Optimizing Fire Emergency Evacuation Routes in Underground Coal Mines: A Lightweight Network Flow Approach

Details

• Personal Author:
  Androulakis V ; Hassanalian M ; Khaniani H ; Lotero S ; Roghanchi P ; Shao S
• Description:
  In underground mine fires, the presence of smoke, toxic gasses, and high heat can significantly hinder the evacuees from identifying the optimal path to safety. This study presents a framework that couples a mine fire simulator software with a Ford-Fulkerson algorithm to model fire evacuations as a minimum-cost flow problem. The fire-induced risks are quantified based on the MSHA safety standards and a user-friendly FFA computes the evacuation routes. By accumulating the quantified effect of the risk exposure and updating the network depending on the mine conditions, different safe evacuation routes are identified. The algorithm is demonstrated through fire simulation data acquired from a model of the VentSim(TM) DESIGN software. Airflow quantity, air quality, heat, carbon monoxide concentration, and visibility obstruction are acquired from the simulations and processed through the proposed algorithm. Based on the distribution of the quantified hazards and the MSHA safety standards, the algorithm outputs optimal evacuation paths. The computed evacuation routes minimize the exposure to the fire-induced hazards while at the same time prioritize the shortest routes. The presented framework can be used for evaluating ventilation designs and emergency plans as well as in real-time self-evacuation in mine emergencies. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Fires Mining Occupational Health Safety Ventilation
• Keywords:
  Algorithms Author Keywords: Ford-Fulkerson Algorithm Fire Hazards Mine Fire Emergency Mine Fires Mine Ventilation Simulation Mining Industry Self-evacuation Simulation Methods Underground Mines
• ISSN:
  0886-7798
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Cooperative Agreement
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  Kentucky ; New Mexico ; OSHA Region 4 ; OSHA Region 6
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Volume:
  146
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20069499
• Citation:
  Tunn Undergr Space Technol 2024 Apr; 146:105637
• Contact Point Address:
  Vasilis Androulakis, Department of Mineral Engineering, New Mexico Tech, Socorro, NM 87801, USA
• Email:
  vasileios.androulakis@nmt.edu
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2024
• NORA Priority Area:
  Mining
• Performing Organization:
  New Mexico Institute of Mining & Technology
• Peer Reviewed:
  True
• Start Date:
  20210901
• Source Full Name:
  Tunnelling and Underground Space Technology
• End Date:
  20250831
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:e103214a5ac9e6c1890a0e91e68900bc04e484eb7d06e7525cf6b7febb86f41f0e03ac007e3a7deb301c511f22cc98316cbe9a2f5abd0aecdb7c6d231c3d3ad2
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/207932/cdc_207932_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 9.69 MB ]