Parameters of Pedestrian Flow for Modeling Purposes

Abstract

Seventy years of foot traffic flow research in Russia provided unique empirical data base of travel speed values at different flow density, ranging from 0 up to 13–14 persons/m2 obtained in approximately 35.000 counts in 100 series of observations and experiments in the different buildings, city territories, route types and experimental settings. The laws for crossing of boundaries of adjacent sectors of paths, crowding of people, merging, reforming and diffusion of flows were developed. The flow traffic through door openings, cross and contra-flows, movement on a router with “unlimited” width and other special cases were also investigated. Accumulated empirical database was used to establish valid psychophysiological law describes relation between flow travel speed and flow density considering emotional state of people. This law was expressed as random function. Established relations were validated against actual observations, experiments and unannounced evacuations which involved able-body and disabled people. Due to high reliability of established laws they were used in all related Russian building codes and also used for flow/evacuation modeling aimed to provide safety of building occupants. Obtained results are presented in the given paper.