Human behaviour in road tunnel safety design: evacuation modelling vs Italian Risk Analysis Method (IRAM)

Road tunnel fires are non-recurrent events which have led the researchers to investigate the best risk analysis methodology. At the moment, the European Directive 2004/54/EC on minimum safety requirements for tunnels in the Trans-European road network gives only general statements. Consequently, practitioners have often difficulties to define the best way to ensure the desired safety conditions inside tunnels. The Directive also gives the designer the possibility to use innovative safety methods and procedures which provide an equivalent or higher level of protection than current technologies. The study of the evacuation process requires the analysis of many factors and processes related to human behaviour, such as pre-movement times (e.g. reluctance to leave the vehicle), interactions between occupants, interactions between occupants and smoke, herding behaviours, way-finding, etc. Italian Risk Analysis Method (IRAM) - described in the Italian Guidelines for Road Tunnel Safety Design of 2009 - as well as a set of well known evacuation models, have been analysed, taking into account the way the two methods represent the human behaviour-related factors. Conclusions on the use of the two methodologies are provided, focusing on their strength and weakness. Finally, possible developments and improvements in the two methods are given.

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://www.piarc.org/en/order-library/13949-en-Proceedings%20of%20the%20XXIVth%20World%20Road%20Congress,%20Mexico%20-%202011.htm
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Abstract reprinted with permission of the World Road Association – PIARC.
• Corporate Authors:

  World Road Association (PIARC)

  La Grande Arche, Paroi Nord, Niveau 5
  F-92055 La Defense Cedex,   France 
• Authors:
  • Ronchi, E
  • Colonna, P
  • Berloco, N
• Conference:
  • 24th World Road Congress
  • Location: Mexico City , Mexico
  • Date: 2011-9-26 to 2011-9-30
• Publication Date: 2011

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Features: References; Tables;
• Pagination: 13p
• Monograph Title: 24th World Road Congress Proceedings: Roads for a Better Life: Mobility, Sustainability and Development

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Behavior; Evacuation; Fires; Hazards and emergency operations; Human factors; Safety management; Vehicular tunnels
• Subject Areas: Highways; Safety and Human Factors; Security and Emergencies; I85: Safety Devices used in Transport Infrastructure;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01505804
• Record Type: Publication
• ISBN: 2840602679
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Jan 27 2014 11:31AM