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Simulation of Human-induced Vibrations Based on the Characterized In-field Pedestrian Behavior
Published on: April 13, 2016
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Evacuation of Pedestrians with Two Motion Modes for Panic System
You Zou1, Jiarong Xie1, Binghong Wang1,2,3
1Department of Modern Physics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei Anhui, 230026, P. R. China.
Plos One
|April 8, 2016
Summary
Collective panic in pedestrian evacuations stems from flustered individuals (mode II). This study reveals panic spreads like an infection, increasing casualties and optimal wound zones near exits.
Area of Science:
- Complex systems
- Social dynamics
- Evacuation modeling
Background:
- Collective panic in pedestrian evacuations is a significant safety concern.
- Understanding the mechanisms driving panic is crucial for effective crowd management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the underlying mechanisms of collective panic emergence in pedestrian evacuations.
- To analyze the impact of pedestrian motion modes and panic spread on evacuation efficiency and casualties.
Main Methods:
- Modification of the lattice-gas model to simulate pedestrian motion with two modes: gentle (mode I) and flustered (mode II).
- Utilizing the susceptible-infective-susceptible (SIS) model to represent the spread of panic mood.
- Analyzing the relationship between the proportion of flustered pedestrians (ρII), infection probability (λ), and distance to exit (S) and casualties.
Main Results:
- Increased proportion of flustered pedestrians (ρII) leads to lower evacuation efficiency and higher casualties.
- Panic mood spreads akin to an infection, reaching a high-mix state above a critical infection probability (λ).
- The number of wounded pedestrians peaks at distances of 5-10 units from the exit, irrespective of ρII and λ.
Conclusions:
- Flustered pedestrian behavior and the contagious nature of panic are key drivers of collective panic.
- Evacuation strategies should consider the psychological state of individuals and the spatial distribution of risks.
- Findings offer insights for preventing panic and reducing injuries during real-world evacuations.
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