# A BIM-Based Smart System for Fire Evacuation
## 3 Application to a Research Building of Lille University  
### Presentation of the Building  
The smart evacuation system was applied to the 4 th floor of the research building ESPRIT of Lille University, which hosts the Civil Engineering and Geo-Environment Laboratory (LGCgE). The total area of this space is equal to 1256 m\({}^{2}\). It includes offices, technical rooms, kitchen, and WCs. This space hosts about 50 users, including faculty members, Ph.D. students, and technical staff. Figure 2 shows the BIM model of the ESPRIT building by providing a 3D section in the LGCgE laboratory, including the building's geometry, compartments, and components. The BIM model provides data and information to the fire simulation module to (i) estimate the fire expansion configuration; (ii) identify the suitable egress routes for each partition; and (iii) assist as a basis for the agent simulation module.  
Figure 3 illustrates the LGCgE main entrance with the fire equipment, emergency evacuation, and sensors. The fire equipment includes fire detectors, extinguishers, and alarms. In addition, the space is equipped with multi-sensors, including environmental sensors such as temperature, humidity, indoor air quality, and open/close sensors for windows and doors. Through these sensors, the system can monitor and interact in real time during the fire.  
The CO concentration was under 2500 ppm for both scenarios; therefore, the CO data were not used for ASET computation. For the first scenario, the smoke density, visibility, and temperature variation during the fire simulation are illustrated in Figure 5. Exit 1 is the most affected because it is closest to the fire source. The smoke reaches its limit at exit 1 within 27 s (Figure 5a), the visibility attains 13 m at 52 s (Figure 5c), and the temperature reaches 60 \({}^{\circ}\)C (Figure 5b) at 91s. The smoke continues to grow and reaches exit 2 (265 s), then exit 3 (337 s), before starting by impacting the floor below around 340 s. The occupants near exit 2 (203 s) have visibility difficulty before exit 3 (546 s). According to Table 2, exit 1 is impassable after 27 s (first ASET stage), exit 2 is blocked at 203 s (second ASET stage), and exit 3 at 334 s (third ASET stage).  
Figure 4: LGCgE plan view—fire simulation input.  
Figure 5: Tenability variation for the first scenario (kitchen fire scenario).  
The electrical fault is close to exit 2. Thus, the occupants' visibility is first impacted at this exit (83 s) (Figure 6b). The smoke density boundary reaches exit 3 (254 s) before exit 1 (441 s) (Figure 6a). In this scenario, the maximum temperature (50 \({}^{\circ}\)C) occurs at exit 2 (Figure 6c). Based on Table 3, the exits are blocked as follows: exit 2 at 83 s (first ASET stage), exit 3 at 254 s (second ASET stage), and exit 1 at 441 s (third ASET stage).  
\begin{table}
\begin{tabular}{c c c c} \hline \hline
**Limits** & **Exit 1** & **Exit 2** & **Exit 3** \\ \hline Smoke Density & 27 s & 265 s & 337 s \\ \hline Visibility & 58 s & 203 s & 546 s \\ \hline Temperature & 91 s & NA & NA \\ \hline ASET & 27 s & 203 s & 337 s \\ \hline \hline \end{tabular}
\end{table}
Table 2: ASET computation for door exits in the first scenario (kitchen fire scenario).  
Figure 6: The tenability variations with time for the second scenario (electrical fire scenario).