Title
Auditory marking of escape ways in smoke
Author
Boer, L.C.
van Wijngaarden, S.J.
TNO Defensie en Veiligheid
Publication year
2005
Abstract
Fire and smoke in a tunnel are dangerous because people get disoriented, blinded, and finally suffocate. When such a situation occurs (despite all precaution), sound beacons over the emergency exits could be a great help, reducing escape time through smoke. We let human participants "find refuge" from a road tunnel in dense (cosmetic) smoke. With "shussing" beacons, we obtained 20% success when there was no advance instruction and no demonstration. Advance instruction and demonstration raised the success rate to 69%. The paper reports new tests (with new participants) with "speaking" beacons. A success rate of 87% was obtained even without advance instruction and without demonstration. Walking speed was almost twice as fast as in the test with shussing beacons. The Dutch tunnel authorities were pleased with the results, and plan to introduce speaking beacons, as of 2006.
Tegen rook is geen bordje bestand, hoe flitsend ook vormgegeven. Geluidsbakens boven vluchtdeuren zijn een mooie oplossing, mits ze 'self explaining' zijn
Subject
Acoustics and Audiology
crowd evacuation
smoke
orientation
safety
tunnel evacuation
To reference this document use:
http://resolver.tudelft.nl/uuid:ce8071d2-6489-4af0-8410-42beecbf484d
TNO identifier
15898
Source
International symposium on design, construction and operation of long tunnels Taipei, Taiwan, 657-662
Document type
conference paper