Der Fußgängerverkehr - Simulation und Experimente

In recent years and decades the development of ever more powerful computer hardware has been accompanied by the evolution of simulational or computer physics as a third element of physics next to theory and experiment. This thesis deals with the simulation of pedestrian traffic with a focus on evacuation processes. While theory and experiment, respectively empiricism, relied on each other since the dawn of modern physics, they do not necessarily rely on simulations, although they have begun to make heavy use of it. Simulations on the contrary can never be carried out meaningfully without theories and experiments backing them and making use of them in the interpretation process of the results. This dependence is reflected in this thesis, which includes elements of all three operation methods. It begins with an overview of elements that are necessary to build reliable simulation models. The interrelation between simulation, theory and experiment is set out in more detail there. Then a survey of existing models of pedestrian evacuation dynamics is given. The second chapter deals with the semantic - and therefore rather theoretical - problem of how a cellular automaton model can evolve toward a model which is better referred to as “discrete” model when the model is extended. This question is irrelevant for the issue of reliability, yet it is often asked. In the third chapter a discrete model of pedestrian evacuation dynamics is constructed and tested. The tests of the various elements of the model focus on the elements’ influence on the fundamental diagram, yet there are also some other tests which include some background from theory. The main results of this chapter are the construction of the model itself, the proof that it is very well able to reproduce a widely accepted empirical fundamental diagram up to a density of roughly four persons per square meter, and that - concerning computing times - the model is applicable to scenarios with a few million persons. The fourth chapter deals with the analysis of two observations and two experiments. The first observation was done during an evacuation exercise in a primary school. The empirical data was partly used to calibrate the parameters of the simulation and partly to compare them with the results of simulations which were done using these parameters. The second observation is a study of upstairs walking speed distributions on a long stair. In the counterflow experiment a rich variety of self-organisational structures showed up, which will be a challenge to model in the future. The finding that the sum of flux and counterflux is always larger than the flux in no counterflow situations may be seen as the most interesting result of this experiment. The main results of the “bottleneck experiment” is that the flux is neither a linear nor especially a step function of the width of a bottleneck and that therefore some legal regulations are based upon wrong assumptions. Chapter five consists of five examples with diverse focuses for the application of crowd simulations. The appendix includes a record of crowd disasters as well as - following from that - some considerations on human behavior in dangerous situations.In den vergangenen Jahren und Jahrzehnten hat sich parallel zur rasanten Entwicklung der Rechnertechnologie die Simulations- bzw. Computer-Physik als drittes Element der Physik neben Theorie und Empirie entwickelt. Diese Arbeit handelt allgemein von der Simulation des Fußgängerverkehres und hierbei speziell von der Simulation von Evakuierungsprozessen. Während Theorie und Experiment bzw. Empirie während der gesamten Geschichte der modernen Physik wechselseitig aufeinander beruhten, bedürfen beide nicht unbedingt der Simulation, auch wenn in beiden Bereichen Simulationen zu den unterschiedlichsten Fragestellungen durchgeführt werden. Simulationen hingegen kommen weder ohne Theorie noch ohne Empirie aus, sofern ihre Ergebnisse in einem quantitativen Verhältnis zur Wirklichkeit stehen sollen. Diese Abhängigkeit spiegelt sich in dieser Arbeit wieder, die daher Elemente aller drei Arbeitsweisen enthält. Sie beginnt in der Einleitung mit einem Überblick über notwendige Elemente zur Konstruktion eines verlässlichen Personenstrom-Simulationsmodells. Hierbei wird auch der Zusammenhang zwischen Simulation, Theorie und Experiment etwas näher beleuchtet. Es schließt sich ein Überblick über existierende Modelle der Personen-Evakuierungsdynamik an. Im zweiten Kapitel wird der semantischen - und daher eher theoretischen - Frage nachgegangen, wie sich ein Zellularautomatenmodell durch Erweiterungen zu einem Modell entwickeln kann, das möglicherweise besser schlicht als ,,diskretes'' Modell bezeichnet werden sollte. Diese Frage ist für die Frage nach der Verlässlichkeit der Simulationsergebnisse ohne Belang, sie wird jedoch häufig gestellt. Im dritten Kapitel wird ein diskretes Modell zur Personen-Evakuierungsdynamik präsentiert und untersucht. Die Untersuchungen der einzelnen Elemente des Modells konzentrieren sich auf die Frage nach dem Einfluss des Elementes auf das Fundamentaldiagramm. Zu einigen Elementen gibt es jedoch zusätzliche Untersuchungen mit weitergehendem theoretischen Hintergrund. Als Hauptergebnis des dritten Kapitels seien die Konstruktion des Modells selbst, der Nachweis, dass es in der Lage ist, ein weithin anerkanntes empirisches Fundamentaldiagramm bis zu einer Dichte von ca. vier Personen pro Quadratmeter sehr präzise zu reproduzieren, und dass das Modell im Hinblick auf die Rechenzeiten beim derzeitigen Stand der Computertechnik auf Szenarien mit mehreren Millionen Agenten angewandt werden kann, genannt. Im vierten Kapitel werden zwei Beobachtungen und zwei Experimente analysiert. Bei der ersten Beobachtung handelt es sich um eine Feueralarmübung in einer Grundschule. Die gewonnenen Daten werden zum einen zur Kalibrierung der Simulationsparameter benutzt, zum anderen verwendet, um sie mit Ergebnissen von mit diesen Parametern durchgeführten weiteren Simulationen zu vergleichen. Es folgt die Auswertung von Beobachtungen zur Gehgeschwindigkeit von auf einer langen Treppe aufwärts gehenden Personen. Das anschließend ausgewertete Gegenstrom-Experiment zeigt eine große Bandbreite von Selbst-Organisationsstrukturen, deren Reproduktion in Simulationen eine Herausforderung darstellt. Dass sich die Summe aus Strom und Gegenstrom immer größer herausstellt als der Strom in Situationen ohne Gegenstrom, ist wohl das interessanteste Ergebnis dieses Experimentes. Das Hauptergebnis des Engstellen-Experimentes ist, dass der Fluss weder eine lineare noch eine Stufenfunktion der Durchgangsbreite ist. Dies bedeutet, dass einige gesetzlichen Regelwerke auf falschen Annahmen beruhen. Kapitel fünf besteht aus fünf Beispielen der Anwendung von Personenstrom-Simulationen. Der Anhang enthält eine Auflistung historischer Massenunglücken sowie - darauf aufbauend - einige Überlegungen zum Verhalten in gefährlichen Situationen

