{"title":"Two-stage stochastic optimization of passenger evacuation routes in metro stations considering stampede incidents","authors":"Yi Yang, Dong-Fan Xie, Xiao-Mei Zhao, Bin Jia","doi":"10.1016/j.ress.2025.111047","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Stampede incidents frequently occur in densely populated metro stations during emergencies, and if not promptly addressed, they can cause more severe cascading effects, resulting in passenger injuries and even deaths. To address this issue, this study proposes a two-stage stochastic optimization model that incorporates the occurrence of unpredictable stampedes to effectively plan individualized evacuation routes for passengers. The model aims to minimize evacuation time by optimizing both the initial evacuation routes of passengers and the subsequent routes after stampede incidents, thereby mitigating passenger congestion in bottleneck areas and providing passengers with alternative destinations. By introducing auxiliary variables, the model is reformulated to reduce the constraints. The model is tested under various stampede scenarios. The results indicate that the proposed optimization strategy can significantly reduce evacuation time, as well as the density in bottleneck area of the metro station, regardless of the severity of stampede incidents. Via comprehensive sensitivity analysis, the critical factors having a significant impact on the evacuation process have been identified. This finding is expected to provide valuable insights for regulatory agencies in the effective implementation of evacuation strategies.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":54500,"journal":{"name":"Reliability Engineering & System Safety","volume":"260 ","pages":"Article 111047"},"PeriodicalIF":9.4000,"publicationDate":"2025-03-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Reliability Engineering & System Safety","FirstCategoryId":"5","ListUrlMain":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0951832025002480","RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"ENGINEERING, INDUSTRIAL","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Stampede incidents frequently occur in densely populated metro stations during emergencies, and if not promptly addressed, they can cause more severe cascading effects, resulting in passenger injuries and even deaths. To address this issue, this study proposes a two-stage stochastic optimization model that incorporates the occurrence of unpredictable stampedes to effectively plan individualized evacuation routes for passengers. The model aims to minimize evacuation time by optimizing both the initial evacuation routes of passengers and the subsequent routes after stampede incidents, thereby mitigating passenger congestion in bottleneck areas and providing passengers with alternative destinations. By introducing auxiliary variables, the model is reformulated to reduce the constraints. The model is tested under various stampede scenarios. The results indicate that the proposed optimization strategy can significantly reduce evacuation time, as well as the density in bottleneck area of the metro station, regardless of the severity of stampede incidents. Via comprehensive sensitivity analysis, the critical factors having a significant impact on the evacuation process have been identified. This finding is expected to provide valuable insights for regulatory agencies in the effective implementation of evacuation strategies.
期刊介绍:
Elsevier publishes Reliability Engineering & System Safety in association with the European Safety and Reliability Association and the Safety Engineering and Risk Analysis Division. The international journal is devoted to developing and applying methods to enhance the safety and reliability of complex technological systems, like nuclear power plants, chemical plants, hazardous waste facilities, space systems, offshore and maritime systems, transportation systems, constructed infrastructure, and manufacturing plants. The journal normally publishes only articles that involve the analysis of substantive problems related to the reliability of complex systems or present techniques and/or theoretical results that have a discernable relationship to the solution of such problems. An important aim is to balance academic material and practical applications.