Representing crowds using a multi‐agent model – Development of the SimTread pedestrian simulation system

Abstract

SimTread was developed as a pedestrian simulation system following a straightforward, highly user‐definable pedestrian and spatial model. Unlike network and mesh models, this pedestrian model is a multi‐agent system in which an individual pedestrian is modeled as an agent. The spatial model is based on actual coordinates, which enables the direct representation of plans using the SimTread model. The crowd characteristics represented by this system were evaluated through test cases by measuring the flow rate, which is a primary indicator of crowd evaluation. The major results are as follows: (a) SimTread demonstrated a reasonable crowd‐behavior simulation in a simple plan that was equivalent to network models. Along with the added benefits of operability, such performance is highly desirable. (b) In cases where a bottleneck accumulated a number of pedestrians sufficient to block nearby exits, SimTread accurately portrayed the resulting crowd propagation. This allowed qualitative crowd analysis.