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Examining the effect of exit separation on aircraft evacuation performance during 90-second certification trials using evacuation modelling techniques

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  04 July 2016

S. J. Blake ,
E. R. Galea ,
S. Gwynne ,
P. J. Lawrence  and
L. Filippidis
S. J. Blake
Affiliation:
Fire Safety Engineering Group, University of Greenwich, UK
E. R. Galea
Affiliation:
Fire Safety Engineering Group, University of Greenwich, UK
S. Gwynne
Affiliation:
Fire Safety Engineering Group, University of Greenwich, UK
P. J. Lawrence
Affiliation:
Fire Safety Engineering Group, University of Greenwich, UK
L. Filippidis
Affiliation:
Fire Safety Engineering Group, University of Greenwich, UK
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Abstract

This paper examines the influence of exit separation, exit availability and seating configuration on aircraft evacuation efficiency and evacuation time. The purpose of this analysis is to explore how these parameters influence the 60-foot exit separation requirement found in aircraft certification rules. The analysis makes use of the airEXODUS evacuation model and is based on a typical wide-body aircraft cabin section involving two pairs of Type-A exits located at either end of the section with a maximum permissible loading of 220 passengers located between the exits. The analysis reveals that there is a complex relationship between exit separation and evacuation efficiency. A main finding of this work is that for the cabin section examined, with a maximum passenger load of 220 and under certification conditions, exit separations up to 170ft will result in approximately constant total evacuation times and average personal evacuation times. This practical exit separation threshold is decreased to 114ft if another combination of exits is selected. While other factors must also be considered when determining maximum allowable exit separations, these results suggest it is not possible to mandate a maximum exit separation without taking into consideration exit type, exit availability and aircraft configuration.

Type
Research Article
Information
The Aeronautical Journal , Volume 106 , Issue 1055 , January 2002 , pp. 1 - 16
Copyright
Copyright © Royal Aeronautical Society 2002 

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