Building Information Modelling (BIM) Based Fire Evacuation Simulation

by Muhammed Raşit Çevikalp | Dec 19, 2022

Project Title: Building Information Modelling (BIM) Based Fire Evacuation Simulation
Project Type: TÜBİTAK-1001
Project Coordinator: Prof. Dr. Hande Demirel

The purpose of the Building Information Modelling Based Fire Evacuation Simulation (YBIMS) project is to virtualize the human behaviors, environment and process steps during a fire evacuation to improve the decision making process for fire evacuation scenarios. All stages, methods and the conceptual model will be tested at the Istanbul Technical University, Civil Engineering Building.

You can find the detailed explanation about the project, coordinated by Prof. Dr. Hande Demirel, (https://akademi.itu.edu.tr/en/demirelha/) below.

Summary:

People living in cities spend most of their time in complex and crowded buildings, where risks they encounter are also specific to these closed areas. Among these risks; fires, due to the rapid spread of flame and smoke, is categorized as a disaster, where half of the deaths occur due to inhalation of smoke and toxic gases. Hence, building fire evacuation management is of utmost importance. The traditional fire risk reduction methods, smoke, toxic gases, objects, obstacles and structural risks that may be caused by fire cannot be dynamically addressed. For this reason, performing evacuation analyzes based on various fire scenarios by using advanced technologies is critical in terms of preventing/reducing losses. The current developments in Information Technologies make possible to develop a real-time evacuation simulation platform that can be used for decision support purposes, where dynamic risk management and human movement/interaction can be digitalized in a virtual environment that various what-if scenarios can be tested. The purpose of the Building Information Modelling Based Fire Evacuation Simulation (YBIMS) project is to virtualize the human behaviors, environment and process steps during a fire evacuation to improve the decision making process for fire evacuation scenarios. The project consists of four main stages: a) production of a three-dimensional Building Information Model (BIM), which includes geometric and semantic information required emergency management, automatization of data acquisition via implementing machine learning techniques b) the spread of flame/fire and smoke is simulated where an integrated three-dimensional dynamic risk map and associated dynamic indoor navigation routes is modelled, c) behaviors and interactions of people during the evacuation process is modelled via spatial / non-spatial decision functions of self-adaptive agent-based modelling d) generating evacuation simulations under various what-if scenario by considering the dynamic changes caused by the disaster and the evacuation process accordingly. All these stages, methods and the conceptual model will be tested at the Istanbul Technical University, Civil Engineering Building. For the success of project, an inter-disciplinary team of experts will collaborate, where a detailed management plan and work plan are presented in the project. The YBIMS project is innovative since; a) a comprehensive, innovative and tailor-made solution will be brought to the two-dimensional static fire evacuation plans, where interdisciplinary knowledge and experience are integrated b) by using real-time maps for dynamic risk management, evacuation scenarios can be tested in a virtual environment without risking human life, c) data from different sources will be integrated into the international standard three-dimensional Building Information Model (BIM), fire simulation, three-dimensional risk maps and agent-based modeling will be integrated into the same platform to make possible of interdisciplinary interaction. d) Necessary level of detail will be determined for BIM based fire evacuation simulation. e) The YBIMS project is unique in the national and international literature, especially because of the dynamic risk method and the decision-making capabilities of digital actors in the simulation environment as a result of their interaction with each other and/or building and fire/smoke. The scientific and economic impact of the YBIMS project is high. Within YBIMS, a 3D dynamic, agent-based digital simulation model and a 3D spatial database of the building will be produced. The building fire evacuation systems will be integrated in terms of disciplines, knowledge and models. The final product could be used holistic or modular manner within the campus and in other complex and crowded buildings (such as hotels, hospitals, airports, shopping malls) for risk management and risk reduction. YBIMS aims to publish nationally/internationally in scientific journals and conferences with high impact factors. Research capacity will be increased by supporting doctorate and master theses. After accomplishing the aims of the YBIMS project, the developed simulation platform will be the key asset to new national-international projects.

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İTÜ Faculty of Civil Engineering

It can be accepted that the history of ITU Civil Engineering Faculty was commenced in 1727 by the establishment of Humbarahane during the era of Damat İbrahim Paşa. However, this attempt was to no avail due to the martyrization of the studwents of this school by the Janissaries.

In 1734, during the grand viziership of Topal Osman Paşa, classes related to Civil Engineering was being taught in Hendesehane, which was founded in Üsküdar. Similarly, this school was also closed after three years due to the opposition of the Janissaries. The reasons of the tragedy that occured in Battle of Chesma, 1770 were inadequacy of the ships and the ignorance of the Ottoman Navy.

Although the Atlantic Map (1513) and the Map of Europe and the Mediterranean Sea (1523) by Piri Reis were the leading pieces of the era, Ottoman viziers were so ignorant that they claimed it was impossible for the Russian Baltic Fleet to reach the Mediterranean Sea assuming that there were no sea connection. With the proposal from Gazi Hasan Paşa and Baron de Tott, Mühendishane-i Bahri-i Humayun was established during the time of Sultan Mustafa III, aiming to train naval construction engineers. Since Ottoman Empire did not have any engineering schools at the time, military engineering classes were taught by French engineers beginning from 1784. French lecturers had to return to their country in 1788 with the increasing suppression from Austria and Russia, which were unwilling for the development and thriving of Ottoman Empire. In 1759, during the Grand Viziership of Koca Ragıp Paşa, Humbarahane was reopened in Karaağaç, Haliç (Golden Horn) and continued to teach even though it was incompetent. In 1792, Lağımcı Ocağı and Humbaracı Ocağı (Guild of Sappers) were established.