A Virtual Reality A Virtual Reality Bushfire Mitigation Tool Bushfire Mitigation Tool

for Community for Community ConsultationConsultation

A Virtual Reality A Virtual Reality Bushfire Mitigation Tool Bushfire Mitigation Tool

for Community for Community ConsultationConsultation

A.R Walker, S. Gard, A.R Walker, S. Gard,

B.J. Williamson, J.M. BellB.J. Williamson, J.M. Bell

Queensland University of TechnologyQueensland University of Technology

IntroductionIntroduction• Fire prevention and mitigationFire prevention and mitigation

– Save livesSave lives– Save propertiesSave properties

• Education key factorEducation key factor– Residents who recognised the hazard of living in a Residents who recognised the hazard of living in a

fire prone area were more likely to have taken fire prone area were more likely to have taken safety precautions against such a risksafety precautions against such a risk

– Effective community education tool are essential Effective community education tool are essential components in the fight against fire at the components in the fight against fire at the urban/rural interfaceurban/rural interface

• Virtual Reality Bushfire Mitigation Tool for Virtual Reality Bushfire Mitigation Tool for Community ConsultationCommunity Consultation

Building Standards in Building Standards in

Bushfire Prone AreasBushfire Prone Areas • AS3959-1999AS3959-1999

– Building Standard “AS3959-1999 Construction Building Standard “AS3959-1999 Construction of buildings in bushfire-prone areas”of buildings in bushfire-prone areas”

– Determines the bushfire-prone areasDetermines the bushfire-prone areas • DR05060DR05060

– Draft standard “DR05060 Construction of Draft standard “DR05060 Construction of buildings in bushfire-prone areas” buildings in bushfire-prone areas”

– Revision of AS3959-1999Revision of AS3959-1999– More comprehensive standardMore comprehensive standard– Slope, vegetation type, construction materialSlope, vegetation type, construction material

Benefits of using Virtual Benefits of using Virtual Reality as a Consultation Reality as a Consultation

ToolTool• Traditional web sitesTraditional web sites

– Bushfireinfo.com Bushfireinfo.com – Lack any interactive participation on the user’s partLack any interactive participation on the user’s part– Information presented as mainly textInformation presented as mainly text

• Virtual RealityVirtual Reality– Multi-sensory highly interactive computer-based Multi-sensory highly interactive computer-based

environmentenvironment– 3D visualisation in real-time3D visualisation in real-time – Active participant in a virtual worldActive participant in a virtual world– Can recreate unsafe environments (fire model)Can recreate unsafe environments (fire model)

VR and consultation VR and consultation • Study of 26 examples of the use of VR for public Study of 26 examples of the use of VR for public

consultation in the UK (Heame and Webster 2003). consultation in the UK (Heame and Webster 2003). • This study concluded the following advantages of VR as This study concluded the following advantages of VR as

a consultation toola consultation tool – VR is far more interactive and residents have become VR is far more interactive and residents have become

much more engaged in the consultation processmuch more engaged in the consultation process– Users of VR could see what they were going to live in and Users of VR could see what they were going to live in and

interact with it, they did not have to build up a interact with it, they did not have to build up a representation in their own minds from relatively representation in their own minds from relatively abstract/codified documents abstract/codified documents

– VR draws in those who wouldn’t normally get involved in VR draws in those who wouldn’t normally get involved in community engagementcommunity engagement

• This makes VR the prime choice for developing a This makes VR the prime choice for developing a bushfire mitigation tool for community consultationbushfire mitigation tool for community consultation

Prototype VR bushfire Prototype VR bushfire

mitigation toolmitigation tool • DR05060 standardDR05060 standard• c# .NETc# .NET• TV3D 6.2 visualisation engineTV3D 6.2 visualisation engine

3D Modelling3D Modelling• Fictitious terrain and property Fictitious terrain and property

parcel were modelled using parcel were modelled using standard CAD softwarestandard CAD software

• Various vegetation types, as Various vegetation types, as defined in the DR05060 were defined in the DR05060 were modelledmodelled

• Two buildings types modelledTwo buildings types modelled– Timber and brick construction typesTimber and brick construction types

