LAUSR

Abstract The self-evacuation of passengers during an emergency in a metro station is an important phenomenon that needs to be analysed in detail, to ensure an effective response. Firstly, we use the principle of the ripple effect to model the spread and acquisition of information in a panic. Secondly, we use the hypothesis of herd behaviour to model the passenger decision-making process that leads to self-evacuation. We then unify these two approaches to model the phenomenon of passenger self-evacuation in an emergency in a metro station. The proposed model is integrated into pedestrian-simulation software, the initial applications of which show that it can simulate the spread of information and the evacuation of passengers better than a more conventional method. This work reported here may provide a quantitative analytical basis for developing evacuation strategies and response plans for emergencies.