The　destructive　forces　of　an　earthquake　are　known　to　be　very　large.　In　addition,　it　is　difficult　to　predict　exactly　when　and　how　an　earthquake　will　occur.　Thus,　earthquakes　will,　to　a　great　extent,　endanger　people＇s　lives　and　result　in　tremendous　economic　losses　to　society　when　they　occur.　In　recent　years,　earthquakes　have　taken　place　worldwide,　causing　great　damage　to　people＇s　lives　and　property.　As　a　result,　all　levels　of　government　across　the　world　pay　particular　attention　to　earthquake　emergency　planning　and　incorporate　emergency　planning　into　their　comprehensive　transportation　plans.　Shelters,　as　the　destination　of　evacuees,　play　an　important　role　in　earthquake　emergency　evacuation　plans.　The　objective　of　this　paper　is　to　define　principles　of　planning　and　layout　for　emergency　evaluation　shelters　and　to　explore　an　approach　for　choosing　suitable　shelters　for　earthquake　emergency　evacuation.　Likelihood-of-candidate,　a　comprehensive　indicator　for　shelter　selection,　is　introduced　in　this　study　as　a　tool　to　rank　shelters　to　be　chosen.　Three　factors　are　outlined　as　influencing　the　ranking　of　likelihood-of-candidate　of　a　shelter:　1)　capacity　of　facility,　2)　quality　of　facility,　and　3)　accessibility.　The　likelihood-of-candidate　model　is　built　up　to　quantitatively　determine　the　relative　status　of　shelters　to　be　chosen.　The　model　is　validated　and　calibrated　using　data　from　Beijing,　China.　©　2011　ASCE.