Author(s)

F. Russo & C. Rindone

Abstract

In this paper a non parametric method to evaluate evacuation planning in an urban system is presented. An efficiency criterion is adopted and Data Envelopment Analysis, in the field of non parametric methods, is proposed to compare different evacuation plans. A test application is illustrated. Keywords: evacuation planning, evaluation methods, efficiency, Data Envelopment Analysis. 1 Introduction Evacuation planning allows one to analyse the exposure component of risk and works to prepare and to implement activities to reduce risk. Risk has three main components: probability (or frequency) that the event occurs; vulnerability, which is related only to the resistance of the infrastructures when the event occurs; exposure, which is an equivalent homogeneous weighted value of people, goods and infrastructures affected during and after the event. In the following, the exposure component is considered. The main measure to reduce exposure is evacuation, which consists of reducing the number of users and goods that can experience negative effects when emergency events occur [1]. An evacuation is a complex process that depends on numerous factors. Human factors play a relevant role in evacuation [2]. A generic evacuation plan can be characterised from different elements: resources involved, strategies implemented, objectives pursued. The plan, in some cases, is not ever tested in reality. Several factors can influence evacuation procedures, but some of these are not ever modelled. In recent years different tools (specific but non integrated simulation models; Decision Support System; real experimentations) have been available to support

Keywords

evacuation planning, evaluation methods, efficiency, Data Envelopment Analysis