Invited Student Paper - Microsimulation of University Campus Evacuation Challenges: A Case Study

This paper attempts to simulate different and possible challenges which may face campus-like emergency evacuations. Using the Tennessee State University (TSU) campus located in Nashville as a case study, a VISSIM based emergency evacuation simulation analysis was conducted. Different evacuation strategies and scenarios were simulated under various transportation infrastructures within the campus, including varied evacuation time, parking lot locations and utilization levels, main (signalized) and minor (unsignalized) intersections surrounding the campus. The simulation results, including network and intersection performances were analyzed under different evacuation scenarios in terms of number of vehicles evacuated, distance traveled, delay, speed, number of stops and level of service (LOS), the findings which are presented in this paper. It was found that the evacuation will be efficient only when the parking lots are 50% or less utilized but will fail beyond that level of occupancy. Considering different evacuation scenarios, full evacuation was achievable only after 80 minutes evacuation time. The challenges were observed on whether to utilize signalized or non-signalized access from the campus. Most of the signalized intersections performed at an undesired level of service with evacuation targeted at 15 minutes or 30 minutes, but improved to LOS D or better for evacuation targeted at 50 minutes to 80 minutes. Intersection delay evacuation model followed power function with a negative scaling factor. Though different campuses have different layouts and configurations, the study findings are assumed to align with problems which might be faced in other similar campuses especially those close to CBD areas as TSU.

• Supplemental Notes:
  • This paper was sponsored by TRB committee ABR30 Standing Committee on Emergency Evacuations. Alternate title: Microsimulation of University Campus Evacuation Challenges: A Case Study
• Authors:
  • Danner, Dewayne
  • Chimba, Deo
  • Soloka, Kevin
• Conference:
  • Transportation Research Board 97th Annual Meeting
  • Location: Washington DC, United States
  • Date: 2018-1-7 to 2018-1-11
• Date: 2018

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Features: Figures; Maps; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 14p

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Campus parking; Case studies; Evacuation; Hazards and emergency operations; Microsimulation; Networks; Parking lots; Signalized intersections; Traffic delays; Travel time; Trip length; Universities and colleges; Unsignalized intersections
• Identifier Terms: Tennessee State University; VISSIM (Computer model)
• Geographic Terms: Nashville (Tennessee)
• Subject Areas: Highways; Operations and Traffic Management; Security and Emergencies; Vehicles and Equipment;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01659938
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: 18-00226
• Files: TRIS, TRB, ATRI
• Created Date: Feb 13 2018 9:53AM