Abstract: Based on the statistical analysis of obstacles in front of exit of large shopping center, taking a plaza as an example, Pathfinder was used to simulate the evacuation, and the influence rules of shapes, sizes and layouts of obstacles in front of exit on emergency evacuation were researched. The results showed that for the same occupation area, square obstacles have the greatest effect on
evacuation efficiency, the obstacles on both sides are more conducive to evacuation than those on the center, it is more reasonable to arrange the length direction of obstacles along the exit depth direction.

Key words: emergency evacuation, evacuation efficiency, Pathfinder, simulated evacuation