On the Combination of Game-Theoretic Learning and Multi Model Adaptive Filters

This paper casts coordination of a team of robots within the framework of game theoretic learning algorithms. In particular a novel variant of fictitious play is proposed, by considering multi-model adaptive filters as a method to estimate other players’ strategies. The proposed algorithm can be used as a coordination mechanism between players when they should take decisions under uncertainty. Each player chooses an action after taking into account the actions of the other players and also the uncertainty. Uncertainty can occur either in terms of noisy observations or various types of other players. In addition, in contrast to other game-theoretic and heuristic algorithms for distributed optimisation, it is not necessary to find the optimal parameters a priori. Various parameter values can be used initially as inputs to different models. Therefore, the resulting decisions will be aggregate results of all the parameter values. Simulations are used to test the performance of the proposed methodology against other game-theoretic learning algorithms.</p

Assessing the suitability of ship design for human factors issues associated with evacuation and normal operations

Evaluating ship layout for human factors (HF) issues using simulation software such as maritimeEXODUS can be a long and complex process. The analysis requires the identification of relevant evaluation scenarios; encompassing evacuation and normal operations; the development of appropriate measures which can be used to gauge the performance of crew and vessel and finally; the interpretation of considerable simulation data. In this paper we present a systematic and transparent methodology for assessing the HF performance of ship design which is both discriminating and diagnostic. The methodology is demonstrated using two variants of a hypothetical naval ship

Proceedings of the 9th Arab Society for Computer Aided Architectural Design (ASCAAD) international conference 2021 (ASCAAD 2021): architecture in the age of disruptive technologies: transformation and challenges.

The ASCAAD 2021 conference theme is Architecture in the age of disruptive technologies: transformation and challenges. The theme addresses the gradual shift in computational design from prototypical morphogenetic-centered associations in the architectural discourse. This imminent shift of focus is increasingly stirring a debate in the architectural community and is provoking a much needed critical questioning of the role of computation in architecture as a sole embodiment and enactment of technical dimensions, into one that rather deliberately pursues and embraces the humanities as an ultimate aspiration

A vision-based optical character recognition system for real-time identification of tractors in a port container terminal

Automation has been seen as a promising solution to increase the productivity of modern sea port container terminals. The potential of increase in throughput, work efficiency and reduction of labor cost have lured stick holders to strive for the introduction of automation in the overall terminal operation. A specific container handling process that is readily amenable to automation is the deployment and control of gantry cranes in the container yard of a container terminal where typical operations of truck identification, loading and unloading containers, and job management are primarily performed manually in a typical terminal. To facilitate the overall automation of the gantry crane operation, we devised an approach for the real-time identification of tractors through the recognition of the corresponding number plates that are located on top of the tractor cabin. With this crucial piece of information, remote or automated yard operations can then be performed. A machine vision-based system is introduced whereby these number plates are read and identified in real-time while the tractors are operating in the terminal. In this paper, we present the design and implementation of the system and highlight the major difficulties encountered including the recognition of character information printed on the number plates due to poor image integrity. Working solutions are proposed to address these problems which are incorporated in the overall identification system.postprin

Foundations of Trusted Autonomy

Trusted Autonomy; Automation Technology; Autonomous Systems; Self-Governance; Trusted Autonomous Systems; Design of Algorithms and Methodologie

Job shop scheduling with artificial immune systems

The job shop scheduling is complex due to the dynamic environment. When the information of the jobs and machines are pre-defined and no unexpected events occur, the job shop is static. However, the real scheduling environment is always dynamic due to the constantly changing information and different uncertainties. This study discusses this complex job shop scheduling environment, and applies the AIS theory and switching strategy that changes the sequencing approach to the dispatching approach by taking into account the system status to solve this problem. AIS is a biological inspired computational paradigm that simulates the mechanisms of the biological immune system. Therefore, AIS presents appealing features of immune system that make AIS unique from other evolutionary intelligent algorithm, such as self-learning, long-lasting memory, cross reactive response, discrimination of self from non-self, fault tolerance, and strong adaptability to the environment. These features of AIS are successfully used in this study to solve the job shop scheduling problem. When the job shop environment is static, sequencing approach based on the clonal selection theory and immune network theory of AIS is applied. This approach achieves great performance, especially for small size problems in terms of computation time. The feature of long-lasting memory is demonstrated to be able to accelerate the convergence rate of the algorithm and reduce the computation time. When some unexpected events occasionally arrive at the job shop and disrupt the static environment, an extended deterministic dendritic cell algorithm (DCA) based on the DCA theory of AIS is proposed to arrange the rescheduling process to balance the efficiency and stability of the system. When the disturbances continuously occur, such as the continuous jobs arrival, the sequencing approach is changed to the dispatching approach that involves the priority dispatching rules (PDRs). The immune network theory of AIS is applied to propose an idiotypic network model of PDRs to arrange the application of various dispatching rules. The experiments show that the proposed network model presents strong adaptability to the dynamic job shop scheduling environment.postprin