Classification of Vegetation Classification of Vegetation

and Slopesand Slopes • Classify the Classify the

vegetation and vegetation and slope of the slope of the terrainterrain– Done manuallyDone manually– Could use GIS Could use GIS

datadata

Implementation of DR05060 Implementation of DR05060

StandardStandard • DR05060 DR05060

databasedatabase lookup lookup tabletable– Easily adjustedEasily adjusted– ScalableScalable

Bushfire Propagation Bushfire Propagation ModelModel

• Cellular automata (CA) fire propagation Cellular automata (CA) fire propagation modelmodel– Terrain split into 1m x 1m cellsTerrain split into 1m x 1m cells– Fuel value and wind direction used in CA rules Fuel value and wind direction used in CA rules

• Very simple naïve modelVery simple naïve model– Proof of concept onlyProof of concept only– No effect of convection and wind interaction No effect of convection and wind interaction – No No spotting ahead of the fire frontspotting ahead of the fire front– Very limited fire model Very limited fire model

Results and Results and DiscussionDiscussion

• Prototype VR Prototype VR bushfire mitigation bushfire mitigation tooltool

• VR functionsVR functions– 11stst person shooter interface person shooter interface– Common game controls usedCommon game controls used– Fly, walk, gravity, collision detection, Fly, walk, gravity, collision detection,

animations, viewpoints, avataranimations, viewpoints, avatar

Results and Results and DiscussionDiscussion

• DR05060 functions DR05060 functions – Add building to property parcelAdd building to property parcel– Move location on parcelMove location on parcel– Risk for each side of buildingRisk for each side of building– Construction material type displayedConstruction material type displayed– Fire danger index (FDI)Fire danger index (FDI)

Results and Results and DiscussionDiscussion

• Simulation of bushfireSimulation of bushfire– Particle emitter to achieve the visual simulationParticle emitter to achieve the visual simulation– If CA cell burningIf CA cell burning

• generate fire and smokegenerate fire and smoke– Cell’s fuel depletedCell’s fuel depleted

• No fire or smoke is emittedNo fire or smoke is emitted• Cell changed to a charcoal colour to simulate charred Cell changed to a charcoal colour to simulate charred

landscapelandscape

ConclusionsConclusions• Virtual reality bushfire mitigation tool builtVirtual reality bushfire mitigation tool built

– Will facilitate community consultationWill facilitate community consultation– Will stimulate behavioural change with regard to fire Will stimulate behavioural change with regard to fire

mitigationmitigation– First-person shooter style is well known to computer First-person shooter style is well known to computer

gamersgamers• Rapid uptake of the VR interfaceRapid uptake of the VR interface

– Fire simulationFire simulation• Shows the advantages of alternate mitigation measuresShows the advantages of alternate mitigation measures• Run fire simulations different property configurations Run fire simulations different property configurations

– Visualisation of the fire model’s footprintVisualisation of the fire model’s footprint• charcoal scar on the landscapecharcoal scar on the landscape• useful in evaluating alternate fire modelsuseful in evaluating alternate fire models• comparing them against the existing damage done to actual comparing them against the existing damage done to actual

terrainterrain

Novelty and Novelty and SignificanceSignificance

• The novelty of this research is the integration The novelty of this research is the integration of bushfire modelling and DR05060 standard of bushfire modelling and DR05060 standard with a VR interface that will allow users to with a VR interface that will allow users to assess alternate bushfire mitigation scenariosassess alternate bushfire mitigation scenarios

• The significance of this work is its ability to The significance of this work is its ability to improve community bushfire awareness and improve community bushfire awareness and stimulate behavioural change which will stimulate behavioural change which will directly reduce property damage and directly reduce property damage and potentially save lives within the rural/urban potentially save lives within the rural/urban interfaceinterface

Future WorkFuture Work• Two separate VR bushfire mitigation Two separate VR bushfire mitigation

applications plannedapplications planned– Non-expertNon-expert

• Web-based VRWeb-based VR• Generic property and terrainGeneric property and terrain• Editable parameters such as building material, Editable parameters such as building material,

vegetation and terrain.vegetation and terrain.– ExpertExpert

• PC-based VRPC-based VR• Real GIS data for terrain and vegetation Real GIS data for terrain and vegetation

informationinformation• Alternate bushfire scenarios/modelsAlternate bushfire scenarios/models

DemonstrationDemonstration• Demonstration.aviDemonstration.avi