Modelling large complex space
(updated 28th February 2008)
Keywords, Pedestrian Evacuation, simulating people, simulating crowds, simulating crowd dynamics, workshops
"There are many examples of poor, and even hazardous, human environments resulting from a lack of understanding of the traffic flow relationships and space requirements of pedestrians. A number of authorities have been using maximum pedestrian capacity as a basis for design. Yet, analysis of time-lapse photography of pedestrian traffic flow on walkways and stairs has shown that capacity is reached when there is a dense crowding of pedestrians, causing restricted and uncomfortable locomotion. Insufficient consideration of human space requirements has resulted in inadequate design of many areas where pedestrians may be required to accumulate in large groups. In some instances, overcrowding of these areas has resulted in injury and loss of life." Fruin. Pedestrian Planning and Design.
Large complex spaces benefit from crowd modelling and analysis - but why build a crowd model?
With a good model comes discovery,
with discovery comes understanding,
with understanding comes control.
Crowd Dynamics have worked on a number of international large scale venues for both normal and emergency planning. In 2003 we participated in a workshop based around Sports City (the site of the Manchester Commonwealth games and ran through a number of evacuation scenarios.
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| There are a number of scenarios at any large sporting event that must be considered. 1. Ingress - Security Screening (see queueing) 2. Circulation - Level of Service, reduce pedestrian conflict. |
