Egress modelling is a performance‑based fire safety engineering service used to evaluate occupant movement and evacuation efficiency within buildings under emergency conditions. It is particularly applied to complex layouts, large floor plates, extended travel distances, and high occupant loads where prescriptive egress provisions may be restrictive or insufficient.
Egress modelling analyses occupant travel paths, exit usage, queuing, congestion, and flow rates to determine evacuation performance and overall exit capacity. The results are commonly used to support egress analysis and timed‑exit (RSET) assessments, demonstrating that occupants can reach a place of safety before conditions become untenable.
Vortex Fire applies recognised engineering principles, established research on human behaviour, and industry‑accepted egress simulation tools to assess evacuation performance in congested and large spaces. The modelling outputs provide clear 2D and 3D visualisations of occupant movement, densities, and exit utilisation, supporting informed design decisions and performance‑based justifications.
Typical applications include:
- Egress analysis
- Timed‑exit (RSET) analysis
- Demonstration of safe evacuation
Key codes, standards, and references include, but are not limited to:
- NFPA 101 – Life Safety Code
- NFPA 5000 – Building Construction and Safety Code
- NFPA 130 - Standard for Fixed Guideway Transit and Passenger Rail Systems
- International Building Code (IBC) and related performance provisions
- SFPE Engineering Guide to Performance‑Based Fire Protection
