Controlling Hazardous Releases While Protecting Passengers in Civil Infrastructure Systems

[摘要] The threat of accidental or deliberate toxic chemicals released into public spaces is a significant concern to public safety, and the real-time detection and mitigation of such hazardous contaminants has the potential to minimize harm and save lives. Furthermore, the safe evacuation of occupants during such a catastrophe is of utmost importance. This research entails a comprehensive means to address such scenarios, through both the sensing and control of contaminants, and the modeling of and potential communication to occupants as they evacuate. First, a computational fluid dynamics model has been developed that is capable of detecting and mitigating the hazardous contaminant over several time horizons using model predictive control optimization. Next, an evacuation agent-based model has been designed and coupled with the flow control model to simulate agents evacuating while interacting with a dynamic, threatening environment. Finally, a physical prototype (blower wind tunnel) has been constructed with capability of detection (via Ethernet-connected camera) of and mitigation (via compressed-air operated actuators) of a `contaminant;; (i.e. smoke) to test the real-time feasibility of the computational fluid dynamics flow control model.

[发布机构] University of Michigan

[效力级别] Hazardous contaminant dispersion

[关键词] Fluid flow control;Hazardous contaminant dispersion;Computational fluid dynamics;Experimental fluid mechanics;Evacuation dynamics;Agent-based modeling;Civil and Environmental Engineering;Engineering;Environmental Engineering