Abstract: In order to solve the bottleneck effect at the exit of the building under panic, the Pathfinder simulation software was used to propose a method based on regulating the structural effects from the civil engineering. The symmetrical obstacle is compared with the anti slide pile to study the position change of the adjustable arch shape of the obstacle, and to solve the bottleneck effect at the exit. The physical models under different scenarios were simulated. The effects of the spacing between obstacles and exit and obstacle shape on evacuation performance were analyzed by time quantitative comparison of three sets of experiments. Combined with pedestrian path diagram and cross-sectional density distribution, the mechanism of failure of pedestrian arch caused by symmetric obstacles was analyzed. The results show that the set of symmetrical obstacle at the building exit to adjust the position of the arched structure can separate the interior space of the arch effectively, and reduce the high-density region, form the protection space, thereby improve the evacuation efficiency of the pedestrian effectively.

Key words: symmetric obstacle, bottleneck effect, pedestrian arch, Pathfinder, pedestrian evacuation