters and heat flux gauges to potentially improve the calibration method. The heat flux gauges proved to be much more consistent and require yearly recalibration making them essential for proper calibration of the evacuation slide test apparatus.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Mon, 28 Apr 2025 08:48:10 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/2537000</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Aviation Investigation Report: Address Noncompliant Evacuation Slide Components on Boeing Airplanes</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/2535032</link>
      <description><![CDATA[This report includes safety recommendations from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) to  the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and Boeing addressing the failure of an evacuation slide to deploy normally during an emergency evacuation. NTSB identified this issue during their ongoing investigation of an emergency landing involving FedEx flight 1376, a Boeing 757-236, in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Preliminary findings from the NTSB’s ongoing investigation indicate different reasons for the jumpseat occupant’s difficulty opening the L1 and R1 doors to deploy the respective evacuation slides. Postaccident examination of the R1 door found that the R1 bannis latch (which releases the slide pack when an armed door is opened) did not conform to the then-current configuration of the release cable assembly. Postaccident examination of the L1 door found that, although its bannis latch conformed to required modifications, the deployment strap was incorrectly routed, which prevented the door from opening. NTSB found that unairworthy bannis latches that don’t comply with Airworthiness Directives 86-09-09 and 2001-15-01 may be installed on other in-service Boeing 757-200, -200CB, and -300 series airplanes, which could lead to delayed evacuation during an emergency should the slide become jammed. Because the same bannis latch design used on certain Boeing 757 airplanes (757-200, -200CB, and -300 series) is also used on Boeing 727 and 737 airplanes, these airplane models could also have bannis latches installed that are not the correct configuration. The NTSB is issuing three safety recommendations to Boeing and four safety recommendations to the FAA. Additional actions may be recommended as the investigation proceeds.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Mon, 14 Apr 2025 17:07:03 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/2535032</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Emergency Egress for Passengers with Disabilities</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/2529966</link>
      <description><![CDATA[This research will review current industry evacuation procedures and conduct human participant research to determine optimal evacuation processes for passengers with disabilities. This project will focus on limited-mobility and non-mobile passengers occupying either aircraft seats or personal wheelchairs.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Mon, 21 Apr 2025 17:30:38 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/2529966</guid>
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