Pedestrian Flow Simulation Validation and Verification Techniques

For the verification and validation of microscopic simulation models of pedestrian flow, we have performed experiments for different kind of facilities and sites where most conflicts and congestion happens e.g. corridors, narrow passages, and crosswalks. The validity of the model should compare the experimental conditions and simulation results with video recording carried out in the same condition like in real life e.g. pedestrian flux and density distributions. The strategy in this technique is to achieve a certain amount of accuracy required in the simulation model. This method is good at detecting the critical points in the pedestrians walking areas. For the calibration of suitable models we use the results obtained from analyzing the video recordings in Hajj 2009 and these results can be used to check the design sections of pedestrian facilities and exits. As practical examples, we present the simulation of pilgrim streams on the Jamarat bridge. The objectives of this study are twofold: first, to show through verification and validation that simulation tools can be used to reproduce realistic scenarios, and second, gather data for accurate predictions for designers and decision makers.Comment: 19 pages, 10 figure

Quantitative validation of PEDFLOW for description of unidirectional pedestrian dynamics

The results of a systematic quantitative validation of PEDFLOW based on the experimental data from FZJ are presented. Unidirectional flow experiments, totaling 28 different combinations with varying entry, corridor and exit widths, were considered. The condition imposed on PEDFLOW was that all the cases should be run with the same input parameters. The exit times and fundamental diagrams for the measuring region were evaluated and compared. This validation process led to modifications and enhancements of the model underlying PEDFLOW. The preliminary conclusions indicate that the results agree well for densities smaller than 3 m-2 and a good agreement is observed even at high densities for the corridors with bcor = 2.4 m, and bcor = 3.0 m. For densities between 1 and 2 m-2 the specific flow and velocities are underpredicted by PEDFLOW.Comment: 6 pages, 3 figures, 1 Table, conference PED201

Modeling Crowd Turbulence by Many-Particle Simulations

A recent study [D. Helbing, A. Johansson and H. Z. Al-Abideen, {\it Phys. Rev. E} 75, 046109 (2007)] has revealed a "turbulent" state of pedestrian flows, which is characterized by sudden displacements and causes the falling and trampling of people. However, turbulent crowd motion is not reproduced well by current many-particle models due to their insufficient representation of the local interactions in areas of extreme densities. In this contribution, we extend the repulsive force term of the social force model to reproduce crowd turbulence. We perform numerical simulations of pedestrians moving through a bottleneck area with this new model. The transitions from laminar to stop-and-go and turbulent flows are observed. The empirical features characterizing crowd turbulence, such as the structure function and the probability density function of velocity increments are reproduced well, i.e. they are well compatible with an analysis of video data during the annual Muslim pilgrimage

Effects of communication efficiency and exit capacity on fundamental diagrams for pedestrian motion in an obscure tunnel|a particle system approach

Fundamental diagrams describing the relation between pedestrians speed and density are key points in understanding pedestrian dynamics. Experimental data evidence the onset of complex behaviors in which the velocity decreases with the density and different logistic regimes are identified. This paper addresses the issue of pedestrians transport and of fundamental diagrams for a scenario involving the motion of pedestrians escaping from an obscure tunnel. % via a simple one--dimensional particle system model. We capture the effects of the communication efficiency and the exit capacity by means of two thresholds controlling the rate at which particles (walkers, pedestrians) move on the lattice. Using a particle system model, we show that in absence of limitation in communication among pedestrians we reproduce with good accuracy the standard fundamental diagrams, whose basic behaviors can be interpreted in terms of the exit capacity limitation. When the effect of a limited communication ability is considered, then interesting non--intuitive phenomena occur. Particularly, we shed light on the loss of monotonicity of the typical speed--density curves, revealing the existence of a pedestrians density optimizing the escape. We study both the discrete particle dynamics as well as the corresponding hydrodynamic limit (a porous medium equation and a transport (continuity) equation). We also point out the dependence of the effective transport coefficients on the two thresholds -- the essence of the microstructure information

Analyzing Stop-and-Go Waves by Experiment and Modeling

The main topic of this paper is the analysis and modeling of stop-and-go waves, observable in experiments of single lane movement with pedestrians. The velocity density relation using measurements on a 'microscopic' scale shows the coexistence of two phases at one density. These data are used to calibrate and verify a spatially continuous model. Several criteria are chosen that a model has to satisfy: firstly we investigated the fundamental diagram (velocity versus density) using different measurement methods. Furthermore the trajectories are compared to the occurrence of stop-and-go waves qualitatively. Finally we checked the distribution of the velocities at fixed density against the experimental one. The adaptive velocity model introduced satisfies these criteria well.Comment: Fifth International Conference on Pedestrian and Evacuation Dynamics, March 8-10, 2010, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD US

Pedestrian dynamics in single-file movement of crowd with different age compositions

An aging population is bringing new challenges to the management of escape routes and facility design in many countries. This paper investigates pedestrian movement properties of crowd with different age compositions. Three pedestrian groups are considered: young student group, old people group and mixed group. It is found that traffic jams occur more frequently in mixed group due to the great differences of mobilities and self-adaptive abilities among pedestrians. The jams propagate backward with a velocity 0.4 m/s for global density around 1.75 m-1 and 0.3 m/s for higher than 2.3 m-1. The fundamental diagrams of the three groups are obviously different from each other and cannot be unified into one diagram by direct non-dimensionalization. Unlike previous studies, three linear regimes in mixed group but only two regimes in young student group are observed in the headway-velocity relation, which is also verified in the fundamental diagram. Different ages and mobilities of pedestrians in a crowd cause the heterogeneity of system and influence the properties of pedestrian dynamics significantly. It indicates that the density is not the only factor leading to jams in pedestrian traffic. The composition of crowd has to be considered in understanding pedestrian dynamics and facility design.Comment: 11 pages, 13 figures, 3 table