Measurement verification of computer simulations for the escape route lighting installation

The purpose of the study was to determine the performance accuracy of the simulation of escape route lighting installations using the most popular programs supporting the lighting design - DIALUX and RELUX and possible errors associated with illuminance measuring of emergency escape lighting. In order to complete the projects we have selected five emergency lighting luminaires with LED sources with different luminous intensity distributions and the value of the luminous flux. Four types of luminaires have been mounted on the wall under the ceiling, at a height of 2 m above the floor, and the fifth type - on the wall at a height of 0.58 m. Calculations in both programs have been made for a corridor with dimensions of 22 × 2 × 2.28 m, and based on the most accurate possible calculation grid and only on direct light from luminaires. Lighting requirements have been determined in accordance to the provisions of the standard EN 1838: 2013 Lighting applications - Emergency lighting for escape routes with a width of 2 m. To verify in practice performed projects we have made measurements of horizontal illuminances of escape route lighting. The measurements have been taken on the floor of the real corridor which sizes were the same as in computer simulations. The measurements have been made in the centre line and on the 1 m central band of corridor, using the same escape route luminaires as in computer simulations. The walls and ceiling of the corridor were white, and blue-gray floor. The second stage of verification of performed computer simulations were measurements of illuminance of the same escape route luminaires as in computer simulations taken in a room with black walls, ceiling and floor. These measurements have been made in the central line and on the central band at the width of 1 m. Such interior was designed to provide the most similar conditions of propagation of the luminous flux to the computer simulations. A comparison of these measurements with the calculated values of illuminance should determine the correctness of the performed projects.