Sustainable Development Through Dynamic Emergency Evacuation Signage: A BIM- and VR-Based Analysis of Passenger Behavior

Xuena Zhao, Yang Bian, Xiaohua Zhao (zhaoxiaohua@bjut.edu.cn) and Yu Zhang
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Xuena Zhao: College of Metropolitan Transportation, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing 100124, China
Yang Bian: College of Metropolitan Transportation, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing 100124, China
Xiaohua Zhao: College of Metropolitan Transportation, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing 100124, China
Yu Zhang: College of Metropolitan Transportation, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing 100124, China

Sustainability, 2025, vol. 17, issue 6, 1-20

Abstract: To explore the influence of emergency evacuation signs on passengers’ behavior during subway fires and to enhance evacuation efficiency sustainably, this study proposes a dynamic emergency evacuation sign scheme. Utilizing a building information modeling (BIM) and virtual reality (VR) technology simulation platform, two schemes—current static signage and a novel dynamic signage system—are developed and evaluated. The research focuses on four scenarios combining varying crowd conditions (2:8 and 5:5) with signage types. Through experiments, we compare the performance of the current signage and the new dynamic signage in terms of evacuation efficiency and wayfinding difficulty. The results indicate that the dynamic identification system significantly improves evacuation efficiency, reduces incorrect route choices, and minimizes passenger confusion. Particularly in a complex scenario with a 2:8 crowd state, the dynamic signage effectively helps passengers avoid the negative impacts of group decision errors. Additionally, individual characteristics such as age, gender, spatial ability, and evacuation training experience significantly influence evacuation performance. By reducing risks, enhancing urban resilience, and optimizing evacuation processes, this study contributes to sustainable urban infrastructure safety. The findings provide a theoretical basis for designing sustainable emergency signage systems that address the social, economic, and environmental aspects of resilience in urban transportation.

Keywords: dynamic emergency evacuation signage system; fire; sustainable development; evacuation behavior; virtual reality; generalized estimating equations (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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