Simulation of evacuation processes using a bionics-inspired cellular automaton model for pedestrian dynamics

We present simulations of evacuation processes using a recently introduced cellular automaton model for pedestrian dynamics. This model applies a bionics approach to describe the interaction between the pedestrians using ideas from chemotaxis. Here we study a rather simple situation, namely the evacuation from a large room with one or two doors. It is shown that the variation of the model parameters allows to describe different types of behaviour, from regular to panic. We find a non-monotonic dependence of the evacuation times on the coupling constants. These times depend on the strength of the herding behaviour, with minimal evacuation times for some intermediate values of the couplings, i.e. a proper combination of herding and use of knowledge about the shortest way to the exit.Comment: 19 pages, 13 pictures, accepted for publication in Physica

Simulation of space acquisition process of pedestrians using Proxemic Floor Field Model

We propose the Proxemic Floor Field Model as an extension of the Floor Field Model, which is one of the successful models describing the pedestrian dynamics. Proxemic Floor Field is the Floor Field which corresponds to the effect of repulsion force between others. By introducing the Proxemic Floor Field and threshold, we investigate the process that pedestrians enter a certain area. The results of simulations are evaluated by simple approximate analyses and newly introduced indices. The difference in pedestrian behavior due to the disposition of the entrance is also confirmed, namely, the entrance in the corner of the area leads to the long entrance time because of the obstruction by pedestrians settling on the boundary cells

Cellular automaton simulations of pedestrian dynamics and evacuation processes

We present applications and numerical results for a bionics-inspired cellular automaton approach to pedestrian dynamics [1,2]. The model is able to reproduce collective effects and self-organization phenomena encountered in pedestrian traffic, e.g. lane formation in counter flow. Here we present an analysis of the quantitative impact of the so-called sensitivity parameters kS and kD during evacuation processes. Furthermore the model is applied to the problem of optimization of evacuation times

From Ant Trails to Pedestrian Dynamics

This paper presents a model for the simulation of pedestrian dynamics inspired by the behaviour of ants in ant trails. Ants communicate by producing a pheromone that can be smelled by other ants. In this model, pedestrians produce a virtual pheromone that influences the motion of others. In this way all interactions are strictly local, and so even large crowds can be simulated very efficiently. Nevertheless, the model is able to reproduce the collective effects observed empirically, eg the formation of lanes in counterflow. As an application, we reproduce a surprising result found in experiments of evacuation from an aircraft