Assessing Human Exposure to Fire Smoke in Underground Spaces: Challenges and Prospects for Protective Technologies

Jialin Wu, Meijie Liu, Yongqi Tang, Yehui Xu, Feifan He, Jinghong Wang, Yunting Tsai, Yi Yang and Zeng Long ()
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Jialin Wu: College of Safety Science and Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing 211816, China
Meijie Liu: College of Safety Science and Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing 211816, China
Yongqi Tang: College of Safety Science and Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing 211816, China
Yehui Xu: College of Safety Science and Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing 211816, China
Feifan He: School of Safety Science, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
Jinghong Wang: College of Safety Science and Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing 211816, China
Yunting Tsai: College of Safety Science and Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing 211816, China
Yi Yang: College of Safety Science and Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing 211816, China
Zeng Long: School of Emergency Management and Safety Engineering, China University of Mining and Technology (Beijing), Beijing 100083, China

Sustainability, 2025, vol. 17, issue 22, 1-19

Abstract: Urban underground spaces, including tunnels, subways, and underground commercial buildings, have grown quickly as urbanization has progressed. Fires frequently break out following industrial accidents and multi-hazard natural disasters, and they can severely damage human health. Fire smoke is a major contributor and a major hazard to public safety. The flow patterns of fire smoke in underground spaces, the risks to human casualties, and engineering and personal protective technologies are all thoroughly reviewed in this work. First, it analyzes the diffusion characteristics of fire smoke in underground spaces and summarizes the coupling effects between human behavior and smoke spread. Then, it examines the risks of casualties caused by toxic gases, particulate matter, and thermal effects in fire smoke from both macroscopic case studies and microscopic toxicological viewpoints. It summarizes engineering protection strategies, such as optimizing ventilation systems, intelligent monitoring and early warning systems, and advances in the application of new materials in personal respiratory protective equipment. Future studies should concentrate on interdisciplinary collaboration, creating more precise models of the interactions between people and fire smoke and putting life-cycle management of underground fires into practice. This review aims to provide theoretical and technical support for improving human safety in urban underground space fires, thereby promoting sustainable urban development.

Keywords: underground space fire; smoke control; risk assessment; respiratory protection; urban sustainability; human behavior; evacuation modeling (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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