Due　to　the　fact　that　escape　panics　are　unexpected　and　dangerous,　which　excludes　real-life　experiments　because　of　technical　difficulties　and　ethical　reasons,　the　evacuation　simulations　in　real-life　disasters　are　still　rare.　In　this　paper,　the　escape　panics　of　classroom　evacuation　in　real-life　2013　Ya＇an　earthquake　in　China　are　simulated　and　reproduced　using　the　social　force　model.　Firstly,　a　robust　differential　evolution　(DE)　is　employed　to　calibrate　and　optimize　the　parameters　of　social　force　model　to　achieve　a　desired　nonlinear　evacuation　speed　which　is　consistent　with　real-life　video　data.　It　is　demonstrated　the　DE-calibrated　social　force　model　can　reproduce　the　characteristics　of　pedestrian　flow　in　the　real-life　earthquake　evacuation　including　the　nonlinear　evacuation　speed　curve　and　the　pedestrian　position　distributions　at　different　time.　Moreover,　the　trained　evacuation　leader　has　remarkable　impact　on　the　evacuation　process　which　can　be　beneficial　to　maintain　the　calm　and　order　of　crowd,　decrease　the　desired　velocity　of　crowd,　and　thus　avoid　fatal　accident　to　the　most　degree.　Finally,　different　layouts　of　classroom　have　similar　evacuation　efficiency　because　different　internal　layouts　can　only　change　partial　flow　of　pedestrians　in　the　left　and　right　corridors,　and　total　flow　aggregating　in　the　exit　of　classroom　is　still　unchanged.　However,　total　evacuation　time　can　be　sharply　reduced　to　17.　s　from　above　36.　s,　and　evacuation　efficiency　has　almost　doubled　when　the　back　door　is　open,　which　means　we　should　try　to　keep　all　the　emergency　exits　open　in　order　to　provide　the　crowd　with　more　chances　to　escape　when　disasters　occur.　©　2015　Elsevier　Ltd.