Crossing disciplinary borders through studying walkability

Abstract

Computer-based simulations of pedestrian dynamics are aimed at improving the walkability of urban crowded scenarios, considering the pedestrians’ comfort and safety. The validation of the developed models requires a cross-disciplinary approach, and the acquisition of empirical evidences about human behavior is mandatory. The main purpose of this work is to report two case studies which allowed to perform simulations and validate the ELIAS38 agent-based computational model: (i) the naturalistic observation of pedestrian dynamics in an urban commercial-touristic walkway, focused on the impact of grouping and ageing on speed; (ii) the controlled experiment of pedestrian spatial behavior, focused on the impact of speed and cultural differences on personal space.