Using virtual reality to study pedestrian exit choice behaviour during evacuations

Exit choice is vital to pedestrians’ survival during evacuations. This paper presents the results of a VR experiment and a field experiment to study pedestrian exit choice behavior during evacuations. Primarily, the authors compared pedestrian exit choice behavior with a VR experiment and a field experiment to determine the ecological validity of a particular VR simulator (smartphone-based HMD and 360° video) as a research tool to study pedestrian exit choice behavior. The results showed that the pedestrians’ exit choice behavior during the evacuation is similar in the field experiment and the VR experiment. Furthermore, the authors investigated whether and to what extent different types of information (i.e., exit signs, directional signs, presence of people) influence pedestrian exit choice during evacuations. The analysis focused on the commonalities and differences in the pedestrians’ exit choice behavior between the scenario without additional information and three scenarios with different types of information. The comparison between scenarios with different types of information illustrated that the presence of other pedestrians and directional signs have a significant influence on the participants’ exit choice. Moreover, the results indicated that this VR simulator is applicable to study pedestrian exit choice behavior during evacuations.

• Record URL:
  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssci.2021.105158
• Record URL:
  http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0925753521000011
• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/09257535
• Supplemental Notes:
  • © 2021 Yan Feng, Dorine C Duives, and Serge P Hoogendoorn. Published by Elsevier Ltd. Abstract reprinted with permission of Elsevier.
• Authors:
  • Feng, Yan
  • 0000-0003-4845-5816
  • Duives, Dorine C
  • Hoogendoorn, Serge P
• Publication Date: 2021-5

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Web
• Features: References;
• Serial:
  • Safety Science
  • Volume: 137
  • Issue Number: 0
  • Publisher: Elsevier
  • ISSN: 0925-7535
  • Serial URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/09257535

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Behavior; Emergency exits; Evacuation; Field tests; Hazards and emergency operations; Pedestrians; Route choice; Virtual reality
• Subject Areas: Pedestrians and Bicyclists; Safety and Human Factors; Security and Emergencies;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01764915
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Feb 17 2021 10:46AM