Mendeley  

Zotero  

Soroush S, Ghayoor Baghbani S M. Simulation of the Evacuation of Disabled People and War Veterans From Crowded Religious Places Using the Particle Swarm Optimization Algorithm. Disaster Prev. Manag. Know. 2026; 16 (1) :154-173
URL: http://dpmk.ir/article-1-758-en.html

Background and objective Emergency evacuation management in buildings, especially crowded religious places, plays an important role in reducing potential casualties and injuries when a disaster occurs. Simulating people's behavior and crowd movement is an effective factor in the safe design of these places. In this regard, paying attention to the mobility conditions and needs of people with disabilities and war veterans is of particular importance in planning for their emergency evacuation. This study aimed to use the particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm to simulate and improve the evacuation process of pilgrims, especially people with disabilities and veterans, from Imam Reza Shrine, Mashhad, Iran.
Method In designing the evacuation model using the PSO algorithm, factors such as the conditions and mobility limitations of people with disabilities and veterans, the arrangement of environmental elements and equipment, obstacles on exit routes, and route guidance markers were considered. Then, the effect of changing the arrangement of environmental elements and adding lights to guide and evacuate people was examined.
Results The simulation showed that appropriate changes in the arrangement of environmental elements and the use of directional lighting could facilitate people's evacuation. The proposed model also enabled the examination of different evacuation scenarios, accounting for environmental characteristics and variations in people's movement. The PSO algorithm had suitable potential for modeling crowd behavior and identifying optimal evacuation routes in crowded religious places.
Conclusion The PSO algorithm can be used as a practical approach in simulating emergency evacuation and evaluating the design of religious spaces. Simultaneous consideration of the conditions of disabled people and veterans, environmental obstacles, and route guidance equipment can help evacuate people more quickly and safely and improve crisis management planning. The proposed model can be used in the design, assessment, and renovation of other crowded urban areas in Iran.