New Data for Human Performance in Planar Corridors

Abstract

Design of escape routes by human performance data depends on flow rates given by e.g. the maximum of the flow-density relation. Although there are many different studies about this relation, even so for the qualitative shape there is still no agreement. To enhance the empirical database we performed experiments with up to 107 test persons under laboratory conditions to study local densities, speeds and flow in planar corridors. Due to new methods of digital image processing our analysis is based on data (trajectories) of very high accuracy. In this contribution we present an extract of our current studies concerning speed, density and flow in planar corridors. We also show effects on results by different measurement procedures. We used different sizes of measurement areas to determine the influence of this parameter. In particular the density where speed reaches zero due to overcrowding is sensitive to this variation.