The Effect of Escalator Height on Fire and Disaster Evacuation in Buildings: A Simulation-Based Approach

As building height increases, the escalator is used more frequently. Individuals who are unable to hold safety railings may lose balance during fire alarms or emergency stops. Shorter stair heights shift the body’s center of gravity, making movement easier. This experimental study assessed evacuation times for varying stair heights when escalators were used during emergencies. Escalator accidents were investigated, and both domestic and international studies on stair height were analyzed. Evacuation efficiency based on stair height was also evaluated through a simulation. Our findings indicate that smaller step heights resulted in a shorter evacuation time and facilitated safer evacuation. Therefore, if the simulation program is further refined, it could be applied in real-world scenarios and conduct further research on evacuations.